Sam Stoecklin
ULMA Media Relations
April 13, 2011
At last the 2011 Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce ULMA season is underway! Although only one race is officially in the books the excitement is already building to the guaranteed end-of-year payout to the top performing drivers in the final standings. Last Friday night, Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Missouri was able to get their season started. There were 13 late models on hand, eight of which were ULMA members. Unfortunately, wet grounds spoiled the fun for the season opener at Scotland County Raceway in Memphis, Missouri.
Justin Russell started his inaugural season with ULMA off on the right path as he recorded the best ULMA finish of the night with a strong second-place showing. Last season’s rookie of the year, Chris Cox, came away with a fourth-place run but the surprise of the night was 14-year old second-generation driver Gage Wineland, who is running for the rookie of the year, posted a fifth-place finish in his first full season of late model racing! Wineland was also on hand at Central Missouri Speedway’s practice event last weekend and posted some quick times as he tries to gain experience for future appearances later this season. Zeke Langley finished sixth in the main event with another young driver, Jake Griffin posting a tenth-place finish. Racing is set to resume at Callaway Raceway again this Friday night, April 15. Visit the speedway’s official website for complete details at www.callawayraceways.com.
Scotland County Speedway will try again for its opening night this Saturday night, April 16. For more information regarding this first-year, ULMA-affiliated track point your web browser to www.scotlandcountyspeedway.com. Lucas Oil Speedway will also open their regular season races this Saturday night. Last year’s track champion, Tommy Cordray, is expected to lead a strong field of cars for opening night as he tries to defend his turf while making a run at the Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce ULMA championship. Visit www.lucasoilspeedway.com for event and schedule information. Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg will open its regular season races on Saturday, April 23, visit www.centralmissourispeedway.net for the speedway’s schedule.
Not only will ULMA late models be competing at the four weekly sanctioned tracks this season, they will also make appearances at 24 Raceway in Moberly, Missouri. And hot off the press, ULMA officials have just learned that for the first time in several years, late models will at long last return to Double-X Speedway in California, Missouri. Complete details and dates will be released in a future ULMA press release. The first ULMA race at Double-X Speedway will serve as the kick off to the annual ULMA “Triple Crown Shootout,” which consists of a full weekend of racing for competitors with a mini points and payout series.
Once again this season, driver membership fees remain at just $50. Drivers may download the membership form from the ULMA web site at www.ulmaracing.com and mail it in with payment to save time on paperwork at the tracks. With strong support from Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce, drivers have a guaranteed point fund to look forward to at the end of the year for the first time in association history. Currently, there are over 85 possible points-earning nights scheduled among the affiliated tracks for 2011. Callaway Raceway in Fulton, MO is scheduled to host 23 races as is Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO. Central Missouri Speedway (CMS) in Warrensburg, MO has 21 events scheduled, with Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO set to host 15 events, and newly re-opened 24 Raceway in Moberly, MO coming into the fray with 3 scheduled races. Drivers will keep their 15 best accumulated finishes from the season to count toward the title of ULMA Champion.
To join the association’s email group, send request to unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com. ULMA thanks all 2011 business partners for their involvement. This year’s team consists of title sponsor Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce, TCI® Automotive, Fast Shafts, Rod End Supply, SafeRacer.com, Kenny’s Tile, Racingjunk.com, Imhoff Construction, Kenny Johnson’s Race Replicas, D&L Motorsports, and InsuranceSpecialists.com. ULMA is a proud supporter of Homes for Our Troops. To join the team, contact us at unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com.
Upcoming Events
Friday April 15
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday April 16
*Lucas Oil Speedway (Weekly Race, Lucas Oil Speedway Track Points Start)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)
Friday April 22
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday April 23
*Central Missouri Speedway (Weekly Race CMS Track Points Start)
*Lucas Oil Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)