Sam Stoecklin
ULMA Media Relations
July 27, 2011
Could history be in the making in weekly sanctioned late model racing with a twelve-year old driver leading the way in overall point standings? Statisticians would likely be challenged to find a younger driver in any division who has led an association’s or series’ point standings this deep into the race season but they need look no further than the Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce ULMA late models to find one. Heading into this week’s action, Quincy, Illinois driver Jake Griffin sits atop the association’s standings for the first time in his rookie year with ULMA. Griffin posted two victories over the weekend, one at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Missouri, the other at 24 Raceway in Moberly, Missouri.
At Callaway Raceway last Friday night, the track hosted 11 cars with 8 ULMA members on hand for the night’s action. Griffin’s third win of the year was a hard-fought victory over former ULMA point leader and 2008 champion Jason Bodenhamer, who came away with his best-ever Callaway finish in second. Last year’s rookie of the year Chris Cox finished fifth while Zeke Langley, David Miller, Justin Russell, and James Stafford also represented ULMA inside the top ten. Griffin’s lone ULMA appearance this weekend is scheduled to be at Callaway this Friday, July 29th where he will once shoot for another win. Word has it that Jon Binning, among others from points west, are planning on heading to Callaway to race for ULMA points this weekend. For complete raceway information, directions, and results log onto www.callawayraceways.com.
Last Saturday night at Central Missouri Speedway (CMS) under a blistering heat wave, twelve drivers were on hand with ten of them being member drivers. CMS regulars and just about any other driver who wants a shot at the overall ULMA title this year must be scratching their heads wondering what they have to do to slow down the Clancy freight train. The Odessa, Missouri native captured his fourth win in a row and fifth overall this year in another dominating performance as he put the whammy on the rest of the competition. Bodenhamer registered a third-place showing for the weekend just behind CMS newcomer and nonmember, Dustin Vance. Trace Westling had an outstanding run to fourth with Kevin Coyne fifth and Jeremy Watts posted his best-ever CMS finish in sixth. Nonmember Lane Ehlert was seventh, Chad Clancy eighth, Brett Wood ninth, and Jon Binning tenth. Dave Mosley and Jimmy Jobe were also on hand. Racing continues this Saturday at CMS. Once again the track will delay its start times by one hour to try and help drivers and fans in dealing with the hot temperatures. Gates will open at 5:30 with hot laps at 8 and racing to follow. The track’s official web site is www.centralmissourispeedway.net. The track has lowered its registration fee to $30.
Besides Clancy at CMS, there is another driver who has domination on his mind this season and that is Rylan Long of Greenfield, Missouri. The young driver has registered seven ULMA wins on the year at Lucas Oil Speedway with his latest victory coming on a night when 13 drivers were on hand for competition, including eleven member drivers. Long never looked back from his pole-starting position and beat nonmember Rex Merritt to the finish line for the win. Tommy Cordray continued his string of strong finishes by coming away in third place, just ahead of Larry Jones and Andy Kennedy inside the top five. ULMA members filled out the rest of the top ten including Chris Hawkins, Christopher Morelock, Zeke Langley, Chris Cox, and Harlen Kennedy; Jeff Schlup and Gerald Gann were also present. The speedway will not host ULMA racing this weekend due to a special event. For future race information, be sure to log onto www.lucasoilspeedway.com.
For the second time this season, ULMA late models made their way to 24 Raceway in Moberly, Missouri for a Sunday night race as six drivers pulled into the speedway for racing. Jake Griffin’s second win of the weekend came at the high-banked facility in a race that saw Tommy Cordray come away in second position. Nonmember Terry Gallagher was third, followed by Moberly resident and ULMA regular Danny Lorton, Ashley Lancaster and Dave Miller. ULMA will close out its 2011 point’s season at 24 Raceway in Moberly on Sunday, October 2 when the championship will be decided. For detailed information about the October race, log onto www.24racewayinmoberly.com. Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri will not host a race program this week; racing is scheduled to resume at the track on Saturday, August 6. Visit the speedway online at www.scotlandcountyspeedway.com.
ULMA drivers will make their second appearance of the year this Sunday, July 31st at Double XX Speedway in California, Missouri. For complete detailed information be sure to visit the track online at www.xxspeedway.com for start times and general information.
As previously mentioned, Griffin assumes command of the point standings heading into this week leading a stout group of veterans trying to knock the youngster off the roost including Bodenhamer and Cordray in second and third. Brett Wood holds down the fourth position with Clancy making his first appearance inside the top five and closing fast! Over the next few weeks as drivers who have exceeded fifteen starts on the year start replacing finishes with improved results, the points will continue to be a shuffle at the top of the standings right down to the final two races of the year October 1st at CMS and October 2nd and Moberly.
Log onto www.ulmaracing.com for all information regarding the fifth-year ULMA association; to join the association’s email group, send request to unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com. ULMA wishes to thank its 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 ULMA at unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com.
Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce ULMA Top 15 Point Standings
POS CAR # NAME POINTS Starts
1st O8 Jake Griffin (R) 1462 20
2nd 88B Jason Bodenhamer 1458 21
3rd 5 Tommy Cordray 1448 18
4th 7 Brett Wood 1430 27
5th 12c Steve Clancy 1426 20
6th 22 Kevin Coyne 1406 22
7th 79 Robby Warner 1364 15
8th 65 Jon Binning 1344 22
9th 60 Chris Hawkins (R) 1326 19
10th 1 Bob Test 1304 26
11th 7W Trace Westling 1302 26
12th 1T Chris Cox 1300 21
13th 27 Danny Lorton 1272 16
14th 20 Alan Westling (R) 1268 22
Upcoming Sanctioned Races
Friday July 29
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday July 30
*Central Missouri Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)
Sunday July 31
*Double XX Speedway (Point Race)
Friday August 5
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday August 6
*Central Missouri Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)
Friday August 12
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday August 13
*Central Missouri Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)
Friday August 19
*Callaway Raceway (Weekly Race)
Saturday August 20
*Central Missouri Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Lucas Oil Speedway (Weekly Race)
*Scotland County Speedway (Weekly Race)