Freedom Motorsports Park will welcome the Zimmer Service Center United Late Model Series on Friday May 24 for the annual Ron Baker Memorial, presented by Briggs Transport. The 30 lap $3000 to win main event in honor of the legendary Baker who passed away December 9, 2015.
Ron Baker was an Icon in western New York racing. A career that spanned decades and saw the famous #74 machine compete and win countless of races and championships with him driving until his age reached his car number and then continued to be involved as a car owner of the very same machine and become a championship car owner with Ward Schell behind the wheel. Ron is not forgotten, but his legacy will never die #74Forever!
Max Blair has owned Freedom Motorsports Park the past two years when the Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Late Model Series has arrived and has won the past two Ron Baker Memorials at Freedom. The Centerville, PA driver is the series defending champion and all time winner will be looking to make it three in a row on Friday May 24th.
Rick Eckert of York, Pennsylvania currently leads the 2019 ULMS Late Model Series championship points. Scrub has scaled back his traveling this season due to owning and operating his own equipment has not indicated if he will be at Freedom, but series officials will be looking to convince the former World of Outlaw Series champion to be on hand and keep going after the series $10,000 championship prize.
Blair sits third in points behind Eckert and Jason Covert, who the season opener at Port Royal. Jeff Rine of Danville, PA and Port Royal winner, Michael Norris of Sarver, PA currently sits in fifth in the tight point race.
The Close Racing Supply ULMS Elite teams of Blair, Mike Wonderling, Jason Dobson, Mike Pegher, Michael Lake, John Weaver and Freedom Motorsports Park legend, Al Brewer will all be on hand for this event. They will faceoff the stiff competition of current World of Outlaw star and former two time Zimmer Service Center ULMS champion, Boom Briggs, who won at Freedom last August. Expecting to join Boom will be the 2002 series champion and dirt late model hall of famer, Chub Frank. Other drivers that have indicated and are expected to be on hand are local favorites Greg Oakes, Cody Egner, Zack Carley along with Brady Wonderling, Randy Ralyea, Dave Dubois, Doug Eck, Kyle Bedell, Nathan Hill, Bryce Davis, Jon Rohacevich, Richard Tripodi, and the father and son duo of David and Wyatt Scott are all expected along with others for the Ron Baker Memorial.
“We are excited to get back into racing action after a long cold wet April and so far May since our last event at Williams Grove at the end of March, stated ULMS Series owner, Chris Zuver. I didn’t want a big hole in the schedule but with the spring weather, it has not really mattered and I know my crew and I are eager to get back to one of our home tracks at Freedom for the Ron Baker Memorial.”
Freedom Motorsports owner, Bob Reis decided late last year to make a change to the speedway’s program for this season. “It was a combination of things,” Reis stated. “There’s lots of competition for Modified car count and fan count around the area, and when we ran the ULMS Super Late Model specials we noticed quite a bump in attendance. With Eriez possibly not opening in 2019 at the time as a weekly venue, the opportunity presented itself to create a smaller schedule based on the Super Late Models as a headline division, and based on the driver and fan support for the class, we decided to go in that direction. Late Model racing has been an important part of Freedom’s history and we’re excited about bringing it back as a feature attraction.”
ULMS Racing Series procedures will be in place, which includes hot laps, time trials, 8 lap qualifying heat events, consolation events (if needed) and 30 lap main event. Time Trials per ULMS rules will be the following: 3 heats will be straight up; 4 heats will result in A&B group qualifying. If there are 4 heats or less, the top 2 heat finishers will redraw for their feature starting positions, otherwise, heat winner only will redraw (5 or 6 heats).
The ULMS Late Model Series tire rule is Hoosier 1300 or American Racer 44 or harder on all 4 corners. All late model teams must present their cars along with safety equipment (helmet and Hans device if they have not participated with ULMS in 2019 or entering a different car) at pre-race safety and car inspection.
Freedom Motorsports Park utilizes the Mylaps/AMB transponders for scoring and timing. Limited transponder rentals are available at Freedom. Raceivers are mandatory during all Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Model Series action.
ULMS registration and pill draw opens at 5:15PM with ULMS tech opens at 5:30pm and closes at 6:45pm. No cars will be allowed on the track before completing tech. Any car late arriving late for tech will only receive 1 lap in qualifying time upon completing tech. ULMS Driver meeting will be at 6:50pm at the ULMS Command Center, followed by ULMS hot laps at 7:10pm. ULMS Integra Shocks Qualifying Time Trials ( 2 cars at a time) will be held to determine the qualifying heat race lineups. ULMS Entry Fee for the Ron Baker Memorial is $30.
Joining the Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Models on the Ron Baker Memorial presented by Briggs Transport are the Crate Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Kids Bandits. Pit Gates open at 5pm with Grandstands opening at 5:30pm and racing beginning at 7:30pm.
For all your up to date information on the Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Model Series, make sure you log into www.ulmsracing.com and follow ULMS on Facebook and Twitter. Freedom Motorsports Park can be found online at www.freedommotorsportspark.com and also on Facebook and Twitter.
ULMS RACING SERIES is proudly supported by Zimmer’s Service Center, Close Racing Supply, Insinger Performance, Sunoco Race Fuels, Precise Racing, Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic, Lias Tire, American Racer Tire, Murphy’s Logging, Alliance Racewear, WEHRS Machinery & Racing Products, DirtDefender, Jay’s Auto Wrecking, Genesis Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Integra Shocks, Keizer Wheels, Cousins Designs, Dynamic Drivelines, Mary Norgrove Notary Public, Jays Automotive, Phantom Signs & Graphics, and Advocare by Advozuvy.com
RON BAKER MEMORIAL PURSE:
$3,000 1300, 1000, 700, 600, 500 475, 450, 425 400 325 300 275 250 – 24th