Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: Defending ULMA champ off to hot start
By Joshua Joiner
DirtonDirt.com staff writer
Jason Russell (2) has started the season with four straight ULMA victories.
There are no signs of a sophomore slump for Jason Russell.
The 33-year-old racer from Henley, Mo., has followed his stellar rookie Late Model season that earned him the United Late Model Association’s weekly points championship last year with an even better start to 2013.
Russell has started the seasons a perfect four-for-four so far in ULMA action at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo., and already has a healthy lead in the points standings on the Missouri-based sanctioning body for Limited Late Model.
“We’ve started off the year real well. We switched cars this year and it kind of fit my driving style right off the bat,” said Russell, an open-wheel modified graduate who claimed series-best 11 ULMA victories in 2012. “We had a real good last year and won some races and the championship. We’re trying to top the year we had, but I know that’s gonna be tough.”
Russell’s early-season success has come even as he’s adjusted to a new chassis. Even after his successful rookie campaign in 2012, Russell knew he wanted to upgrade his equipment for this season. After racing an older car last year, Russell and his Luis and Stephanie Murga-owned race team purchased a year-old Rocket Chassis over the offseason.
Russell worried it would be a tough adjustment at first, but after shaking the car down during a Lucas Oil MidWest Late Model Association event at Lucas Oil Speedway in April, Russell has had no problems whatsoever in his new ride.
“We just wanted to get a little better technology,” said Russell, who finished 13th in fielding his Limited Late Model against the MLRA Super Late Models at Lucas Oil Speedway. “We had an older car last year — a 2006 car. We went with a Rocket car this year and it’s been great.
“Last year was my first year in a Late Model, so we were just kinda testing the waters. We decided to look at different options this year and we knew we wanted to be really serious about it. The tech support from (Rocket Chassis co-owner) Mark Richards has really helped out. He’s answered any questions we’ve had and just been great to work with.”
The chassis switch wasn’t the only thing that threatened to slow the start of Russell’s season. After plans to move into a new shop were delayed, Russell and his race team were left scrambling to move into the shop just before the season started in April.
“It all came together just in time,” Russell said. “We got the car in January, and then got the shop done in the middle of March. We got moved in and started racing the first weekend of April. It was a bit crazy, but it all just kind of came together good. I really can’t complain.”
Even with his impressive early-season win streak, Russell knows it’s not realistic to win every ULMA event he enters, but he’s definitely aiming to keep winning races. He’s hoping to break his 11-victory mark from last season while also repeating his ULMA title.
“It’ll be tough to keep that percentage up, but we hope we can knock off a few more wins,” Russell said. “Our goal is to beat the mark we set last year in wins. We’re on pace for that, so hopefully we can keep it up. Then if we do that, I think the championship should work itself out.”
Weekly highlights
• Driving Laddie Fulcher’s No. 29, World of Outlaws regular Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., claimed his first victory of 2013 on May 18 at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga.
• Dona Marcoullier of Houghton Lake, Mich., won May 18 at Oakshade Raceway for his second straight victory at the track in Wauseon, Ohio.
• On May 18 at Hummingbird Speedway, Derek Rodkey led most of the race but got trapped behind slower cars in turn four on the final lap, allowing Dwayne Brooks to slip by for a dramatic victory.
• Driving the Paul Crowl-owned No. 7 Rocket Chassis, WoO regular Rick Eckert of York, Pa., scored a $2,000 victory May 18 at Winchester (Va.) Speedway.
• In breaking Tyler Bruening’s two-race win streak at Independence (Iowa) Motor Speedway on May 18, Rick Dralle of Waterloo, Iowa, notched his first victory at the track since July 3, 2010. Bruening finished second.
• On May 18 at Columbus (Miss.) Speedway, Eric Cooley of Fulton, Miss., swept the features in the Super Late Model and Late Model Stock divisions.
• Becoming a three-time winner at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Michael Norris of Sarver, Pa., won May 18 at the monster half-mile oval.
• Luke Hoffner of Turbotville, Pa., won May 18 at America’s Motorsports Park to become the reopened Clearfield, Pa., track’s first two-time Late Model winner.
• With his May 18 victory at I-77 Speedway, Brett Hamm of Newberry, S.C., picked up a $500 bounty for outrunning runner-up Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C., in NDRA Crate action.
First things first
First-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• In becoming the track’s 127th winner in the division, Steve Campbell of Danville, Pa., won his first-ever Bedford Super Late Model feature on May 17.
• Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., notched his first feature victory at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, since joining the Roberts Motorsports team. Guss won the UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned event over Dustin Griffin.
• Greg Hicks of Weston, W.Va., won his first Fastrak Crate feature May 17 at Elkins Raceway in Kerens, W.Va.
