SEPTEMBER MEANS END OF SEASON SPECIALS FOR ULMS RACING SERIES
August 26, 2011
It is hard to believe, but the 2011 racing season is starting to wind down in the northeast and the ULMS Racing Series tunes up the band for the September end of season specials, beginning on Labor Day weekend at Stateline Speedway for the United Emod Series (UEMS).
The United Emod Series was suppose to be at Tri City Speedway during the Labor Day weekend, but after the track closed abruptly, Stateline Speedway in Bust, New York picked up the UEMS Emods for their fourth visit to 1/3 mile oval with a $1000 to win event to close out the track’s 55th Anniversary season on Saturday, September 3rd.
UEMS will be led by point leader, Joel Watson of Conneaut, OH, while three time defending series champion, Randy Hall now sits in second in the UEMS points. Watson has a 46 point lead over Hall (311-265) while Dan Davies sits in third in points with 235. The point chase behind Davies is real tight with Bud Watson seven points behind (228) and Kyle Bedell sitting in fifth one point (227) behind Watson and Justin Carlson with 226 points while Jack Young sits seventh in the tight point chase with 222 points, just 13 points out of third!
The Stateline faithful of Greg Johnson, Rich Michael, Scott Gurdak, Alex Froman, Ron Seeley will all be fending off the challenges of the UEMS tour drivers along with Dave Hess Jr. who has won four UEMS wins this year and seems to win everything at Stateline! Racing starts at 7PM with $12 adult admission and $25 pit fee.
The ULMS Racing Series will be off for a week and then head to Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway for the 22nd annual Tri Star Pittsburgher on September 15-17th. Both the UEMS Emods and the Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models will be in competition at the “Monster!”
Thursday, September 15th will be open practice for all competitors, while the action starts on Friday, September 16 with the Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models in competition with the UFo Late Models in the 33 lap $2000 to win I-Monster. The UEMS Emods will compete in their qualifying heat events on Friday evening. Keith Barbara won the I-Monster in 2010. This event will be a ULMS point event.
On Saturday, September 17 the 22nd annual Tri Star Pittsburgher will be on tap for the Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models and the UFo Late Models with a 66 lap $7000 to win event. Davey Johnson won the 2010 edition of the Tri Star Pittsburgher and has won the past two joint ULMS/UFo sanctioned events at PPMS in 2011 including most recently the Red Miley Rumble. Thirty-two cars will start the 66 lap event with 32nd place getting $400.
The UEMS Emods will be running their 28 lap $1200 to win portion of the Tri Star Pittsburgher on Saturday evening. Thirty-two cars will start the event with $200 just to start the event and all non qualifiers will receive $100 in tow. Combined two day adult grandstand tickets are $45 with single day Friday ticket being $20 and Saturday ticket price for adult grandstands being $30. Single day pit passes are $38 with two-day pit passes going for $70.
The ULMS Racing Series ends the month of September at their “home” track in E. Smethport, Pennsylvania on September 22-24th. The 6th Annual MCR Fall Classic at McKean County Raceway. The Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models will be featured with the $13,000 to win Priority Care RaceFAN 50 to conclude the three day event.
The action kicks off on Thursday, September 22nd with open practice for all classes and the annual ULMS Late Model King of the Hill featuring a $1500 to win, six lap finale. Dave Hess Jr. won the KOH in 2010.
On Friday, September 23rd, the Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models will compete in the Dave Lundgren Memorial. The payout is still being determined but it will pay a minimum of $3000 to win and the ULMS Late Models will time trial for their qualifying heat positions. Former two time ULMS champion, Dick Barton captured this event last year. The United Emod Series will also be in action with a 25 lap $1000 to win event and they will pill draw for their event.
On Saturday, September 24th, the Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models will be gunning for the $13,000 prize money in the 6th annual Priority Care RaceFAN 50. There has been five different winners, will there be a sixth or will Chub Frank, Rob Blair, Boom Briggs, Russ King or Brady Smith become the first two time winner? A quality field of entries is expected to be on hand from race teams all over Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and elsewhere. Time Trials again will set up the qualifying heat events for the Priority Care RaceFAN 50.
