It was an evening of both ecstasy and agony, especially in the premier Western Late Model class of the six division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program held on Saturday, July 28 at the Madera Speedway.

Once again the night’s fastest cars started near the back of the 16-car field in the Western Late Model 75-lap feature due to a pre race invert draw of 14.

Only four laps into the race both series points leader Mark Holeman, of Los Altos and last weeks first time winner Ross Strmiska, age 21 of Manteca, spun out after touching in turn two. Both were able to return to the back of the pack although Strmiska suffered some front-end damage when Turlock’s Chris Monez popped him during his pirouette.

The lead would change several times before 64-year old central valley racing legend Harry Belletto, of Modesto, took charge of the event by grabbing the top spot from Stockton’s Joey Stearns on lap 29. Belletto looked unbeatable despite having started the event from dead last after a mechanical woe prevented him from making a qualifying attempt.

Belletto again took the lead following a yellow caution restart on lap 64, but Holeman, who had worked his way back up to second, tapped Belletto going into turn three and both spun hard into the concrete wall. Strmiska, who had also worked himself back to the front from his early race mishap, suddenly inherited the lead, which he held to the checkered flag over Fremont’s Glen Cook and Matt Erickson, of Lake Don Pedro.

"It was a rough race. I had to drive the wheels off of it to get back up there and I caught a break when the leaders took each other out," said Strmiska, who picked up his first career win in a late model last Saturday. "This one was a lot harder than last week because we didn’t have the problems we had tonight. Hopefully I can make it three in a row next week."

Fremont’s Glen Cook followed Strmiska across the finish line for second while Matt Erickson, of Lake Don Pedro, snatched third. Stearns and Belletto took the heat race victories.

"It was wild out there tonight. It was a survival contest," said an elated Cook, who had his car ripped up in a heat race accident earlier in the evening. "I can’t thank my crew enough for putting the car back together. What an awesome night."

As can be expected, Belletto was disconsolate after the race.

"He just ran into me. I don’t know what got into him," said a disgusted Belletto. "I don’t know if it was a lack of experience or what, but this will cost us both a lot of money to fix the cars. Everybody losses."

Stockton’s Donny Darter pulled off a clean sweep in the American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) division competition, but it wasn’t easy.

Darter got tangled up with Stockton’s Pete Anderson Sr. in the opening lap of the ALSC dash, catching some big air as he drove over Anderson’s front hood. Somehow, he survived to get the dash win.

In the 12 car main, Darter started from the back of the field and unlike in the previous two events where he also started from the back only to charge through his competitors, struggled to get to the front. It took him several tries before he was finally able to slip under Modesto’s Dennis Saunders Jr. to take the lead. Saunders stayed on Darter’s tailpipe for the remainder of the 30-lap ALSC main, but was forced settle for second just ahead of Anderson.

"It was a little tougher tonight. I just picked my way up to the front," explained Darter. "The incident in the dash knocked a couple of things loose, but it was mostly cosmetic damage and we were able fix it up."

It was the ninth win in ten races for Darter, who plans to move into the late model division next season.

"We are getting better and better every week and sooner or later we are going to beat Darter," said a hopeful Saunders. "He is so strong that second place is almost like a win."

After running separate heats and dashes, the Toyota Sedans and Modified Super Toyotas (MST) were once again combined into one 19-car field for their feature. Despite the large field the race went caution free for all 20 laps.

Kris Terris, of Kingsburg, Shon "Woody" Woods, of Madera, and Jason Bowersox, of Chowchilla, went 1-2-3 in the MST class. Woods set fast time and picked up the win in the dash while John Bowersox, father of Jason, topped the field in the MST heat race.

"It was fun like always out there," said Terris, who competes regularly in the late model class at Irwindale Raceway. "We like to run here whenever we can."

Madera’s Jason Kerns raced to the win in the Toyota Sedans, beating out division points leader Stan Hankins, of Fresno and Madera’s Randy Fleming Sr. to earn top honors. Fresno’s Steve Trusner led for much of the race only to break in the late going and retire to the pits in dead last.

"It feels great to finally be back up front," exclaimed Kerns, who also topped the class in qualifying. "I swear it seems like it has been forever."

Stockton’s John McCollum Jr. was the victor in the first MST heat race and Madera’s Randy Fleming Sr. picked up wins in both the dash and second heat race.

