John Volpe of Lakewood, NY came into the Bo Lockwood’s Thunder Mountain Speedway Friday night second in points behind Dave Hess Jr in the Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Late Model Series. Both drivers still looking for their first win of the year. Volpe would come out on top to capture his first ever ULMS win as he survived several late race cautions to defeat Hess and take over the top spot in points by a single marker.
Twenty six ULMS Late Models were on hand for the 30 lap $3000 to win ULMS Late Model Series event. Mike Blose of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania set fast time overall with a time of 15.960 seconds. He was the only car below 16 seconds in the three qualifying groups. The three heat winners were, defending series champion and last years winner at Thunder Mountain, Jared Miley, Blose and Andy Fries.
Twenty two cars made the call for the 30 lap main event with Mayport’s, Joe Martin on the front row with Blose followed by local favorites, Charles Powell Jr and Jason Witherite. The initial start would be called back as the car of Witherite would get sideways in turn 1 but would continue resulting in a bottleneck chain reaction in turn 1. The next restart would see Witherite again get sideways in turns 3 and 4 with several cars bouncing off each other. Martin the early leader would cross the stripe as ULMS officials inadvertently cautioned the event due to the turn 3 incident which would actually get straighten out by itself but the lap was completed. The third restart would see contact between the Blose, Dave Hess Jr. and Martin with Hess spinning into the infield. Hess would go to pits but would rejoin on the next restart on the lead lap while Blose was pit side for the evening. Martin got a clean start on the restart and Charles Powell Jr. charged into second with Miley in third. Powell would take over the top spot from Martin and pull away from Martin and Miley. Powell was looking to get his first ULMS series win until he came to a stop on lap 17. Martin would regain the top spot with Martin, Miley, John Volpe and Dave Hess had charged back thru the field to fifth.
Volpe would get around Miley for second and challenge Martin for the lead while both cars swapped the lead back and forth Hess was applying pressure on Miley for third. Lap 22 would see Volpe take the top spot from Martin and start to distance himself while Hess worked on Martin for the runner up spot. A lap 28 yellow would tighten the field up and give Hess would had charged from last after the lap 1 incident to now second. On the restart Volpe had a great start with Martin and Hess dueling for second. Volpe would cross the stripe .642 seconds ahead of Hess for his first ever ULMS win. Hess was followed by Martin, Miley and Andy Fries. Luke Hoffner came home sixth from 14th followed by local Paul Kot, Breyton Santee, Greg Oakes who was running fifth with two laps remaining suffered a flat tire on the last restart and Chad Rougeux rounded out the top 10.
The Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Late Model Series will be back in action on Thursday July 14 and Friday July 15th with a pair of $2500 to win events at McKean County Raceway in E. Smethport PA and Freedom Motorsports Park in Delevan, NY. For all your information on ULMS follow the series on Twitter or Facebook or look online at www.ulmsracing.com.
RESULTS:
FEATURE:
JOHN VOLPE, Dave Hess Jr., Joe Martin, Jared Miley, AndyFries, Luke Hoffner, Paul Kot, Breyton Santee, Greg Oakes, Chad Rougeux, Dan Stormer, Andrew Gordon, Devin Lewis, Gale Huey, Levi Sikora, Jason Witherite, Charles Powell Jr., Scott Alvetro, Kevin Santee, John Weaver, Steve Arthurs, Mike Blose, Curtis Teats (DNS), Jamie Barber (DNS), Joe Petyak (DNS) John Britsky (DNS)
Zimmers Service Center Heat #1
Jared Miley, Jason Witherite, John Volpe, Devin Lewis, Breyton Santee, Steve Arthurs, Kevin Santee, Dan Stormer, Curtis Teats (DNS)
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat #2
Mike Blose Charles Powell Jr, Dave Hess, Greg Oakes, Luke Hoffner, Jamie Barber, John Weaver, Scott Alvetro, John Britsky (DNS)
American Racing Tire Heat #3
Andy Fries, Joe Martin, Levi Sikora, Paul Kot, Andrew Gordon, Chad Rougeux, Gale Huey, Joe Petyak (DNS)