Weekly points chases
UMP DIRTcar (Super Late Models): Through May 12, Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., leads the way with 676 points followed by Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., with 660 points and Rusty Schlenk of Weston, Ohio, with 651 points.
UMP DIRTcar (Crate Late Models): Aaron Heck of Mount Vernon, Ill., tops the standings through May 12 with 662 points. He’s followed by Nick Lyons (594) of Centralia, Ill., and Jeff Walson (481) of Paducah, Ky.
IMCA: Tyler Bruening (117) of Decorah, Iowa, took over the top spot in the most recent standings, overtaking Nick Marolf of Moscow, Iowa, by six points. Jeremiah Hurst of DeWitt, Iowa, is third, 24 points out of the lead.
AMRA: Andy Bond of Coolville, Ohio, leads with 469 points over defending champion Chris Garnes of Evans, W.Va., who has 464 points. K.C. Burdette of Parkersburg, W.Va., is third with 423 points.
ULMA: Defending champ Jason Russell of Henley, Mo., remains undefeated in four sanctioned events and tops the standings with 482 points to Justin Russell’s 432 and and Chris Cox’s 410.
NeSmith Chevrolet Series: Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, Miss., leads the Old Man’s Garage Weekly Racing Series for Crate Late Models with 341 points while Shannon Lee (330) of Lumberton, Miss., and Noah Daspit (327) of Kiln, Miss., give chase.
WISSOTA: Defending champion Chad Becker of Aberdeen, S.D., leads by 29 points over Nate Beyenhof while series veteran Lance Matthees of Winona, Minn., holds third, five points back of Beyenhof.
RUSH: Michael Lake of Uniontown, Pa., leads the first-year Crate Late Model organization’s standings through May 19 events with 669. John Over (732) of Uniontown Pa., is second with Mike Pegher Jr. (652) of Wexford, Pa., third.
SECA: Mac Owens of Woodruff, S.C., leads the first-year Southeastern Crate Association with 102 points over Joey Phillips (101) and Terry Bullard (100).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events at dirt tracks around the country during Memorial Day weekend:
Oglethorpe Speedway Park, Pooler, Ga. (May 24): The Savannah-area track is hosting a special for the Southern Eagle Budweiser Late Model division.
Ponderosa Speedway, Junction City, Ky. (May 24): The Spring Showdown pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models; Fastrak Crates are also in action.
Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway (May 25): The track’s Late Models run for $2,000-to-win with an extra $200 to a first-time winner.
Richmond (Ky.) Raceway (May 25): The third annual Rain Dodger 40 pays $3,000-to-win; a $500 bonus goes to the driver with the best combined finish between Ponderosa and Richmond.
St. Tammany Raceway, Lacombe, La. (May 25): The track is hosting its monthly Super Late Model event.
Friendship Speedway, Elkin, N.C. (May 25): The holiday weekend special includes a $1,500-to-win event pitting Blue Ridge Supers vs. Steel-heads.
Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, Ga. (May 25): The second round of the Super 7 Challenge Series pays $1,500-to-win for Late Models.
Green Valley Speedway, Glencoe, Ala. (May 25): The $1,500-to-win event includes $20 per carload admission.
Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway (May 25): The Pine Tree 100 for location divisions includes a $1,500-to-win Crate Late Model event for the Aaron’s-sponsored division. It’s a double-points night.
Randolph County Raceway, Moberly, Mo. (May 25): ULMA’s newest track hosts a $1,000-to-win Late Model event.
Potomac Speedway, Budds Creek, Md. (May 26): The 40th anniversary special features a 40-lap Super Late Model event paying $2,500-to-win; Crate Late Models are also in action for double-points.
Needmore Speedway, Norman Park, Ga. (May 26): Unsanctioned Late Models run for $4,000-to-win, a companion event to Albany, Ga.’s NLMS event the previous night.
Seymour (Wis.) Speedway (May 26): The track’s holiday classic will feature a visit from WDLMA-sanctioned Late Models.
Duck River Raceway Park, Wheel, Tenn. (May 26): The Memorial Day Classic is highlighted by a $3,000-to-win Super Late Model event.
Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park (May 26): The second annual Boone Coleman Gator 50 pays $5,000-to-win for Super Late Models.
Rome (Ga.) Speedway (May 26): The 4/10-mile track’s season opener pays $2,000-to-win for Super Late Models
Little Valley (N.Y.) Speedway (May 26): The season opener pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models and $1,000-to-win for Limiteds.
Tri-County Racetrack, Brasstown, N.C. (May 27): The Memorial Day Championship pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models; Limiteds and Crates are among support classes.