The 360 Super Modifieds put on a fantastic show despite a starting field of only six cars in their main.

Fresno’s Kenny White grabbed the lead in the 30-lap race on the second lap and was stalked for the rest of the event by Bakersfield’s David Tuey. On lap 21 Tuey got under White going through turn three, but White returned the favor by crossing back under Tuey coming out of turn four to take back the lead. White held on to the checkered flag despite Tuey hanging right on his tail while Madera’s Lance Tatro took third.

"Oh man, every time down the straight I would look behind me and I couldn’t even see Tuey so I knew he was right on my butt. I just tried to hold my line and stay on it," said White. "Even with a short field, when you have good racing it is good racing."

White also took wins in both the heat and dash while Tatro snagged fast time in qualifying. Unofficially, Tatro and Tuey are now tied for the lead season standings with 128 points.

A chink in the armor seems to have developed for Miles Humphreys, the 67-year-old grandfather out of Clovis, who has dominated the wild and wacky Toyota Hornet division all season long. After taking top time in qualifying and the win in the dash, Humphreys finished an uncharacteristic fourth in the Hornet heat race behind newcomer CJ Dizney, age 16 of Madera.

In the Hornet feature youth was served once again. Humphreys quickly worked his way from the back of the eight-car field to take second behind Dizney after only three laps, but he could never move up from there as Dizney cruised to his first win of the season.

We were able to get to the front early and hold on," said Dizney, who was making only his third start in the Hornet class. "I heard a lot of talk from everyone about him (Humphreys) when I came here. I thought it would be pretty neat to beat him and tonight we did."

Next Saturday, August 4, it will be KISS Country Boots and Bikini Night at Madera Speedway. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series program will feature round number two in the "Chase for the Championship" for the Western Late Models in a 75-lap, $1,500 to win main. Also racing at the "Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West" will be the American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas, 360 Super Modifieds and Mini Cup.

For Madera Speedway information call the Info/Race Line at (559) 673-RACE or go to www.racemadera.com on the web.

Media Release – Results for 7-28-07

Media Relations – Dale J Bosowski

Rick Thompson (Clovis)

Ross Strmiska Jr. (Stockton)

Glen Cook (Fremont)

Matt Erickson (Lake Don Pedro)

Joey Stearns (Stockton)

Justin Philpott (Tracy)

Carlos Vieira (Merced)

Trevor Schlundt (Clovis)

Amy Rotella-Roberts (Fresno)

Del McIntosh (Madera)

Harry Belletto (Modesto)

Mark Holeman (Los Altos)

Dale Kascht (Raymond)

Chris Monez (Turlock)

Brock Monroe (Escalon)

Rick Thompson (Clovis)

David Philpott (Tracy)

Fast Time – Donny Darter (Stockton) – 16.223 seconds

Donny Darter (Stockton)

Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto)

Pete Anderson Sr. (Stockton)

Jason Aguirre (Atwater)

Howard Holden (Clovis)

Roger Selsor (Fresno)

Tony Schmitz (Oakdale)

Jim Dulla (Hayward)

Tim Rappa (Hayward)

Donald Selsor (Fresno)

Brandon Dean (Clovis)

Garland Tyler (Modesto)

Jason Kerns (Madera)

Stan Hankins (Fresno)

Randy Fleming Sr. (Madera)

John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)

John McCollum Sr. (Stockton)

Candee McIntosh (Madera)

Adam Ballesteros (Dos Palos)

Justin Kawahata (Clovis)

Michael Cheek (Fresno)

Steve Trusner (Fresno)

CJ Dizney (Madera)

Miles Humphreys (Clovis)

David Boyko (Fresno)

Sue Hannah (Madera)

David Lander Jr. (Madera)

Dawn Darter (Stockton)

Stephanie Doran (Madera)

Jamie Sickler (Clovis)

Kris Terris (Kingsburg)

Shon Woods (Madera)

Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla)

Jeff Doran (Madera)

John Bowersox (Chowchilla)

Del McIntosh (Madera)

Tom Cook (Madera)

Chuck Ratcliff (Caruthers)

Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera)

Kenny White (Fresno)

David Tuey (Bakersfield)

Lance Tatro (Madera)

Will Northhamer

Donnie Large (Fresno)

Kevin Hayes