| UDLMCS Returns to Ocala this Friday | by BJ Cavin
ZUBER, FL- Race fans in the Ocala area look forward to opportunities to see the top late model series in the southeast, and the third opportunity of the 2009 racing season comes this Friday night to Florida's historic Ocala Speedway.
The United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series will make their third and final trek to Zuber for the 2009 season as the racing schedule winds down and the points battles heat up. The Florida All Star Late Model Championship opens Friday night at Ocala and moves eastward to Volusia Speedway Park on Saturday, giving fans and racers a chance to make a weekend of it.
The previous two appearances by the UDLMCS at Ocala Speedway this season were huge success stories that provided fans with plenty of competitive late model racing action. Both the opening night clash events and the annual Powell Memorial drew huge crowds as well, plus more than full fields of top late model racers from the region. This Friday's events should be no different, as $3000 is going to the winner of the 50 lap main event.
Jason Fitzgerald got an impressive win at Ocala two weeks ago in a non UDLMCS event that paid $2000 to win and brought out over 30 of the best late model racers around. And while Fitzgerald has placed himself at the top of the heap in the UDLMCS, he has yet to win a series event, which has allowed Mark Whitener and Johnny Collins to keep it close late in the season. Fans will be excited to see if Fitzgerald can translate his Ocala Speedway success into a much needed UDLMCS win on Friday night.
In addition to the top late models from the UDLMCS, fans will get to see Ocala's most exciting division, the Amsoil V8 Thunder Stocks, provide more fender banging action. The Thunder Stocks have been drawing full fields of cars throughout most of the season, and have also provided the most competition with multiple different winners. Augie Burttram was the winner of the last race, collecting $1000 for holding off a hard charging Chris Fontaine in an event that featured as much collateral damage as actual racing action.
And Ocala Speedway's Mini Stocks will also be racing as returning champion Keith Briggs has rejoined their ranks late in the season and is up to his old habit of being hard to beat. Still, Paul Combast, Calvin Christian, and Johnny Zackery, all want nothing more than to put Briggs back in his place and hand him a heaping helping of humility.
The pit gates will open at 2PM this Friday for competitors and the grandstand gates will open at 5PM. Special event pricing will be in effect for this event as hot laps qualifying get underway at 6:45PM and heats and B-mains follow at 8PM. Overnight camping is availible, but campers should contact Ocala Speedway to reserve spots. For directions, or more information on Ocala Speedway, go to www.OcalaSpeedway.com, or call the track at 352-622-9400.
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