The United Emod Series will be running another 25 lap event but this one will pay $1500 to win. With this being the next to last UEMS event on the 2011 schedule, the point races will be really heating up in the top ten. Randy Hall has won two of the past three Emod events at MCR, while Joel Watson captured the last UEMS event at MCR. Those two will be the odds on favorites, but do not count out Davies, Carlson, Asel, Michael, Bedell, Brewer, Southwell and many others.
ULMS and UEMS race teams are reminded that MCR will be using the Raceiver Transponder (the yellow transponder) for the Fall Classic weekend. A outside contractor will be renting the transponders and the rental will be $20 for the weekend. If you have a red hardwired transponder, it will not work with the yellow Raceiver transponder system. Also the one-way Raceiver communication will also be used in all ULMS and UEMS events in September.
For more information on any of these events, please visit, www.stateline-speedway.com, www.ppms.com, www.mckeancountyraceway.com or www.unitedlatemodelseries.com. ULMS Racing can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.
ROB BLAIR WINS 7th Annual ULMS Stephanie Eckl Memorial at MCR
August 26, 2011
The Titusville Terror, Rob Blair has found the fast setup for McKean County Raceway as he has picked up the past two Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Model wins at MCR in the past three weeks. Blair’s win Thursday night was his second Stephanie Eckl Memorial win and he went home with $3500 in his pocket.
Blair and Dennis Lunger paced the 21 car field to John Powell’s green flag with Blair bolting into the lead over Lunger, Dutch Davies and “The Captain” Jason Dupont went from sixth to fourth on the opening lap. Lap five would see the first yellow come out for central Pennsylvania visitor, Nick Loffredo spin. Blair would restart the event from the inside grove and again got the quick jump on Lunger on the start. As lap ten clicked off the board, Blair was still leading with Dutch Davies now in second with Lunger, Dupont, Chad Valone rounding out the top five with defending ULMS champion, Boom Briggs was up to sixth from his eleventh starting spot.
Briggs climbed into the top five on lap 13 using the outside groove to go around Valone. Lap fifteen saw the second caution of the night for Mike Knight for spinning in turn one and after apparent contact and the cars of Matt Lux, Chad Valone, Dave Hess and Greg Oakes all being involved. Blair again got the jump on the start over Dutch Davies as Lunger made the move for second only to see Dutch get it back on lap later. The yellow lights waved again and this time Blair was still in control over Davies with Boom Briggs now in third over Dupont and Lunger. The restart lasted another five laps as Briggs would dispose of Davies on lap twenty four as the “Bear Lake Banzaii” was now tracking down the “Titusville Terror” when the yellow lights came back out for heavy contact between Jeff Hoffman and Derek Frank ending their night. With the double file Delaware restart it appeared maybe Boom would have a shot but on lap 29, Lunger’s great run ended as a flat left rear tire sent him spinning around resulting in a one lap shootout for the win. On the green/white restart, the cars got stacked up resulting in Chris Hackett and Doug Eck sitting in the infield immediately bringing out the yellow. The second restart went off without a hitch and Blair just pulled away from Briggs ending any drama of a fantastic finish. Davies was third over Dupont and Knight rounded out the top five after coming from the tail from the lap fifteen caution. The next five was Oakes, Bump Hedman, David Scott, Rich Gardner and Doug Eck. Gardner received a extra $150 for being the Hard Charger of the race.
Heat winners were Lunger, Dupont and Blair. Lunger was debuting a brand new Warrior Chassis that his team picked up last week from North Carolina. Blair and Lunger redrew the front two positions for the feature setting up the top six starting spots.
The Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models will return to action next Saturday night at Woodhull Raceway in Woodhull, NY for the 20th annual Late Model Reunion. August 20th will see the ULMS Late Models team up with the UFo Late Model Series at Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway for the Red Miley Rumble.
