From Mark Smith / The Madera Tribune
Madera, CA — (June 7, 2014) — First was the magic word Saturday night at the LoanMart Madera Speedway, as several drivers who had never won in Madera or ever in their car classes took home a golden trophy during the Pombo/Sargent Classic.
The evening’s wildest race came in the 30-lap USAC/BCRA Midgets, where Cody Gerhardt took the checkered from the pole position, but not without several lead changes and some intense, three-wide racing.
Almost immediately after the race began, Nick Chivello zipped from third to second in his 27b car that earned him a third-place finish the last time the circuit was in Madera on May 3.
Gerhardt worked to defend his top spot from Chivello but was surpassed by turn three of lap three.
For the next 20 laps, Chivello was in the lead but at times struggled to maintain it against Gerhardt, the top-qualifying 2k car of Darrin Snider, the lightning-quick Chad Nichols, and popular driver Tanner Swanson all nipping at his heels.
After Snider spun into the front-end wall and had to exit the race, Chivello and Nichols fought hard for first place with Swanson right behind.
In lap 23, for an unspecified reason, Chivello suddenly dropped out of the race leaving Nichols in the lead, Swanson behind, and Gerhardt in third hungry for that first Madera win.
The three drivers eventually started going three-wide around turns, blasting by corners with force that delighted the crowd.
As the trio entered lap 28, a mere two laps from the finish, Gerhardt backed off and then Nichols and Swanson got caught up with each other, which caused Nichols to spin out.
Swanson, who continued driving, looked to have the lead but was sent to the rear along with Nichols by referees for his involvement in the contact.
That left the door wide open for Gerhardt, who cruised on the final two laps and a hard-earned checkered.
“I wanted to stay at a distance but not go too far behind,” Gerhardt said of his strategy in victory lane. “They were racing each other pretty hard so I thought they might get into each other and give me a shot at the lead. It paid off � I feel great. I’ve been so close so many times so it feels good to finally get a win here.”
Other first-time winners on the night included: Jeff Collins in the Pabst Blue Ribbon Winged World Series; Jay Linstroth in a blistering Twisted Tea Open Modified Series win; and Shawn Buckley in the USAC HPD Midgets.
They joined Eric Humphries with a NCMA Sprints victory and Joel Rayborne in a restricted HPD Midgets class to round off a night of action-packed racing.
The Speedway will return June 14 for its Summer Kick Off 150 Lap Enduro. The LunkerDaddy Late Models, Hobby Stocks, MSTs, Toyota Sedans, 4-Bangers, and 18-Second Bracket Race will be a part of that event.
For information, go to www.racemadera.com, call (559) 673-7223, or visit the Speedway’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/maderaspeedway for free ticket giveaways and posts about upcoming events.
RESULTS
MAIN EVENTS (UNOFFICIAL, SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
Pabst Blue Ribbon Winged World Series (50 laps)
Jeff Collins
Kyle Vanderpool-(-3.322)
Tim Skoglund-(-8.088)
Cody Gerhardt-(-10.771)
Steve Johns-(3 laps)
Marvin Mitchell-(9 laps)
Brandon Smith-(41 laps)
Donnie Large-(47 laps)
Art McCarthy-(49 laps)
Alan Beck-(50 laps)
Twisted Tea Open Modified Series (60 laps, 30 lap splits)
Jay Linstroth
Trip Mojo Gaylord-(-3.135)
Dillon Cappello-(-3.717)
Scott Alves-(-3.846)
Jason Philpot-(-4.694)
Victor Machado-(-5.235)
Ricky Bowers-(-5.659)
William Camara-(-6.844)
