MADERA, Calif. — Eagle, Idaho’s Jacob Smith led wire-to-wire in the 100-lap Summer SpeedFest in the pro late model division, winning the $5,000 prize on a hot evening at the Madera Speedway.
Smith became the first repeat winner through six rounds of competition and remains squarely in the title fight with Fresno’s Tyler Herzog with three rounds to go.
“Really just taking the bull by the horns at this race. No practice this morning and jumped into qualifying. Our halfway adjustment was right on,” Smith said. “Going a year and a half really just trying to make sure we have consistent speed. I’m excited to keep it going. I’m looking forward to these next three races.”
Mike Hensley became the sixth different fast-time qualifier before the front row was made up of Madera’s Robbie Kennealy and Smith after the redraw. Brody Armtrout spun with a flat left rear tire on the backstretch, gathering up 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model points leader Vito Cancilla, age 11, and Hensley. Hensley and Armtrout were unable to continue.
Smith charged around the outside into the lead while Logan Zampa nabbed second as well. Kennealy eventually drifted backwards on the outside, falling to 10th on lap 17 and into the pits a few laps later with mechanical woes.
Seventeenth-starting Shelden Cooper and Olivia Manke collided battling for eighth, with Manke spinning and both cars relegated to the rear after the caution on lap 22. Ninth-starting Kenna Mitchell of Loomis emerged in second on the restart.
Zampa challenged Mitchell on the inside on numerous occasions. The top four of Smith, Mitchell, Zampa and 2022 champion Kyle Keller lined up on the outside line nearly nose to tail. They ran that way into the lap-50 break with Herzog in tow from fifth.
Keller took over second from Mitchell on the restart while Cooper passed Zampa for fourth. Keller showed his nose briefly under Smith for the lead. The jockeying was halted when Rick Thompson stopped in turn two on lap 60 for a caution.
Herzog battled to the outside of Mitchell for fourth while Cooper took over third.
Zampa then clawed to the back bumper of Mitchell and they collided into turn one, sending Mitchell spinning out of the top-five on lap 73 and bringing out the caution. Both restarted at the rear. Herzog passed Keller on the outside to take over the second position and Cooper attempted to follow suit. Manke drove all the way back to fifth after her earlier spin, passing Zampa.
Zampa and Manke then crashed hard on the front stretch, with Manke’s car barreling into the inside k-rail and tires. She was uninjured but eliminated from contention. Smith drove ahead over the final 18 laps for the coveted $5,000 SpeedFest prize.
Herzog finished second followed by Keller, Cooper and a resurgent Mitchell in fifth.
Martinez’ Vito Cancilla extended his championship lead with an outstanding fifth win of the season in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series. Cancilla led all 70 laps of round six for the drivers ages 10-16 years old.
Wilton’s Chase Hand entered the race with five consecutive second place finishes and topped Cancilla in qualifying. Cancilla drew the pole, however, and paced the race. Joey Kennealy and Taylor Mayhew put on a furious battle for second on numerous tries throughout the night.
Kennealy dove underneath Mayhew at the start, but Mayhew drove around him on lap four to hold second. Hand and Henry Barton collided to bring out a caution on lap eight, sending both to the rear of the pack. Kennealy and Mayhew went side-by-side again, and again Mayhew held second on lap 12.
Spins for Cam Carraway and Skyler Schoppe brought out additional brief cautions.
The race for second developed into a two-by-two spectacle before a serious crash halted racing. Las Vegas’ Bryson Brown rode over the left rear of Barton on the front stretch, clipping the flag stand before sliding the full length of the front stretch on his side against the wall. He stopped and rolled onto his roof to bring out a red flag on lap 34.
Brown was transported to a local hospital for precautionary measures and the scheduled lap 40 break arrived six laps early.
Kennealy, Hand and Tristan Pena all drove underneath Mayhew on the restart after the break for adjustments, relegating Mayhew to fifth position. Hand then knifed underneath Kennealy on the backstretch on lap 50 to complete the comeback run to second place.
Mayhew had a physical battle for third with Kennealy before a caution on lap 60 for a spin for Kylie Glick of Lincoln. A wild final sequence saw several drivers battle for second through fifth. Cancilla prevailed by a scant .489 second advantage over Hand, Kennealy, Mayhew and Pena at the checkered flag.
Bakersfield’s Colton Page won the INEX Legends Tour Series 40-lap feature.
Nick Halen was the early race leader with a dragging bumper, which Page repeatedly tagged throughout the event. The leaders drove into lapped traffic by lap 17. A three-wide maneuver saw Page nearly steal the lead on the outside on lap 23. They raced side-by-side down the backstretch with Page taking car No. 24P to the lead on lap 24.
Donny Darter spun on lap 26. Eddie Garone used the restart to drive high, wide, and handsome up to challenge for second. Darter and Jim Clark came together in an incident that sent Darter through the infield for a caution.
Page earned the win over Halen, Garone, Nathan Quella and Tracy’s Brendan Ruzbarsky.
Las Vegas’ Keaton Harbison won the 15-lap INEX Bandolero feature in his Madera debut.