SMETHPORT — The 2019 Zimmer’s Service Center United Late Model Series Championship came to a conclusion last week with a banquet held at the Smethport Fire Department. The series ended their 19th season and awarded $20,000 in cash plus additional $3,000 in contingencies to race teams on hand.
Max Blair took home the $1,000 mini tour prize with his two wins at Genesee Speedway and Eriez Speedway. David Scott finished second in the Hell Tour points followed by Mike Wonderling, Greg Oakes and Jason Dobson.
The four tracks that hosted events in the mini series were: Bradford Speedway, Genesee Speedway, ERIEZ Speedway and Thunder Mtn. The Hell Tour events at Freedom and Stateline were won by Mother Nature.
Racers and fans in attendance received many door prizes courtesy of Zimmer’s Service Center, ULMS, Close Racing Supply, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Dynamic Drivelines, Sunoco Race Fuels, Keizer Wheels, and DirtDefender.
The top five point drivers were awarded their 2019 point fund checks. Finishing fifth in points was the “Big Tree” Greg Oakes of Franklinville, N.Y. Oakes went winless on the 2019 ULMS season but still has 3 career ULMS wins.
The “Slowride” David Scott of Garland picked up fourth place point fund money along with three ULMS wins in 2019. Scott won at Freedom Motorsports Park, Genesee Speedway and Old Bradford Speedway. Scott has 13 career ULMS wins and sits second on the all time ULMS wins list.
Jason Dobson of Ceres, N.Y. finished third in points. Dobson has competed in all ULMS events in the past two years and took home $2,000.
Mike Wonderling Jr. of Wellsville, N.Y. improved from third to the runner-up position from last year and earned $3,000.
Max Blair of Centerville, Pa. became the sixth different driver to win multiple ULMS Championships in the 19-year history. Blair joins past champions Bob Close, Dick Barton, Boom Briggs, Mike Knight and Dave Hess Jr.
Blair picked up seven wins on the 2019 season to add to his record-high mark of 27 career victories.
He has 17 ULMS wins in his back-to-back championship years, including victories at Tyler County Speedway, Dog Hollow Speedway, Eriez Speedway, Genesee Speedway, Port Royal Speedway and two wins at Freedom Motorsports Park in 2019.
Blair picked up an additional $10,000 in championship prize money along with the Hell Tour Mini Series point fund money of an additional $1,000. The potent #111 Murphy’s Logging TBR black and green Rocket XR1 is expected to follow the entire ULMS series in 2020 and go for a three-peat, which has not been done in series history.
ULMS owner and promoter Chris Zuver told the crowd in attendance that the 2020 season would see 2 regions for its 20th Anniversary season. Each champion will receive a minimum of $7,000 in 2020 with $1,000 going to fifth place. Zuver also noted that the series is in negotiations for a champions bonus, if one team can win both the North and South regions it would receive an additional bonus that would give total championship winnings between $20-$25,000 at the 2020 banquet.
The 20th Anniversary Season begins Friday Mar. 20 at the legendary Williams Grove Speedway, followed by back-to-back events at Port Royal Speedway on Mar. 21 and 22. The complete 2020 ULMS schedule is posted on the ULMS website at www.ulmsracing.com.
