Racing fans get ready, because one of the hottest tours in the nation and one of the country’s largest fireworks shows will be at the LoanMartMadera Speedway“>Madera Speedway for its Big Brothers Big Sisters Firecracker 125 on Saturday.

The Southwest Tour has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in NASCAR racing, with Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Matt Crafton all getting their start there.

Speedway owner Kenny Shepherd likened the tour – and its top-two point leaders Jim Pettit II and Ross Strmiska – to seeing baseball players such as Buster Posey on the Fresno Grizzlies before he moved up to the San Francisco Giants.

“If you’ve not seen a Southwest Tour race then you’re about to see the best race you’ve ever watched,” Shepherd said. “It will be like being at a major-league event.”

Strmiska appears ready to take his first win of the tour after finishing fourth, third, and second in the three races prior to this coming Saturday.

“Madera’s one of our favorite tracks,” Strmiska said. “We’ve had success there in our Late Model and good runs in the tour car, so we feel confident entering the weekend … a win should come next.”

Saturday’s race will be the fifth of ten races in the tour.

Pettit, as the Speedway’s lap time record holder – at an absolutely scorching 13.482 seconds set last March – will fend off Strmiska and 22 other drivers for the checkered flag.

Continuing the Speedway’s dedication to local charities, the night was renamed for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California, and a 50-50 raffle will be held to raise money for the organization.

“It’s a program that needs a lot of attention in Madera,” Shepherd said. “We’ve got a lot of kids that aren’t placed, there’s a lot of need for that program so we’re trying to gain exposure for it.”

The 50-50 raffle will sell tickets at a Big Brothers Big Sisters booth, with all proceeds going into one pot.

About an hour before the night’s main event, 24 lucky fans will be drawn at random and paired with drivers in the Southwest Tour.

Those fans are sure to cheer on their driver even more because whoever takes the checkered flag takes half the pot for their fan, with the other half going to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“Our goal is to raise $2000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters and $2000 for a fan,” Shepherd said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Other races on the night will include several big-name tours, including: Legends of the Pacific, the SR2 Series, LunkerDaddy Limited Late Models, Toyota Sedans, Hobby Stocks, and the 18-Second Bracket Race.

One of the nation’s largest fireworks shows, Pyro Spectaculars, is also set to give fans and drivers alike a display worthy of awe in honor of Independence Day.

“Since 2007 we’ve become very very popular with this fireworks show as one of the most intense fireworks shows you’ll ever see,” Shepherd said. “It’s full-size fireworks at low level. They go off in the infield right in front of the grandstands, not much higher than the top of the grandstands.”

All in all, the LoanMart Madera Speedway’s Saturday night will be an event racing fans both past and present won’t want to miss.

Adult tickets are $27, seniors and military $23, youth ages 6-12 $17, and as always kids five and under are free!

Discount family packs are available as well.

For more information, call (559) 673-7223, go to www.racemadera.com, or visit the Speedway’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MaderaSpeedway for free ticket giveaways.