The United Late Model Association provides an affordable option for late model teams in the Midwest. PR Director Sam Stoecklin told us more about the series:
CI: For those who may not be familiar, what are the basics of your series? (Car type, surface, engine, region)
SS: The ULMA is a dirt late model series in the Midwest. We allow multiple engine packages, including Crates as an option.
CI: Tell us how you came to found the ULMA
SS: The United Late Model Association (ULMA) was formed on November 11, 2006 by drivers, owners, crewmen, and track personnel with the intent of resurrecting and maintaining weekly late model racing. The group felt the only way to achieve this goal was to implement a unified set of competition rules. The association’s name and objective go hand-in-hand … ULMA members have united to secure a future for late model racing.
CI: How do your rules align with other similar series?
SS: ULMA allows "limited" style late models to run at our sanctioned tracks.
CI: What has been the biggest challenge?
SS: Maintaining minimal rules changes. We've tried several different things over our 8 year existence and have had our ups and downs, but 8 years later we are still around and sanctioning weekly late model racing.
CI: What is the one thing that people misunderstand the most about your role as the Series Director?
SS: Most people assume that everyone on the board of directors is the "tech" man. Although I am not a tech guru, I have learned as much as I can about technical issues and often am jumping right in and tech'ing cars as needed.
CI: What is your view/opinion of the future of Crate Racing?
SS: It will be interesting to see if the Crate series can gain momentum outside of their "Southern" roots area. They have not been successful where we are headquartered in the Midwest and that is one reason we wrote Crates into our rules, so those drivers would at least still be able to race without having to change too much.
For more information, you can visit ULMA’s website at www.ulmaracing.com.