MADERA — Manteca’s Joe Flowers avoided an incident at the front of the field with 10 laps remaining, then charged away to become the seventh different winner of the Olga’s California Dream 100 for Mini Stocks on Saturday night at Madera Speedway. Flowers earned $3,000 for the victory as only the second California winner in seven editions of the event.
“I can’t believe it. I brought another car down and blew it up yesterday. This is my Stockton car and I just can’t believe it. I just wanted to finish this race. I’ve never made it past (lap 50). This is a big win for me,” Flowers said. “I was holding my breath the whole time. Our team – we have no shop, we work beside our house. We build all our own cars.”
Nearly 40 four-cylinder race teams from five states participated in the event. A field of 25 was set following a 30-lap B-Main earlier in the evening. The traditional 20-car invert made for an electric start to the race. The first 24-laps of the feature ran caution free with drivers maneuvering all over the speedway. Seventeen-year-old Jayden Cross of Manteca, Fresno’s Kevin Thompson, Idaho’s Trevor Anderson, and Clovis’ Dan Myrick each took turns at the front of the field. Starting17th Jarrett Mayo of Eureka, the defending winner, used a restart take over the lead position on lap 29.
Manteca’s Josh Cross, the 2025 runner-up, took the lead at the lap 50 break for adjustments and TV interviews. Idaho’s Fred Vigil ran second followed by Tyler Palmer, Anderson, and Roseville points leader Vic Theberge.
The second half of the event was highlighted by the spirited comeback of Jarrett Mayo. Mayo drove past Palmer for second on lap 70, then worked to run down Josh Cross. Mayo took the lead on the outside on lap 88. Two laps later, Mayo slid through the grass in turn two and collected Cross. The caution flew and both drivers were relegated to the rear of the field.
Joe Flowers had run within the top-five throughout the second half and was suddenly thrust into the lead. Flowers soared ahead over the final ten circuits to claim the victory with Tyler Palmer winning a strong duel for second. Vigil took third over Cross by inches with Mayo recovering to finish fifth.