Lucas Oil Modified Series

BY DAVE GRAYSON

The SuperClean Modified Racing Series teams will be loading their car haulers and making the journey to San Bernardino-California, September 5th, for round six of what has been an outstanding and highly competitive 2009 racing season.Saturday night's race, the K&N Air Filters 75, will be held at the Orange Show Speedway. This ASA sanctioned quarter mile paved oval has a long and rich history for outstanding racing shows.

That certainly was the case this past July 11th when the SuperClean Modified Series last visited the Orange Show Speedway. On that night the fans were on their feet cheering wildly while watching eventual race winner James Cole and home town favorite Jim Mardis stage a side by side duel to the checkers.

The anticipated excitement level this Saturday night will be enhanced by the skin tight points battle for the series championship. There is presently only 16 points separation between the top four drivers in the standings.

While the SuperClean Modified Series easily lives up to its reputation of featuring the best driving talent from the western states area, it's a long, tall, San Antonio-Texan who is sitting on top of the championship points standings going into the Orange Show Speedway race.

Since last year James Cole has been racking up the travel miles to participate in this series and that effort is now rewarding him. Cole comes into Saturday night's K&N Air Filters 75 with a series leading 226 points based on one win, four top five finishes and one top ten finish.

Just mention the name Orange Show Speedway and Cole breaks out in a Texas sized smile. "I'm really excited about returning there," he said adding " that night, (July 11th), was the first time that we took this car to the Orange Show and I think we're going to find more speed in it when we return. I think that we learned a lot from the 75 lapper we ran there the last time and I know (Jim) Mardis is going to be tough, because that's his home town track, but hopefully we'll have something for him again."

However that Cole's lead is only two points over Andrew Phipps who is someone else who knows the directions to the Orange Show Speedway's victory lane. The Simi Valley-California driver won the series' race in Las Vegas, back on May 16th, and has backed that win with five top five finishes.

Third in the standings, and only a mere six points away from the top of the chart, is Jim Mardis. Now here's a driver who knows every square inch of the Orange Show Speedway's quarter mile oval like he knows his Riverside-California address. He's proven that with his track championship, and multiple feature wins, in the track's ASA Stock Pony division. Mardis and his team joined the SuperClean Modified Racing Series late last year and has been coming on strong every since. Many series observers have been saying that it's just a short matter of time before he pulls off that first series win. He almost did exactly that July 11th at his home track and he's got a better than great chance of getting that first win Saturday night. So far this season Mardis has four top five finishes and one top ten.

Chris Gerchman won the series' season opener, March 28th, at his home track: the Havasu 95 Speedway, He's also the series' only two time winner following his most recent win, August 15th, at the Las Vegas Bullring. Despite two wins and four top five finishes, Gerchman is fourth in the series' points but only 16 markers from the leader. There's a reason for that and it's the Orange Show Speedway. The series' July 11th race was a mechanical disaster for the Lake Havasu City-Arizona native and he only collected 16 points that night. One has to believe that Gerchman may be arriving in San Bernardino Saturday high thinking the Orange Show Speedway owes him one. It's absolutely safe to believe that he'll be looking to settle the score Saturday night.

Commenting on that night Gerchman said "we had a semi DNF the last time we raced at Orange Show. The bottom line is we need to keep winning these races and make up those points that we lost that night and see what we can make of this thing. We just need to keep our nose clean at Orange Show and I think our car will be ready for it. We have never lost that feeling of being championship players."

The K&N Air Filters 75 will start 22 modifieds Saturday night with the drivers going after the $1,000 winner's check. When the SuperClean Modifies Series promotes a 75 lap feature they mean exactly that. The fans will be treated to 75 green flag laps of racing.The series' car count has been extremely healthy this season despite the economy and it's likely that a B main, or last chance race, will be needed.

Series promoters Greg Scheidecker and Bill Rozhon are thrilled with the racing they've seen from the teams so far and both men are excited about the potential of the K&N Air Filters 75 this Saturday night. "Orange Show Speedway is my home track," Scheidecker said adding "the people who are running that race track are really trying hard. My hat's off to the McCray family and the effort there. I'm really looking forward to our September 5th race there. Bobby Allison is going to be the special guest Grand Marshall and will be doing an autograph session. There's also going to be a large fireworks show that night. This is going to be a race to attend because all the bells and whistles are in place and I know that Rick McCray is going to put on one terrific show that night. Our SuperClean Modified teams put on a great race last July. Rick McCray is excited to have our series there. We're really looking forward to this event."

Bill Rozhon is also excited about the SuperClean Modified Racing Series returning to the Orange Show Speedway and said "Rick McCray has a big show scheduled for his grand opening that night. Greg and I are very proud of the fact that Rick considered bringing our series to his track for their grand opening."

Rozhon also said he was looking forward to watching his teams put on the same high level show that the fans saw at the July 11th event at the Orange Show. "The last three laps of that race, when Jim Mardis and James Cole put on that side by side finish was one very good show." he added.

Scheidecker is also excited about the prospect of shaking hands with NASCAR legend Bobby Allison Saturday night. The McCray family, and their Best In The West Racing promotion, will be celebrating their grand opening on this night and will be treating their fans to a meet and greet with Allison the former NASCAR champion and ring leader of the famed racing group known as "The Alabama Gang."

In addition to the K&N Air Filters 75, the Orange Show Speedway will also be presenting racing action from their ASA sanctioned late model, stock pony, factory four and stock car USA divisions.

In addition to their title sponsor, the SuperClean Modified Racing Series is supported by a highly potent marketing concept known as Team Lucas that includes Lucas Oil Products Inc, E3 Spark Plugs, R&L Carriers, Dixie Chopper, General Tire and K&N Performance Filters.

There is also strong support from series sponsors including SuperClean Products, Hoosier Tire West, Budweiser, Blue Water Resort and Casino, Sunoco Fuel, Frank's Radio, DJ Safety, Steve Teets of STR-Short Track Race Cars, Polydome Plastic Products and Racing Plus.