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RESULTS:
ULMS – Stephanie Eckl Memorial: Rob Blair, Boom Briggs, Dutch Davies, Jason Dupont, Mike Knight, Greg Oakes, Bump Hedman, David Scott, Rich Gardner, Doug Eck, Chris Hackett, Bob McMillen, Brent Rhebergen, Dennis Lunger, Jeff Hoffman, Derek, Frank, Nick Loffredo, Doug Ricotta, Chad Valone, Matt Lux, Dave Hess, Dick Barton (DNS)
Northern Tier Inc Heat #1
Lunger, Valone, Hoffman, Knight, Oakes, Rhebergen, Gardner, Ricotta
Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #2
Dupont, Hess, Scott, Briggs, Barton, Lux, McMillen
American Racer Tire Heat #3
Blair, Davies, Eck, Hedman, Hackett, Frank, Loffredo
Northern Tier Inc., Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic, Lias Tire – American Racer, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, AERO Race Wheels, Close Racing Supply, Carley Motorsports, R2C Performance, Cousins Designs (official Decals of ULMS Racing), Bernheisel Race Cars, Allen’s Wine and Liquor and JB’s Distributor (Coors Light)
Dave Hess Jr. Wins Applebee Motor Sports UEMS E-Mod Invasion at Stateline Speedway
August 1, 2011
Nathan Hill Wins Non Qualifier for Second Year in a Row
By Glenn Slocum
Saturday July 30th, 2011 Busti, NY: Clear skies and a pit full of E-Mods described the Applebee Motor Sports E-Mod Invasion at Stateline Speedway. Fifty-nine E-Mods ran in six heats and two consolation events before the starting field was set. Dave Scott and Bart Hartman won the right to start first and second in the event but it was all Dave Hess Jr. in the race after Hartman suffered mechanical problems on lap thirteen of the forty lap event. Hess led the remainder of the race notching his second UEMS win a Stateline this season. Nathan Hill won the Non-Qualifiers Feature.
Dave Scott and Bart Hartman were on the front row for the Applebee Motor Sports UEMS E-Mod Invasion and was Hartman with the early lead. Mike Knight challenged for second and took the spot from Scott on lap four as Dave Hess Jr. moved up to press Scott. Scott lost another spot as Hess took third on lap eight. Hartman entered lap traffic on lap thirteen with nearly a straight away lead. Just as Hess was passing Knight for the lead Hartman slowed to a stop on the back stretch and had to be pushed into the pits. Knight was the new leader as the line up fell back to the last green flag lap with Hess second, Kevin Morehouse third and Brent Rhebergen fourth. Shortly after the restart Hess became the new leader and began to extend his lead over Knight. Hess had a quarter lap lead with fourteen laps remaining and entered lap traffic. With five laps left the leader was in heavy lap traffic as were all the leaders. Hess narrowly avoided a spinning car with two laps to go and the yellow flew for only the second time in the event. Hess had now lost his lead as Knight moved up to his rear bumper for the restart. Hess pulled away and Knight fought with Morehouse for second. Hess took the checkers and the $5,000 first prize for his second UEMS win of the season at Stateline.
Veteran Al Brewer was the early leader of the E-Mod Non-Qualifiers event. Justin Carlson brought out the first caution after getting into the turn one wall. Twenty-three cars remained for the restart. After the restart Nathan Hill became the new leader as Brewer fell to second. The yellow reappeared for a slowing Dave Lyon with seven laps complete. The race remained green from there giving Hill the win and $1,000 winners share.
Hess and Hill both won the very same features in the 2010 edition of the Emod Invasion!