Joel Courage-(-9.050)
Rick Lindgren-(1 lap)
Rodney Tripp-(1 lap)
Eddie Wilcox-(5 laps)
Dave Campbell-(8 laps)
Elliott St. Jerne-(9 laps)
Brian Collins-(25 laps)
Kevin Nichols-(39 laps)
USAC/BCRA Midgets (30 laps)
Cody Gerhardt
David Goodwill-(-0.628)
Jarred Bondel-(-1.523)
Chad Nichols-(-1.557)
Lauren Snider-(-2.290)
Tanner Swanson-(-2.497)
David Pricketts-(1 lap)
Floyd Alvis-(1 lap)
Marvin Mitchell-(4 laps)
Nick Chivello-(8 laps)
Gary Conterno-(8 laps)
Darrin Snider-(11 laps)
JR Williams-(18 laps)
NCMA Sprints (30 laps)
Eric Humphries
Audra Sasseli-(-2.413)
David Goodwill-(-7.140)
Steve Amador-(1 lap)
Duncan Lee-(3 laps)
Mike Higgins-(11 laps)
Don Arriaz-(30 laps)
Ed Amador-(30 laps)
USAC HPD Midgets (30 laps)
Shawn Buckley
Cody Jessop-(-0.183)
Dylan Nobile-(-2.141)
Tom Patterson-(-2.934)
Toni Breidingar-(-6.259)
Christine Breckenridge-(-7.833)
Annie Breidingar-(1 lap)
Joel Rayborne-(2 laps)
Sheldon Cooper-(3 laps)
USAC HPD Midgets (Restricted, 15 laps)
Joel Rayborne
Jesse “James” Burks-(-8.041)
Courtney Burks-(-10.881)
QUALIFYING (2 laps):
360/410 Super Modifieds
Kyle Vanderpool-12.769
Jeff Collins-12.825
Cody Gerhardt-12.888
Tim Skoglund-12.970
Brandon Smith-13.239
Alan Beck-13.642
Steve Johns-13.643
Art McCarthy-14.174
Donnie Large-15.546
Marvin Mitchell-19.563
Twisted Tea Open Modified Series
Dillon Cappello-15.282
Jay Linstroth-15.407
Trip Mojo Gaylord-15.459
Scott Alves-15.486
Ricky Bowers-15.502
Elliott St. Jerne-15.528
Jason Philpot-15.616
Victor Machado-15.648
Brian Collins-15.657
Rodney Tripp-15.717
Joel Courage-15.743
Rick Lindgren-15.747
Eddie Wilcox-15.823
Dave Campbell-15.898
William Camara-15.969
USAC/BCRA Midgets
Darrin Snider-13.855
Chad Nichols-13.876
Tanner Swanson-13.980
Nick Chivello-14.042
David Goodwill-14.211
Cody Gerhardt-14.261
Jarred Bondel-14.274
Gary Conterno-14.457
Lauren Snider-14.987
Floyd Alvis-15.291
David Pricketts-15.440
Marvin Mitchell-16.175
JR Williams-16.592
Rick Holbrook
NCMA Sprints
Eric Humphries-14.404
Audra Sasseli-14.540
David Goodwill-14.818
David Burcett-14.967
Ed Amador-15.154
Steve Amador-15.155
Don Arriaz-15.676
Duncan Lee-15.863
Mike Higgins-16.039
USAC HPD Midgets
Dylan Nobile-14.953
Shawn Buckley-15.062
Cody Jessop-15.087
Tom Patterson-15.203
Toni Breidingar-15.349
Christine Breckenridge-15.405
Annie Breidingar-15.468
Joel Rayborne-16.382
Sheldon Cooper-16.730
Courtney Burks-16.779
Jesse “James” Burks-16.979
HEAT RACES:
360/410 Super Modifieds (Heat 1, 8 laps)
Kyle Vanderpool
Jeff Collins-(-0.671)
Tim Skoglund-(-2.824)
Cody Gerhardt-(-3.582)
Brandon Smith
360/410 Super Modifieds (Heat 2, 8 laps)
Donnie Large
Alan Beck-(-1.435)
Steve Johns-(-1.781)
Art McCarthy-(-4.481)
USAC/BCRA Midgets (Heat 1, 8 laps)
Darrin Snider
Tanner Swanson-(-0.784)
David Goodwill-(-3.693)
Jarred Bondel-(-6.100)
Lauren Snider-(-7.284)
David Pricketts-(-12.049)
JR Williams-(1 lap)
USAC/BCRA Midgets (Heat 2, 8 laps)
Nick Chivello
Chad Nichols-(-0.371)
Cody Gerhardt-(-1.752)
Gary Conterno-(-5.454)
Floyd Alvis-(-11.086)
Rick Holbrook
NCMA Sprints (Heat 1, 8 laps)
Ed Amador
Don Arriaz-(-1.431)
Mike Higgins-(-9.514)
Steve Amador-(-24.532)
Duncan Lee -(1 lap)
NCMA Sprints (Heat 2, 8 laps)
Audra Sasseli
Eric Humphries-(-0.254)
David Goodwill-(-1.774)
David Burcett-(5 laps)
USAC HPD Midgets (Heat 1, 4 laps)
Joel Rayborne
Jesse “James” Burks-(-1.080)
Courtney Burks-(-3.014)
USAC HPD Midgets (Heat 2, 8 laps)
Dylan Nobile
Annie Breidingar-(-2.589)
Toni Breidingar-(-2.787)
USAC HPD Midgets (Heat 3, 8 laps)
Shawn Buckley
Tom Patterson-(-1.168)
Christine Breckenridge-(-2.162)
Joey Rayborne-(-8.846)