For Immediate Release:
The NDRL’s United Late Model Series
www.unitedlatemodelseries.com
www.theNDRL.com
9th Annual Stephanie Eckl Memorial On Tap for ULMS Late Models
East Smethport, Pennsylvania (September 25, 2013) The NDRL’s United Late Model Series (ULMS) will make their first and only appearance of 2013 at America’s Motorsports Park in Clearfield, PA on Saturday, September 28 for the ‘9th Annual Stephanie Eckl Memorial’ that will pay $3,000 to the winner.
Greg and Val Eckl of St. Mary’s have three children, Mike, J.J. and Stephanie. They were all together for Thanksgiving in 2004, for the first time in four years due to college. Stephanie had to be back to work in the morning, so she left Thanksgiving night. On her way home she hit a patch of black ice, lost control of her car and spun counter clockwise several time before being hit by another car. She died instantly of a broken neck.
‘Stephanie was 20 years old and had the whole world in front of her and so much opportunity to manage her own store,’ her dad said. ‘This all happened on Thanksgiving night November 25, 2004. That’s when our lives ceased as we knew it and things changed forever.’
Prior to that fateful night, her dad Greg and her had become friends with Late Model standout Bob Close of Eldred and had become members of his pit crew.
Several weeks after the funeral, while at work plowing snow, Greg was thinking about how to remember his daughter in a special way, then it came to him, a memorial race for her, a fan of the sport who loved super late model racing. He called Chris Zuver, director of the United Late Model Series (UMLS) and posed the idea to him and he thought it was a great one.
The first race was in 2005 at McKean County Raceway in Smethport with Todd Andrews the winner. Since then Andrews won again in 2006 and 2008 while Robbie Blair won the event in 2007 and 2011. Other ‘Stephanie Eckl Memorial’ winners include Mike Knight (2009), David Scott (2010), and Greg Oakes (2012).
Mike Knight of Ripley, New York continues to lead the NDRL’s ULMS 2013 Championship point standings over Bear Lake, Pennsylvania’s Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs. Centerville, Pennsylvania’s Robbie Blair sits third in the championship standings while Matt Urban from North East, Pennsylvania is fourth just ahead of fifth place Russ King of Bristolville, Ohio. Other drivers expected to be in attendance include America’s Motorsports Park regulars like Luke Hoffner, Dan Gill, Justin Kanouff, Denny Fenton, Duane Stiner, Chris Farrell, Mike Blose and a host of other local and regional drivers.
The ‘Stephanie Eckl Memorial’ will also feature street stocks, pure stocks, and four cylinder divisions. Gates will open at 3:00pm with racing beginning at 6:00pm with grandstand admission just $15.00. For more ticket information please visit www.americasmotorsportspark.com.
The current payout for the 9th Annual Stephanie Eckl Memorial is as follows: 1. $3000, 2 $1500, 3 $1200, 4 $1000 5 $800, 6 $750, 7 $700, 8 $600, 9 $550, 10 $500, 11 $400, 12 $375, 13 $350, 14 $350, 15 $350, 16 $325, 17 $325, 18 $325, 19 $325, 20 $325 and is increasing by the day.
For more information on this event or the NDRL’s ULMS please visit www.americasmotorsportspark.com or www.unitedlatemodelseries.com.
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The NDRL’s ULMS Racing Series would also like to thank their supporters for the 2013 season: Aero Racing Wheels, American Racer Tires, Big Shot Performance, LLC, Bill’s Dirt Late Models, Close Racing Supply, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hoosier Racing Tire, Integra Racing Shocks, Jay’s Auto Wrecking, JNJ Motorsports Media, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Lias Tire, Oyler Photos, Performance Bodies, Slavic Custom Racing Apparel and Decals, and R2C Filters.