The third and final event of the Keystone State Shootout, which was supposed to have been a three day shootout with Thunder Mountain, Port Royal and Tri City all hosting Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Model Series events. Unfortunately, Mother Nature turned the shootout weekend into a shootout over a month time span. Jared Miley of Pittsburgh, would pick up his first ULMS win of the year and his sixth all time on the ULMS circuit. Miley came from seventh and had to withstand a twenty minute rain delay and finished the event with a left rear flat tire along with passing and holding off current series point leader, Mike Maresca to find his way to victory lane.

Twenty five late models graced the Ramseytown Road oval for the 30 lap main event. With impending weather moving in the ULMS Late Model feature was moved up in the running order and the series forgo the four wide salute to try and save precious minutes to beat the weather.

A pair of #111’s graced the front row with Max Blair and Matt Lux led the field to the green. It was Blair leading the opening lap over Lux and Alex Ferree. Blair was in front when the yellow lights flashed on lap eight for Denny Fenton as the fight for the lead was heated between Blair, Lux and Ferree. On the restart, Maresca got a great drive off turn two and became a player in the mix as he would later get around Ferree and challenge Blair door to door until lap 15 yellow for Curtis Teats who came to a stop just off the racing surface on the front stretch. During that time Charlie Powell was towed off the track with front end damage while Michael Lake and Devin Lewis both went pit side. Rain started to fall and series officials decided to keep the program rolling as the track surface was still in racing shape with dust kicking up. On the restart Maresca charged hard on the top side of turn one and two to get another great drive off the corner and would take over the top spot from Blair with Ferree, Doug Eck, Miley and Greg Oakes all fighting for third. The caution came out on lap 19 as Jon Lee slowed on the backstretch and during the caution the rain came down harder making the track and series officials to send the cars into the pits and wait out the drizzle. After about ten minutes it was decided that remainder of the race could be completed and the race teams were told to bring the cars back out after going thru a quick tire tech session.

Once the field re-assembled, Maresca would refire the field with Blair and Miley sitting behind the #7mm XR1 Rocket. Maresca would lead the field into turn one but Miley would sweep around Blair for second down the back stretch and the #jet was loose. Miley and Maresca would bring the fans to their feet as they would battle for the lead as Ferree was working on Blair for third with Oakes and Eck right there with them. With two to go Miley would make the winning pass on Maresca and hold on the final two laps to become the third different winner on the circuit in three events so far in 2018. Maresca came home second to pad his early season point lead and also claim the extra $500 Keystone State Shootout mini championship. Ferree was third followed by Blair, Oakes, Eck, Mike Pegher, who came from tail of the field, Jake Gunn, Jon Lee and Kyle Knapp rounded out the top ten.

Maresca was the Integra Shocks Fast Time winner with 15.639. Heat winners were Lux, Eck and Ferree. Miley will also receive a $150 certificate courtesy of Genesis Shocks and Kyle Knapp will receive the $50 Keizer Wheels certificate for his tenth place finish. The top 3 in the Keystone State Shootout bonus money provided by Thunder Mountain Speedway, Port Royal Speedway, Tri City Raceway Park and the ULMS Racing Series were, Mike Maresca ($500), Max Blair ($300) and Doug Eck ($200).

The Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Model Series will be back in action next weekend with a pair of events. Friday night the series will be at Freedom Motorsports Park in Freedom, NY for the annual Ron Baker Memorial paying $2500 to win. Sunday the series will head to Dog Hollow Speedway for the annual Shawn “Sheetz” McGarvey Memorial paying $4000 to the winner. Dog Hollow is using Monday, Memorial Day as a makeup date if needed.

ULMS is proudly supported by Zimmer’s Service Center, Plyler’s Entry System, Close Racing Supply, Insinger Performance, Sunoco Race Fuels, Precise Racing, Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic, Lias Tire, American Racer Tire, Genesis Shocks, Integra Shocks, Keizer Wheels and Advocare by Advozuvy.com. Don’t forget to get all your information from the series website at www.ulmsracing.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

RESULTS:

JARED MILEY, Michael Maresca, Alex Ferree, Max Blair, Greg Oakes, Doug Eck, Mike Pegher Jr., Jake Gunn, Jon Lee, Kyle Knapp, Chris Farrell, Mike Wonderling, Matt Lux, Jason Dobson, Devin Lewis, John Weaver, Kyle Hardy, Eric Andrus, Michael Lake, Charles Powell Jr., Joe Petyak, Curtis Teats, Chad Wright, Denny Fenton and Jerry Redden

Zimmer Service Center Heat #1:
Matt Lux, Maresca, Knapp, Powell, Lake, Lewis, Andrus, Wonderling, Pegher

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #2:
Doug Eck, Miley, Oakes, Gunn, Farrell, Weaver, Teats, Dobson, Fenton

Lias Tire – American Racer Tire Heat #3
Alex Ferree, Blair, Hardy Wright, Petyak, Lee, Redden