Cole Denton Wins Jr Late Model Debut At Madera

Cole Denton (54) en route to victory at Madera Speedway. (Naake Motorsports photo)
MADERA, Calif. – Kyle Keller might have wired the pro late model headliner Saturday night at Madera Speedway, but Mississippi teenager Cole Denton was the surprise story in the Golden State.
In his debut weekend in a full-size stock car, Denton rose from fourth to first to win his late model debut in the 70-lap 51FIFTY Junior Late Model Series feature at the third-mile paved oval.
The 15-year-old slipped down into third place on the initial start, but found his way into the runner-up spot by the lap-40 race break that allowed for adjustments and TV interviews from the Racer Network.
Class point leader James Hamlin passed Denton for second on the lap-41 restart, quickly giving chase to polesitter and race-long leader Eli Black, but Hamlin and Black tangled on the 43rd lap in a scrum that sent Black spinning around.
The incident relegated both drivers involved to the rear of the field and put Denton out front in the Naake Motorsports No. 54. From there, Denton built a lead of more than two seconds before the yellow flag returned with 11 laps left for an incident between Bristol Borneman and Hunter Gates.
Undeterred, Denton nailed the final restart despite pressure from Black, who slid wide and gave up second place to a charging Hamlin.
But Hamlin ran out of time in the chase, with Denton taking the checkered flag in front by .370 seconds.
“I had no idea going into the weekend that this would even be possible; I came in hoping to run top five, but this is the kind of debut you can only dream of,” said an emotional Denton after climbing from his car. “Naake Motorsports gave me a super-fast car, and I was able to figure it out through the race and we got better and better, I feel like.
“I was a little worried when we had that final restart, and just had to hit my marks, because I knew that everyone behind me was really, really fast as well. What a moment, I really can’t believe it.”
Denton also showed strong in the 80-lap pro late model race, starting fourth and never falling out of the top five despite several tight battles for position. All the while, Keller led comfortably out front.
Sixth-starting Jay Juleson, the class points leader, worked past both Denton and Jason Aguirre in the battle for second on lap 31. Keller led that trio at the halfway break, and never truly seemed threatened from behind.
Two multi-car cautions slowed the pro late model race early in the second half, but the final yellow flag waved with seven to go when Jason Beckman – the son of NHRA Funny Car driver Jack Beckman – spun in turn two and bunched the field up again.
The first try at the final restart saw polesitter Will Martyn go spinning, but the second attempt saw Keller scoot away to victory over Juleson, Shaun Reynolds, Aguirre, and Denton.
Saturday’s pro late model victory came after Keller set his fourth pole qualifying time in as many tries, then started from the outside pole after the redraw and never looked back.
“The team has to be behind you and give you a good hot rod to make it possible. It’s always fun to race against these guys,” Keller said of his win.
Other winners during the five-division program included Nick Halen (INEX Legends), Joseph Holiday (Pro Sportsman, and Hank Galatsatos (INEX Bandoleros).
Action from Madera Speedway is taped for broadcast on RACER Network on Monday nights following each event weekend.
The results:
Pro Late Model A-Feature (80 laps): 1. 12K-Kyle Keller, 2. 12J-Jay Juleson, 3. 10-Shaun Reynolds, 4. 45-Jason Aguirre, 5. 54D-Cole Denton, 6. 17-Will Martyn, 7. 28-Trevor Schlundt, 8. 4B-Ben Johnson, 9. 14B-Jason Beckman, 10. 42G-Manny Gonzales, 11. 3K-Joey Kennealy, 12. 77-Rick Thompson, 13. 8B-Bristol Borneman, 14. 5B-Eli Black, 15. 88-Bobby Hodges.
51FIFTY Junior Late Model A-Feature (70 laps): 1. 54D-Cole Denton, 2. 5J-James Hamlin, 3. 5-Eli Black, 4. 8B-Bristol Borneman, 5. 13-Hunter Gates, 6. 98B-Byron Borneman, 7. 7-Skyler Schoppe.