HOMETOWN RUN: JOEY IEST RACES TO SIXTH-PLACE FINISH AT MADERA SPEEDWAY
Madera Native Charges From 11th to Sixth in ARCA Menards Series West Madera 150
MADERA, Calif. — There are certain racetracks that mean more than just another race on the schedule.
For Joey Iest, Madera Speedway will always be one of them.
Racing in front of his hometown crowd Saturday night, Iest drove the No. 88 Shockwave Marine Suspension Seating / Almond Man Ford Fusion to a strong sixth-place finish in the ARCA Menards Series West Madera 150, adding another chapter to a racing career that began at the California short track more than a decade ago.
Iest showed speed throughout the day, posting the eighth-fastest time in practice before qualifying 11th in the 21-car field with a lap of 15.038 seconds at 79.718 mph.
Once the green flag dropped, the Madera native went to work.
Iest methodically worked his way forward during the 150-lap event, navigating multiple cautions and late-race restarts while keeping the No. 88 in contention.
The closing laps became especially hectic.
Multiple late cautions eventually pushed the race into overtime, extending the scheduled 150-lap event to 157 laps. Through it all, Iest kept himself in position and avoided the trouble around him.
When the checkered flag finally flew, Iest crossed the line sixth, gaining five positions from his starting spot and completing all 157 laps.
Hailie Deegan captured the victory with a last-lap pass of Trevor Huddleston, while Kenna Mitchell, Robbie Kennealy and Mason Massey completed the top five just ahead of Iest.
For Iest, however, Saturday night was about more than where his name appeared on the final results sheet.
It was about coming home.
Madera Speedway played an important role in Iest's development from the earliest stages of his career. He began racing quarter midgets at age nine before progressing through the ranks and eventually becoming one of the young drivers developed through Madera's stock-car racing programs.
In 2019, Iest captured the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series championship with Naake-Klauer Motorsports at Madera, making Saturday night's ARCA West appearance another opportunity to compete in front of family, friends and many of the people who watched his racing career develop.
Now 23, Iest has gone from learning his craft at Madera Speedway to becoming an ARCA Menards Series West race winner.
His first career ARCA West victory came at Colorado National Speedway in 2021, and he has continued to build a résumé that includes competition throughout the ARCA Menards Series platform.
Saturday night's sixth-place finish provided another solid result for Iest and Naake-Klauer Motorsports Team.
About Joey Iest
Joey Iest is a professional stock-car racing driver from Madera, California. He began racing at age nine in quarter midgets at Madera Speedway, earning two national championships before progressing through USAC midgets, late models and the ARCA Menards Series platform. In 2019, Iest captured both the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series championship and USAC Western Speed 2 Midget Series championship with Naake-Klauer Motorsports. Iest earned his first career ARCA Menards Series West victory at Colorado National Speedway in 2021 and continues to compete in select ARCA West and CARS Tour West events.
About Naake-Klauer Motorsports
Naake-Klauer Motorsports is a California-based racing organization with a long history of developing young drivers through multiple levels of stock-car competition. Led by Mike Naake, the organization has helped drivers progress from Madera Speedway's development programs through late models and into ARCA Menards Series competition. In 2026, the team fields Joey Iest in the No. 88 Ford.
About Shockwave Marine Suspension Seating
Shockwave Marine Suspension Seating designs and manufactures advanced marine suspension seating systems engineered to reduce the impact of rough water and improve comfort, safety and performance on the water. Built for recreational, commercial and professional marine applications, Shockwave combines innovative suspension technology with durable construction designed for demanding environments. Learn more at shockwaveseats.com.
About The Almond Man
The Almond Man is a California-based almond company offering premium flavored almonds and specialty almond products. With deep roots in California’s Central Valley, the company turns locally grown almonds into a variety of unique flavors and products while celebrating the agricultural community behind one of the region’s signature crops.
Media Contact:
Rod Wortham
Race Face Brand Development
rod@racefacebd.com
