The Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models will kick off their 2009 season on Saturday, April 25 at McKean County Raceway in Smethport, PA. With over $150,000 in purse payouts on the line for the upcoming season, the action will be hotly contested during the season opener.
McKean County Raceway has become the official home track of the Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Model Series as the historic 3/8 mile fairground oval celebrates their Silver Anniversary this season since the track re-opened in full time in 1984. There have been sixteen ULMS events at MCR since 2002 with nine different winners gracing Allen’s Wine and Liquor Victory Lane.
The annual Jim Duffy Memorial will be a thirty lap affair paying $2000 to win and it will also have a guaranteed starting spot for the season ending Priority Care RaceFAN 50 that will pay $12,000 to win in late September. The complete purse is listed on the ULMS website at www.unitedlatemodelseries.com. Todd Andrews (06), Dick Barton (03) and Chub Frank (02) have won the past three ULMS sanctioned Jim Duffy Memorial events in honor of the Smethport native who helped shaped the current 3/8 mile oval into its current configuration in the summer of 1983.
With defending 2008 Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Model Series champion, Todd Andrews reportedly retiring from full time racing, there will be a new champion this upcoming season. The early favorites will most definitely be all time ULMS career winner, Bob Close of Eldred, PA. Brent Rhebergan of Clymer NY, finished a strong second in the 2008 points behind Andrews. Rhebergan will no doubt be looking to grab the spotlight this upcoming season. Boom Briggs won everything at the end of the 2008 ULMS season and if his 2009 season begins as his 2008 season ended, he will no doubt be one of the favorites. Greg Oakes of Franklinville, New York captured the 2008 Ontario Dirt Late Model Series title and has improved his dirt late model skills over the 2008 season. The red #22 Rocket should find victory lane in 2009. ULMS Racing Series welcomes back Ed Carley of Freedom, NY. Carley is the only driver to win a Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Model Series event and a United Emod Series event. Carley will be back driving his own #28 Tidd’s Towing, Rocket Chassis this season and no doubt he will be a driving force in the events he enters.
Jason Dupont of Cyclone, PA will be back in the Northern Tier Inc, Rocket Chassis. Dupont finished fourth in the final 2008 points. He no doubt will be looking for victory lane to celebrate his first ULMS win. Last year was the year that many fans took notice of Bump Hedman. With his upsetting win at Little Valley Speedway with a late race pass on Dutch Davies, Bump was sitting solidly in the top three going into the final night of action but a wild flip during the his qualifying heat event cost the Hedman team a top three point finish. Other notables that will be on the ULMS circuit this year will be Perry, New York driver, Doug Ricotta, Clarendon, Pennsylvania’s Jeff Hoffman, Turbortville, Pennsylvania’s Luke Hoffner and long time veteran Al Brewer of Belfast, New York.
Dirt late model fans can expect to see Rhebergan, Close, Oakes, Carley, Dupont, Hedman, Ricotta, Hoffman, Hoffner, Brewer, Briggs all in action during the Jim Duffy Memorial. Other entries expected to be on hand are, Canadian drivers, Peter Mantha, Adam Ferri, Rick Baker along with southern Pennsylvania star, Gregg Satterlee. Ripley, NY driver, Mike “Hollywood” Knight, Dennis Lunger, Dave Hess Jr., Ed Connor, along with Chris Farrell of Clearfield, Pennsylvania is also expected to be on hand.
Also on McKean County’s Silver Anniversary opening night race program will be the FASTRAK Late Models, Emods, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks. Racing begins at 7PM. Tickets for the Jim Duffy Memorial are as follow; The Family Pack consisting of two adults and up to 4 Children, ages 15 and under will be admitted for $25.00. Regular Admission will be $11.00 for adults, ages 16-61, $9.00 for ages 62 and over. Youth ages 11-15 will be $6.00 while youth ages 10 & under will be admitted for Free. Pit Passes remain at $25.00.
For all the information on the Northern Tier Inc. United Late Model Series, please go to their website at www.unitedlatemodelseries.com and all the information in regards to McKean County Raceway’s 25th Anniversary season, please log into www.mckeancountyraceway.com.
