08/24/2026
14TH ANNUAL SHORTTRACK SHOOTOUT EXPANDS TO $15,000.00 TO WIN
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (August 24, 2026) – The West Coast has been a hotbed of late model racing action for many decades and for the last 13 years the Short Track Shootout at the Madera Speedway has been a showcase of the best racing in the nation in the annual fall classic race event.
Madera Speedway’s Short Track Shootout was one of the first big payday races for local late model drivers to showcase their talent on national television. The event paid $10,000.00 to win from day one all the way through the 13th version of the fall classic.
The 14th annual Short Track Shootout is scheduled for October 10th, 2026 and we are announcing the winning prize money has now grown to $15,000.00 with support from Mission Foods and Hoosier Racing Tires.
Along with the increased prize money the race format has also changed. In recent years the race was a 150 lap contest with a break at the 100 lap mark and the winner took home $10,000.00.
The race will now become three separate 50 lap races, with three separate purses all taking place on a single night at the track. The new format features three separate 50 lap races paying $5,000.00 to win each race, making this the Triple 50’s for $15,000.00 to win.
How to make the race – There will be 24 starting positions available in each of the three 50 lap main events. The fastest 16 cars from qualifying will lock into the starting grid for each of the three main events. Positions 17-20th will come from a 25-lap B main. Positions 21-24th will come from provisionals available to drivers that are in the top 10 in the 2026 Mission Late Model point standings. Unused provisional starting positions will be available to drivers that fail to qualify that are in the top five in the 2026 51FIFTY Jr Late Model drivers points standings.
Drivers finishing 5th and back in the B main will go into standby positions for the second and third 50 lap main events. If drivers that qualified into the race are unable to make the start of the 2nd or 3rd 50 lap main event, then drivers that finished 5th and back in the B main will get pulled into the starting lineup for the 2nd and 3rd main events.
Who can compete in the 14th Annual Short Track Shootout – Any driver with a Madera Speedway legal pro late model that is 14 years of age or older and is in good standing with the Madera Speedway is eligible to enter the race. Any 51FIFTY Jr Late Model driver that has a victory in the 2026 racing season or is in the top five in the 2026 point standings is eligible to enter the event.
How to enter the event – There is a mandatory driver entry list for the $15,000.00 to win 14th Annual Short Track Shootout. The entry for the October 10th Short Track Shootout opens Tuesday August 25, 2026. Text your drivers name, car number and hometown/state to the race office at 559-507-9931.
More details on race procedures, tech and tires will populate on the Short Track Shootout page at racemadera.com on September 1st. If you have questions about the event, please call the race office at 559-507-9931.
