MADERA, Calif. — Last year’s Madera Pro Late Model Series powered by Mission Foods champion Tyler Herzog extended his points lead with his second win of the year in Saturday’s round seven at Madera Speedway. Texan Tristan Pena also earned a second win on the season in stock car action.
“I drove him clean the whole first half. Was running him clean and the whole backstretch he was dooring. Going down the front straightaway he doors me there. So I was just done,” Herzog said.
The initial start of the 80-lap feature saw 2023 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series champion Vito Cancilla drive into the back of Cam Carraway, with Carraway narrowly missing the wall. On the next attempt at the start, polesitter Shelden Cooper restarted on the outside of Glen Cook. Cook took advantage on the bottom to take the lead.
Seventh starting Herzog advanced to third by lap seven. A multi-car crash brought the race to a yellow flag on lap 21. Olivia Manke, Troy Ermish and Carlos Vieira crashed in the fourth turn. Vieira suffered heavy damage which ended his evening.
Manke emerged from the pits as the race was restarting. Cooper threaded the needle in a three wide maneuver to soar past Cook to lead lap 22. Herzog then took over second on the outside of Cook as well.
Herzog then dove low on Cooper but was unable to complete the pass. The top-five cars searched high and low on the Madera Speedway with fast-time qualifier Kyle Keller and Matt Erickson battling for third.
Cooper led Herzog, Keller, Erickson, and Cook into the lap 50 break for adjustments. Herzog worked to the inside of Cooper for the lead with the pair making contact down the backstretch. Herzog led lap 53 with Keller knifing inside to lead lap 54. The pair ran side-by-side until Herzog was clear of Keller on lap 56.
Keller used the bottom to trade the second position with Cooper, with Keller solidly in the position on lap 66. Erickson then took third from Cooper on lap 73.
Despite running some of his best laps of the race, Keller was unable to track down Herzog. The 2023 champion topped the 2022 champion with Tyler Herzog in victory lane over Keller. Erickson was third followed by Cooper, and Nathan Quella of Yorba Linda.
Tristan Pena won his second-career 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series race while points leader Jace Hale extended his points lead over the other drivers in the top-three in the championship.
Colton Page won the 30-lap INEX Legends feature for his second win of the year.
Defending champion Kaine Betancourt won a back-and-forth race with Madera’s Kellen Keller to win the 15-lap INEX Bandolero feature. Andrew Williams finished third.
Tyler Holden held off points leader Steve Schermerhorn to take the 30-lap Pro Sportsman feature. Brian Taylor finished third.
Joseph Holliday won the Mini Super Toyota main event.