E-Mod
Heat 1: Dave Scott, Jordan Eck Corry PA, Jaik Halpainy Ashville NY , Leonard Enos Russell PA, Jordan Eck Corry PA
Heat 2: Butch Hartman, Greg Johnson Jamestown NY, Russ Dunn Waterford PA, Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Dustin Eckman Erie PA
Heat 3: Tim Rockwell Salamanca NY, Butch Southwell Warren PA, Dan Davies Warren PA, Ken Zimmer, Al BrewerBelfast NY
Heat 4: Dave Hess Jr. Waterford PA, Richard Michael Jr. Ischua NY, Mike Eschrich Mt. Jewett PA, Justin Coulter, Randy Raynor Fredonia NY
Heat 5: Mike Knight, John Boyd Waterford PA, Joel Watson Conneaut OH, John Woodward Jr. Franklinville NY, Kyle Bedell Little Valley NY
Heat 6: Brent Rhebergen Clymer NY, John Boardman Jamestown NY, Bill Taylor, Dave Lyon Corry PA, Ben Burgess Jr. Sherman NY
Consolation 1: Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Leonard Enos Russell PA, Al Brewer Belfast NY, Justin Carlson Sherman NY, Nathan Hill East Otto NY, Dave Atkinson Saegertown PA, Darren Tarabori Galeton PA, Dustin Eckman Erie PA, Ron Seeley Youngsville PA, Ken Zimmer
Consolation 2: Bob Close, Kyle Bedell Little Valley NY, Justin Coulter, John Woodward Jr. Franklinville NY, Randy Hall Olean NY, Bud Watson Conneaut OH, Alex Froman Ashville NY, Brian Douglas Painesville OH, Dave Shagla Sugar Grove PA, Ben Asel Kane PA
Feature: Dave Hess Jr. Waterford PA, Mike Knight, Kevin Moorhouse Newark OH, Dan Davies Warren PA, Butch Southwell Warren PA, Brent Rhebergen Clymer NY, Randy Hall Olean NY, John Boyd Waterford PA, Joel Watson Conneaut OH, Greg Johnson Jamestown NY
Non Qualifier Race: Nathan Hill East Otto NY, Al Brewer Belfast NY, Justin Coulter, Dave Atkinson Saegertown PA, Darren Tarabori Galeton PA, John Woodward Jr. Franklinville NY, Bud Watson Conneaut OH, Brian Douglas Painesville OH, Dave Shagla Sugar Grove PA, Dustin Eckman Erie PA
JOEL WATSON CAPTURES UEMS “Night with the Outlaws” at MCR IN FRONT OF BIGGEST CROWD IN TRACK HISTORY
August 1, 2011
EAST SMETHPORT, PA – July 27, 2011 Racing in front of a standing-room-only crowd that ranked as the biggest in the history of the one-third-mile oval, Conneaut, OH driver, Joel Watson captured his second UEMS win of the year by winning the United Emod Series “Night with the Outlaws” portion at McKean County Raceway.
United Emod Series point leader, Joel Watson of Conneaut, Ohio captured his second win of the series also on Wednesday night after out dragging three time defending series champion, Randy Hall on a lap sixteen restart.
Hall started the event from the second position beside, Rich Michael Jr. and Hall would immediately rocket to the front to lead the opening lap. Michael would slide back to fifth by lap two as Watson settled in second behind Hall with Greg Johnson and Bob Close ahead of Michael. Michael would lose fifth on lap seven to Travis Asel but would fight the next lap to retain fifth as the #10 of Hall would extend his lead over Watson. Close would move into third on lap nine and as lap thirteen clicked off the board, the 17x of Michael would come to a stop on the backstretch ending his evening and handing the fifth place position over to Asel.
Johnson would get back by Close on the restart but the last yellow would come out on lap 15. With the double file restart, Watson got a excellent start and would take the lead over from Hall who led the first 15 laps and Close would take back third from Johnson. Just sitting outside the top five was Kyle Bedell and thirteenth starting Chad Ruhlman filling in for Brent Rhebergen was seventh. Hall closed in on Watson in the final laps and seemed to have a shot at Watson as on the final lap was being completed Ruhlman spun in turn 1 as the leaders raced in turn three and four with the checkers flying Watson would cross the victory stripe over Hall over Close, Johnson and Asel rounding out the top five.
United Emod Series (Main Event)
Joel Watson, Randy Hall, Bob Close, Greg Johnson, Travis Asel, Kyle Bedell, Al Brewer, Vic Vena, Alex Froman, Darren Tarabori, John Woodward, Mike Eschrich, Ben Asel, Chad Ruhlman, Jack Young, Cale Crocker, Justin Carlson, Jon Boardman, Rich Michael, Josh Pangrazio, Butch Southwell, Dan Davies, Bud Watson, Craig Bedell
DNQ – Tim Peterson, Richard Raynor, #06
