For Immediate Release:
The NDRL’s United Late Model Series
www.unitedlatemodelseries.com
www.theNDRL.com
Rob Blair Takes Second NDRL’s ULMS Win of 2013 at Stateline!
Busti, NY (May 25, 2013) The NDRL ULMS Late Model Series finally got to race on Memorial Day weekend after losing the first two events to mother nature. Stateline Speedway hosted the series for its only trip to the Busti, NY oval in 2013 and witness Rob Blair of Centerville, PA capturing the 30 Lap event for his second win of the season on the circuit.
Blair and Russ King led the 22 car field to Mark Matthews green flag. It was Blair leading the opening lap as the field down the backstretch over King, Chris Hackett, series point leader Dave Hess and Bump Hedman when the first yellow came out for John Lacki in turn 3. Blair again led on the restart but it was Hackett taking over second from King only to see the yellow lights come on again for Andy Boozel. Blair refired the field again and this time King would regain second back from Hackett with eighth place starting Mike Knight roaring into the fourth position. Knight would get past Hackett on lap five for third and shortly after, Hackett would slow and go to the pits with a undisclosed problem. Blair started to putting some distance on the rest of the field as King, Knight and Hess all were within striking distance of each other. Lap ten clicked off the scoreboard with Blair still leading over the trio of King, Knight and Hess who were within three car lengths of each other and Greg Oakes now in fifth. The cars on the move was John Volpe, Jason Dupont and Boom Briggs who all started mid to rear of the pack and now were sixth through eighth.
As lap 13 clicked off the board, Knight and King were side by side for second. Dupont moved his way into sixth at the halfway point as Boom Briggs was now in seventh. With ten laps to go, Blair seemed to be in command of the event as Knight kept the pressure on King for second and on lap 22, “Hollywood” would take second from King as Hess was knocking on the door of King’s #56 Rocket. Hess would take third from King on Lap 25 as Knight was reeling in Blair and was down to a few car lengths, Briggs was now fifth with Oakes sixth. As the field took the double poles for 2 laps to go, third place running and series, point leader Dave Hess would break a right rear wheel and sent the #44 Rocket chassis into a series of violent flips over the turn one wall into the catch fence. Hess would walk away from the scary crash and be taken by ambulance to a local hospital for observation and was later released.
While under the red flag, second place running Mike Knight went pit side with a right rear flat tire. This moved fourth place running Russ King to second with Briggs, Oakes and Dupont now your new top five. Blair restarted the field with two laps to go and Briggs charged past King into second and Dupont got past Oakes, the yellow lights flashed as the field took the white flag as seventh place running Matt Urban hit the front stretch wall and came to a stop setting up a green checkered finish. Blair was able to hold off the challengers and capture the win on the one lap shootout, but King would sneak past Briggs to regain and finish second and become the new ULMS point leader. Series defending champion, Briggs was third over Dupont who started 18th and Oakes rounded out the top five.
The NDRL ULMS Late Models are off till Friday night when the return to their home track, McKean County Raceway for the “Smethport 50” that will pay $7500 to win. This event will be a time trialed event as MCR recently purchased the RACEceiver/Westhold transponder system. All NDRL ULMS Late Model teams will need to have the yellow transponder on Friday, May 31st at MCR. Rentals will be available.
RESULTS:
“VALONE FORD 30”
ROB BLAIR, Russ King, Boom Briggs, Jason Dupont, Greg Oakes, John Volpe, Chad Valone, Mike Knight, Dick Barton, Matt Urban, Bump Hedman Brent Rhebergen, Dave Hess Jr., Scott Gurdak, Andy Boozel, Rich Gardner, Pete Alspaugh, John Lacki, Dutch Davies Matt Lux, Chris Hackett, Darrell Bossard
Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #1
Rob Blair Scott Gurdak, Bump Hedman, Pete Alspaugh, John Volpe, Matt Lux, Brent Rhebergen, Dutch Davies
Lias Tire American Racer Tire Heat #2
Russ King, John Lacki Darrell Bossard, Chad Valone, Dick Barton, Matt Urban, Andy Boozel
Jays’ Auto Wrecking Heat #3
Chris Hackett, Dave Hess, Greg Oakes Mike Knight, Boom Briggs, Jason Dupont, Rich Gardner
For more information on the NDRL’s United Late Model Series (ULMS) please visitwww.unitedlatemodelseries.com.
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.