The Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Model Series returned to Freedom Motorsports Park on Friday night for the first of two trips scheduled on the 2017 schedule. The 3rd annual Ron Baker Memorial was held in memory of long time driver and car owner who turned many laps on the 1/3 mile oval in his illustrious career. Max Blair picked up his first ULMS win of the year and repeated his 2016 Freedom and his 8th career ULMS win.
Brady Wonderling of Wellsville fresh off his first ever ULMS win at Genesee Speedway and Nathan Hill of East Otto paced the starting field to John Powell’s green flag. Brady jumped into the lead with Blair quickly in tow with Hill, Chad Hollenbeck and David Scott the top five on lap one. Blair was applying heavy pressure on Wonderling when fourth place running Hollenbeck clipped the inside guard rail in turn four resulting in the #4Ds machine to spin and bring out the first yellow of the night.
Wonderling refired the field on the restart with defending series champion and point leader, Dave Hess Jr., making a bold move to jump into the top three from his 8th place starting spot. Another quick yellow on lap five for Ward Schell tighten the field up to Wonderling on the restart. This time Blair and Hess were lined up behind the #z1 XR1 Rocket at the green both Hess and Blair split Wonderling down the back stretch with Blair taking over the top spot with Hess filing in behind Wonderling at the stripe. The caution would come out on lap 6 for John Weaver’s turn 3 spin.
Blair would refire the field this time with Wonderling and Hess following Blair at the start. Hess would wrestle second away from Brady on lap 8. With ten las in the books, the car on the move was ninth starting Greg Oakes who found his way into fifth. Blair started lapping the field on lap 12 as he was settling a blistering pace. At the halfway point of the 30 lap event, Blair was comfortably ahead of Hess, Wonderling, now Oakes in fifth over Hill who was having a fantastic run. The middle part of the event saw Wonderling close back in on Hess for second until disaster struck on lap 23 when the z1 of Wonderling cllpped the turn 4 guard rail resulting in him spinning and bringing out the yellow and ending his night and great run.
Blair restarted the field for the final 7 lap shootout with Hess and now Oakes sitting in third with Hill, Scott, Damian Bidwell and Michael Wonderling the final car on the lead lap. Blair jetted out in front as Oakes battled Hess for second and Slowride would get around Hill for fourth over the final laps of the event only to see Max Blair pick up the $2500 prize as John Powell’s double checkers flew with Hess retaining second over Oakes, Scott and Hill your top five. Heat winners were Hess, Blair and Brady Wonderling. Blair would set the Integra Shocks Fast Time with a new track record of 14.000 seconds and would receive an additional $300 from Murphy’s Logging for his fast time award.
ULMS Late Model Series will be back in action on Sunday, July 23 at Old Bradford Speedway for $2500 to win event. Bradford has installed a new AMB transponder system allowing ULMS to host qualifying at Bradford for the first time ever. The UEMS Emods will return to action the day before at McKean County Raceway.
The ULMS Racing Series is supported by: Zimmer’s Service Center, Hoosier Racing Tire Mid Atlantic, Sunoco Racing Fuel by Insinger Performance, Genesis Shocks, Integra Shocks, Lias Tire, American Racer, Advocare by Advozuvy.com and Close Racing Supply
RESULTS:
RON BAKER MEMORIAL:
MAX BLAIR, Dave Hess Jr., Greg Oakes, David Scott, Nathan Hill, Damian Bidwell, Michael Wonderling, Brent Rhebergen, John Weaver, Breyton Santee, Joe Layfield, Brady Wonderling, Dave Dubois, Kevin Santee, Ward Schell, Chad Hollenbeck, Cody Egner, Jason Dobson (DNS)
Zimmer”s Service Center Heat #1:
Dave Hess Jr., Hollenbeck, Mike Wonderling Jr., Dobson, Layfield, Breyton Santee
Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #2:
Max Blair, Oakes, Scott, Bidwell, Weaver, Kevin Santee
Phantom Graphics Heat #3:
Brady Wonderling, Hill, Rhebergen, Dubois, Schell, Egner