Sam Stoecklin
ULMA Media Relations
August 4, 2010

Jason Bodenhamer Takes Over ULMA Point Lead with Sixth Victory!

Once the drivers hit the tracks again this weekend a new driver will begin the weekend as the overall association point leader for the first time since mid April.  Jason Bodenhamer, who was the 2008 ULMA champion, now has a slim lead in the standings after capturing his sixth feature-race win of the year last weekend at Central Missouri Speedway (CMS).  After leading the standings since earlier this spring, Bob Test slides into the number two position in the standings.  As the season winds down and the drivers continue to discard lower finishes on the year, it should lead to an exciting conclusion as these two and another driver who has also been on a hot streak of recent take the battle for the championship down to the wire.  That other driver is Vance Wilson, who also claimed his sixth feature victory of the year last weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway.  Although Bodenhamer and Test each have fifteen or more starts, Wilson has yet to hit the fifteen starts pinnacle after joining the association later in the year.  Wilson vaults to 14th in the standings with only ten starts and in doing the math, has only missed out on 22 points so far this season in the races he has competed in while Bodenhamer has missed only 20 and Test 32.

Last Friday night at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo the races were cancelled due to excessive rainfall but the track did run their races the previous weekend and it was California, Mo driver Jeff Schlup who came away with his second ULMA victory this season over Test.  Chris Cox, Robbie Wright, James Stafford, Ashley Lancaster, Trace Westling, and Wilson also posted top ten runs.  There were a total of 18 drivers on hand, 10 were ULMA members.  Racing resumes Friday night August 6th at the track, for complete details and event schedule check www.callawayraceways.com.  

Although it has been several weeks since ULMA drivers have competed at the big, fast half mile in Sedalia, Mo, racing resumes this Friday night August 6th at the speedway with a special event at the track.  ULMA points will be awarded to participating drivers this weekend as the late models and modifieds compete in special events along with the law enforcement “Battle of the Badges” race.  The late model race will pay $2,000 to the winner and $150 to start the main event.  This race will serve as the final tune-up for ULMA drivers before the $1,000-to-win ULMA only “topless” special event during the Missouri State Fair on Tuesday, August 17th.  For complete details visit the speedway’s website at www.missouristatefairspeedway.com.  

After experiencing yet another rained out event last weekend, drivers at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo had a busy night last Saturday night when they competed in two main events during the evening in order to make up for the rain out.  Vance Wilson grabbed his sixth ULMA win of the year while Jeremy Kelley picked up his second sanctioned win.  There were eighteen late models on hand for the evening’s competition with 15 of those drivers displaying the ULMA membership sticker.  Andy Kennedy, Chris Morelock, Tommy Cordray, Danny Lorton, Zeke Langley, John Fellers, Chris Cox, Harlen Kennedy, and Ben Solberg also recorded top ten finishes during the evening’s two feature events.  Racing continues at the ‘Diamond of Dirt Tracks’ again this Saturday night with another weekly program; check out the speedway online at www.lucasoilspeedway.com.  

The field of late model drivers at CMS was once again filled with fast cars and drivers this past Saturday night with 16 of 17 drivers on hand being ULMA members.  Shawn Rayfield, who drives three and a half hours to compete at the track appeared to have things under control for his first win of the year early on in the main event, that is until Bodenhamer found a way around Rayfield on the high side and went on to record his sixth feature race win of the year at the track.  Steve Clancy and Rayfield stayed right with Bodee until the end and came away with second and third place at the line.  Jon Binning, Test, Kevin Coyne, Bob King, Brett Wood, and Bryan Montgomery also registered top ten finishes by race end.  CMS continues its championship season again this Saturday night; check them out online at www.centralmissourispeedway.net.  

For complete standings and the remaining race schedule visit our official website by logging onto www.ulmaracing.com.  The ULMA points fund benefits by booking your lodging needs through the official ULMA website, savings await everyone using the link on the website by choosing from several quality hotel chains.  ULMA membership is available on site at each affiliated track for $50; ask for the track’s ULMA representative.  Driver and affiliate membership is also available via the Website.  To join the association’s email group, send request to unitedlatemodelassociation@hotmail.com.