DAVE MADER III IS GUNNING FOR SPRINT WIN
  BY Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter

March 3, 2006
Mobile International Speedway kicks off its 43rd-year of consecutive racing, Saturday, March 11, as drivers of the winged O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series www.uscsracing.com will be roaring down the speedway's asphalt straightaways at speeds nearing 140 miles per hour.

Being able to control a 1,300 pound car with over 700 horsepower isn't designed for rookies, but there is one driver, Dave Mader III, now living in Irvington that has gone much faster. As a matter of fact, Mader has approached the 200-mph mark in the NASCAR Winston Cup series.

During his Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) career, Mader finished 18th in the 1992 Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. In that race, he finished ahead of national champions, Darrell Waltrip, and Terry Labonte.

That same year, he finished ahead of seven-time Winston Cup champion, Richard Petty in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

For Saturday's, March 11, USCS races, Mader will be driving for long-time car owner, Johnny Ardis of Mobile. Ardis and his family have been involved in some type of racing in the southeast and midwest since the late 1940s.

They have raced all kinds of cars, but the family is most known for their involvement in supermodified racers. For many years, some of the best drivers in the area used to pilot one of their cars.  “What is there about racing that Johnny Ardis doesn't know,” said Mader. “He's been around racing so long that he's got racing fuel in his veins.  “He's updating all his cars and equipment and we plan on running in the top-5, Saturday night. “You know the sprint races last year were great. There were four or five right together there at the end. That means there was some really good competition. “This will be my third sprint race. We've done some testing, and right now, things look good for us.”

In addition to Nextel Cup cars, Mader has also driven in the NASCAR Busch Series, and has several MIS super late model long-distance victories to his credit.

Drivers pre-entered for the event include the defending O'Reilly USCS National Champion, Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida who has won at Mobile, and defending O'Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour Champion, Wayne Reutimann, Jr. from Zephyrhills, Florida. The O'Reilly USCS National Championship runner-up 19 year old Danny Martin, Jr. from Sarasota, FL.

These three will have plenty of competition from 2004 O'Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder and four time O'Reilly USCS National Champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee and ageless Florida sprint car legend Wayne Reutimann, Sr. from Zephyrhills, Florida who won twice last season in the series.

A host of young drivers known as the Speedmart Young Guns will also make their presence known. Those include 2005 O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year Bryn Gohn from Malabar, Florida, and Ryan Myers from Eldorado, Ohio who finished fourth in last season's pavement standings. Myers finished in second place in the March 2005 race at Mobile International Speedway.

 Other top Young Guns include 16-year-old Matt Tiffany from Daytona Beach, Florida, who was nominated for the 2005 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year honors as well. The 2004 O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, R.J. Johnson from Decatur, Tennessee is expected to be a contender for the title in 2006, too. Additionally, entries are expected from at least six states.

Last October, a new MIS track record was set by 2005 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year driver Kevin Swindell, and that could possibly fall, if the weather remains cool.

In addition to sprint practice, qualifying, heat and feature races, this will also be the first night of points racing for the Bomber and Sportsmen classes. The Bombers and Sportsmen will practice, qualify, and run heat and feature races. All other local classes will begin their points racing on April 1.

There will be an open practice on Thursday, March 9, from 5-9 p.m. for all divisions. Price is $5 for everyone with minor releases required. The Schedule for Saturday, March 11: Pits open: 2 p.m.; Grandstands at 5 p.m. Practice will begin at 5 p.m., qualifying is at 6 p.m., and racing gets underway at 8 p.m.  Ticket prices: Pits (everyone): $25; grandstands: $15; senior/military: $14; children under 11 admitted free with paying adult.

For additional information, call the speedway at 251-957-2063, or log on to the track website, www.mobilespeedway.com .