The United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series makes two stops in Georgia this weekend. It will be the first appearance for the series at both Oglethorpe Speedway on Friday and Screven Motor Speedway on Saturday. The weekend of racing for the series gets underway Friday night with practice beginning at 6:15 PM and UDLMCS qualifying getting underway at 7:45 PM.
The historic half mile Olglethorpe Speedway has been racing since 1951 and in fact hosted NASCAR Grand National events in the mid-fifties. The track features aluminum grandstands, sky boxes and other modern amenities and has an 11:30 PM curfew. "It is a big, fast half-mile, and you better be ready when the green waves", quipped Faron, an official from Oglethorpe Speedway.
Several local late model track champions will be on hand to tangle with the stars of the UDLMCS, including Donnie Bazemore, Robert Diekemper and Bobby Olglesby.
Another Georgia driver looking forward to this weekend is Valdosta racer, Russell Brown, Jr., currently sitting in third in the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series points standings.
# DRIVER POINTS 1 Jason Fitzgerald 1,440 2 Mark Whitener 1,430 3 Russell Brown Jr. 1,320 4 Johnny Collins 1,310 5 Dillon Wood 1,070 6 Keith Nosbisch 1,010 7 Clay Bedenbaugh 890 8 Tyler Ivey 780 9 Jordy Nipper 740 10 Ivedent Lloyd Jr. 740
Brown has been holding his own against some tough late model teams sporting drivers such as Jason Fitzgerald, Mark Whitener, Johnny Collins and Dillon Wood.
"We run on my money and my sponsorship," Brown stated. "I'm satisfied with it, sure I want to win a race, but if we can race all of these tracks and run in the top five, or even top then, I'm satisfied.
Russell Brown, Jr. has been racing late models for the past six years, making a couple of trips to Oglethorpe Speedway four years ago. "It has helped me out having raced a lot of the tracks and having the setups for those tracks."
Brown, 30 years old this year, spends a lot of time in the shop, as he and his father build late model race cars, mostly for drivers at the local level who stick close to home. Though they provide cars mostly for local Georgia drivers, they have cars at tracks in Florida and North Carolina also. "My dad has been building cars for over 25 years, and I have been around it since I was born", he said.
The UDLMCS added two new drivers to the membership list this past week with Ivedent Lloyd and Shane Williams coming on board. Lloyd is sitting in tenth position in the standings, and surely will be looking to make a strong move over the next four races to put himself in contention for the Hilderbrand Jewelers Championship ring at the end of the year.
Saturday night the series moves up the road to Screven Motor Speedway for a Saturday night race. The action gets underway at 7:00 PM and grandstand admission is only $10.00, kids 12 and under are free. Screven Motor Speedway hosts many big races including the World Of Outlaws Late Model Series, later in the tear.
Both races will be broadcast live on the Internet in partnership with Real Racin USA www.realracinusa.com.
Visit the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series web site for more information. www.uniteddirtlatemodels.com
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