WM: FF: Madera Vukovich Classic pre-event news

VUKOVICH CLASSIC SATURDAY AT MADERA

Madera (Calif.) Speedway is the site of this Saturday's 32nd Annual "Vukovich Classic," honoring the famed Fresno, Calif. racing family which had such a dynamic impact on the sport of auto racing. The event is presented by Inside Lines Apparel & Graphics.

Featuring the USAC Western Midgets and USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Midgets, the race continues a tradition of USAC racing on the 1/3-mile paved oval which spans the past 33 years!

The late Billy Vukovich III scored eight USAC victories in the supermodifieds at Madera and his victory total there is only surpassed by Davey Hamilton and Tony Hunt, who have won nine times each.

Billy's grandfather Bill won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500s and was leading in 1955 prior to his fatal accident. Billy's father Bill continued the family legacy with an Indianapolis 500 career of his own, which included a second-place finish behind Gordon Johncock in 1973. Billy himself made it to Indy as well, claiming "Rookie of the Year" honors in 1988, an honor bestowed on his father Bill twenty years earlier. Billy's uncle Eli was also a race driver.

In 1987 Billy III scored seven consecutive wins in the USAC Supermodified Series, which tied A.J. Foyt's all-time USAC National consecutive victory record of seven in the Championship Cars in 1964. Four of Billy's six Madera wins that year came during that seven-in-a-row stretch.

Saturday's event highlights the track's "Super Saturday" slate as drivers battle for valuable points toward USAC's 2009 driving championships.

-credti: --USAC--