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LUCAS OIL MODIFIEDS TO LIGHT UP THE FASTEST ONE THIRD MILE IN THE WEST THIS SATURDAY
BY DAVE GRAYSON
The Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by 1 800 Loan Mart, will be bringing their thunder making, ground shaking, brand of open wheel intensity to the fastest one third mile in the west, the Madera Speedway, this Saturday night, July 28th.
The series' MAV TV-American Real 75 will live up to its name by treating Madera Speedway fans to a full 75 green flag laps. This series does not count yellow flag caution laps. A full field of 24 modifieds are expected to be on hand for this race.
As the series heads towards the start of the second half of the 2012 regular points season, there are two stand out drivers who have completely dominated the first half of the year: Austin Barnes and Chris Gerchman.
From Escondido-California, Austin Barnes has been on fire this year. His 214 accumulated championship points are based on three main event wins. His absolute worst finish in 2012 is a second. Along the way Barnes has collected newly established incentives from the E 3 Spark Plugs Bonus Points Program that includes two bonus points each for race wins, setting the fast time in qualifying and being named the hard charger of the race. He's won three of the four series' events and has set the fast time in qualifying in all four races. It's his high level of consistency, along with those valuable E 3 Spark Plugs bonus points, that has kept him on top of the championship standings from race number one to the present.
Second in the standings is the equally consistent Chris Gerchman who won the second race of the season and backed that with three second place finishes. Gerchman's mission Saturday night is quite clear: find a way to gain championship points and eradicate some of the lead currently held by Barnes. That process will need to begin with qualifying and then proceed to winning the race. Gerchman is a very likely candidate to make this happen.
He also will be making a very long trip to get to the Madera Speedway this weekend. Originally from Lake Havasu City-Arizona, the home of the Gerchman family race team, Chris Gerchman is now a resident of the state of Texas. He will be flying to Arizona and follow that will a long trailer tow, of approximately ten hours, to Madera.
While series' observers will be paying a lot of attention to Barnes and Gerchman this Saturday night, there are several other drivers who could easily play the role of spoiler and collect their first win of the season. Topping that hopeful list is Jim Mardis, the 2010 and 2011 series champion who is ranked third in the points. There are also the aces from Las Vegas featuring drivers of Scott Osborn, Aaron McMorran and Doug Hamm who are currently ranked fifth through seventh in the points standings. 
Beyond the typical excitement of the races, that is always present whenever the Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by 1 800 Loan Mart, takes the green flag, the MAV TV-American Real 75 is going to be a very lucrative event for the following reasons:
The MAV TV-American Real 75 has a $10,000 purse with $1,500 going to the race winner.
The race winner will also receive a gift certificate for a set of high quality heads from Dart Machinery LLC.
The race winner will also collect two additional championship points from the E 3 Spark Plugs Bonus Program.
Drivers are guaranteed a minimum of $300 for just taking the initial green flag for the MAV TV-American Real 75.
During the course of the evening drivers can earn the series long standing bonus incentives which includes $100 and two bonus points for winning the Optima Batteries Hard Charger Award, $100 and two bonus points for setting the Budweiser Fast Time in qualifying, $100 for winning the GEICO Clean Pass Award and $200 for winning the MAV TV-American Real six lap trophy dash.
The Sunoco Winner's Circle Program, which normally pays $200 in tow money to drivers in points positions one through ten, will be doubled, $400, for the Madera race.
The Speedco Tow Money Program, normally $150 to drivers in points positions 11 through 20, has also been doubled, $300, for the Madera race.
The element of national television will be an important factor to this race. The Lucas Oil Production Studios will be present Saturday night to video tape the event that will be presented on MAV TV at a future broadcast date.
Put that total package together, and there's plenty of reasons for a team to enter the MAV TV-American Real 75 and plenty of reasons for fans to watch this race at the Madera Speedway.
The Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by 1 800 Loan Mart, is powered by a highly potent marketing concept known as Team Lucas. Team members include: Lucas Oil Products Inc, E 3 Spark Plugs, General Tire, GEICO, CANIDAE All Natural Pet Food, MAV TV, Speedco Truck Lube and Tires/Firestone and Optima Batteries.
The series is also strongly supported by a strong group of associate sponsors featuring: Eibach Springs, Hoosier Tire West, Budweiser, Blue Water Resort and Casino, Sunoco Race Fuels, Frank's Radio, Racing Plus, Go Pro Cameras and 1 800 Loan Mart.
