November 11, 2007

One year ago today a group of local late model drivers, owners, crewmen, fans and track personnel came together with one thing on their minds … to do what they could to give local weekly late model racing a swift kick in the backside. It’s no secret that weekly late model racing was on a downward turn and the people who came together one year ago realized that if something didn’t happen quickly their form of racing would be on the outs! Through several meetings and much discussion the fledgling group elected its board of directors and set out to get its foot in the door in the local racing scene. The first priority was to come up with a set of rules that the group painstakingly worked on in order to present to local weekly race tracks running late models. Through sheer determination and at times, some heated discussion, association members eventually agreed on a set of competition rules in an unprecedented unified agreement; this unification and unprecedented driver cooperation eventually led to the association’s name. With the rules in hand, the board of directors began to approach track owners and promoters and in the end wound up with four affiliated race tracks for its first season. Although the desired rules at each of the tracks were not fully implemented as written, the board was able to negotiate with track personnel and ultimately the chase for the inaugural ULMA title was on at Callaway Raceway, Central Missouri Speedway (CMS), Lucas Oil Speedway and Valley Speedway. Both CMS and Lucas Oil Speedway will return as affiliated tracks for next year’s chase for the title. Brett Rollert of Smithville, Missouri went on to claim the first ULMA championship last September and will look to defend his crown in 2008.

To say the board of directors and member drivers are astounded by the success of the association after only one year in existence is a huge understatement. One of the goals originally set by ULMA was to have the affiliated tracks accept the unified rules package as written for late model racing in 2008. The association approached its affiliated tracks on several occasions before the end of the season and during the month of September and October to see if the tracks would accept the rules without clauses. Before the 2007 season even ended Lucas Oil Speedway had already fully implemented the ULMA rules for its Saturday night events in 2008. Just a short time after, at an end-of-year special late model event at CMS a majority of drivers in attendance discussed the rules for the following year and at the track’s rules review meeting the board of directors requested that CMS accept the rules as written, which it did, becoming the second track to fully implement ULMA rules. Currently ULMA is negotiating with additional tracks for 2008 for its drivers to earn points. The association has been approached about running special events throughout the year at various tracks not affiliated with the association on a weekly basis. For special events and weekly racing, all participating drivers must be members of the association in order to be eligible for association contingency prizes and money. Already nearly 50 area late model racers have joined the association for next year!

Weekly points start at Lucas Oil Speedway on Saturday, March 29th. The season begins at CMS on Saturday, April 26th. Both tracks have already confirmed special events for ULMA drivers on their schedules for next year. Lucas Oil Speedway will hold a pair of double money events for ULMA competitors during the months of April and July as well as a special late-season event on October 4th. You can visit www.lucasoilspeedway.com  for the compete schedule of events at the track. CMS will hold its annual ULMA late model special on Saturday, June 21st. The complete CMS schedule and more information about the track can be found on the Web at www.centralmissourispeedway.net . In the coming weeks ULMA will make further announcements regarding sponsors for the coming season and the complete lineup of its affiliated tracks that drivers will be earning weekly points at for 2008. For additional information and breaking news be sure to visit the association’s official Website at www.ulmaracing.com  or e-mail the association at unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com .

ULMA wishes to thank all of its 2007 sponsors, thank you for your support! When you visit our great sponsors tell them you heard about them through the ULMA and thank them for their support of dirt-track racing! TITLE SPONSOR: WK Chevrolet, Sedalia, Missouri. OFFICIAL SPONSORS: Foster’s Transmission & Repair, Imhoff Construction Inc., Schroeder Rotary Drilling and Pump Company. CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: INCE Race Cars, Bodee’s Race Bodies, Fast Shafts, Schroeder Rotary Drilling and Pump Company, J & T Racing, Mike Crump Racing Supply, Randy’s Race Mart, Photography by Shelly Payne, and Ken Dake Attorney at Law.