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ULMA Readies for Third Year of Competition at Weekly and Special Racing Events! By
As 2008 draws to a close, ULMA would like to wish the entire racing family good tidings and cheer for the year ahead. We look forward to seeing everyone safely return in 2009 for another great year of racing. Speaking of the fast-approaching New Year, ULMA officials are working on both weekly and special race dates for next year's schedule. Drivers will again utilize their fifteen best finishes throughout the competition season to determine their overall placement in the final point standings. The past two seasons final standings went down to the wire using this format and 2009 is sure to be the same when everything concludes next fall. Things get under way in April with ULMA's first-ever visit to the super fast 24 Raceway in Moberly, Missouri, for the ULMA Spring Challenge. Hopefully Mother Nature will be a little nicer than last year when wet weather forced the cancellation of ULMA's debut at the track. This special event takes place on Saturday, April 18th and features a $1,000 paycheck for the winner and at least $150 for drivers starting the main event. Racing under the ULMA banner returns to the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks," Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, next year on Saturday nights. The speedway kicks off its regular race series on Saturday, April 25th with the first of 12 scheduled weekly race appearances for the competing classes. General Track Manager Randy Bowman recently stated, "We are excited once again to offer what has been called some of the best weekly racin' in the nation not to mention some awesome specials." Among the special events scheduled at the track is an appearance by the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS). The USMTS appearance falls on Saturday, June 27th with ULMA Late Models in support! This is going to be a great night of high-speed action featuring two of the most popular racing divisions in the area competing on the same night. Stay tuned to the Lucas Oil Speedway Website for continuing updates on the 2009 race season by logging onto www.lucasoilspeedway.com. Although Warrensburg's Central Missouri Speedway (CMS) will not open its gates on a weekly basis in 2009, there are three race dates planned at the venue scheduled around the main summer holidays. ULMA late models will take part in all three race dates with one date in September paying $1,000 to the winner. Race dates for ULMA points-warding races at CMS include Saturday, May 23rd; Saturday, July 4th; and Friday, September 4th respectively. Check out more information on CMS at www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Recently, ULMA proudly announced its affiliation with Hoosier Tire™ Midwest. For the 2009 season, ULMA drivers can fulfill all their tire needs at ULMA special events and benefit their own points fund in the process as profits from the sales of tires are added to the series end-of-year payout. The 2009 Hoosier Tire™ price list is expected in January. Drivers may pass on all their pre-season tire needs to ULMA Board Member Danny Lorton at dlorton@ulmaracing.com. Now in its third year of sanctioning both weekly and special event races, ULMA remains focused on keeping late model racing at the forefront of the racing community. Known as the easy to work with race association, ULMA boasts of some rarely seen actions such as working closely with other series and types of late model drivers by including them in the ULMA competition rules. Both 602 and 604 Crate Engine Late Models are welcome to race at ULMA events. The revised and improved ULMA rules will be made available early January. In times of economic uncertainty, racing business tactics must focus on ways to benefit both racers and track management. By working with, and not against other series and track promoters, ULMA can focus on the benefit of racing in general. The association does not charge any of its affiliated tracks with a sanctioning fee, a rarity in the racing community. The association is proud of its reputation of working hand-in-hand with owners and promoters wishing to schedule affordable late model racing at their facilities. For 2009, ULMA is teaming with Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Missouri and Butler Motor Speedway in Butler, Missouri for the benefit of late model drivers and fans as well as the tracks themselves. Although these two tracks do not require their members to be ULMA members or run the ULMA rules exclusively, the association will award championship points to its member drivers competing at these two facilities in their ULMA-legal cars. There is great enough distance between the two Friday night tracks and there will not be a negative impact on car counts at either track. "This will save our drivers a lot of unnecessary travel and will help cut down on related costs as the season unfolds," said association President Kevin Coyne. ULMA officials will be available at Bodee's Race Auction on Saturday, January 24th and Sunday, January 25th to answer any questions or concerns regarding the association, look for the ULMA banner. ULMA Business Partners: Imhoff Construction, IMPACT Racing, Wineland Enterprises, Mike Crump Racing & Supply, J&T Racing Supply, Monroe’s Signs & Graphics, Bodee’s Race Bodies, Rod End Supply, Kenny Johnson’s Race Replicas, Photography by Shelly Payne. Interested with partnering with ULMA in 2009? Simply email us at unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com or visit our official Web site for more contact and association information at www.ulmaracing.com. ULMA 2009 Schedule (So Far) Association points awarded on all nights listed. Callaway Raceway and Butler Motor Speedway have not released their weekly race schedules as of this writing. Their weekly race programs will run on Friday nights throughout the year and ULMA points will be awarded to ULMA members competing at these tracks. Callaway Raceway's season begins Friday, April 10th.
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