The UFo Championship Challenge Will Include 8 Races in 5 Weekends in 2016
http://www.ufochampionship.com
http://www.portroyalspeedway.com
http://www.doghollowspeedway.net
http://www.newstatelinespeedway.com
http://www.ppms.com
July 7, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UFo Challenge Will Include 8 Races in 5 Weekends in 2016 + Initial 2017 Dates Set!
(Mars, PA) The UFo Championship has been re-formulated into the UFo Championship Challenge for the remainder of 2016 with eight Super Late Model events at four venues. The New Stateline Speedway, Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Dog Hollow Speedway and Port Royal Speedway will join forces to strengthen their regional mega-events. The tour will implement a change in the bonus money system paid to top point drivers,that will award the top drivers instantly for attendance, to be more effective for the race teams and the tracks.
The UFo Championship Challenge will continue as a track alliance, which allows tracks to utilize their own officials while linking their special events with common payoffs, rules, format and procedures. The focus will shift toward overall event power through payoffs and driver event bonus money more than the overall point race. This will drive overall car count and fan attendance, which ultimately determines event success. The tour averaged 38 cars/event from 2008-2011 and 36 cars/event in 2015.
The original 2016 version of UFo, which was halted in June, focused on year-end point fund awards. Since it was evident that this approach was not going to assist overall event success, that plan was scrapped. All drivers with perfect attendance as of June 11 are being issued point fund checks during July for their early-season efforts, pro-rated according to the number of events that were completed. These four key tracks have now re-united to continue the concept into the future with the goal of inter-track cooperation and stronger regional Super Late Model major events.
Kyle Hardy of Winchester, Va was declared the first 2016 Super Late Model champion and Ralph Morgan, Jr of Mount Union, PA was declared the Semi-Late champion. Points will be reset to zero as of the first UFo Championship Challenge race on August 20, which will determine a co-champion for the Super Late Models at the end of the season.
A new ‘instant bonus payoff” system will now replace the previous track contributions to the year-end point fund for the Super Late Models. A moderate year-end point fund will also be paid after the season is completed using sponsor contributions. The new system will reward the top point drivers directly for event participation. The tracks will post the same amount of “instant bonus” awards that they were previously contributing to the point fund.
The top 5 Super Late Model drivers in the point standings going into an event will be eligible for $200 bonus money, in addition to their event winnings. If any of those drivers do not attend the event, they will forfeit their bonus. Tracks will also have the option of extending this bonus to more drivers in the point standings if they feel it will boost their event.
Since bonus money is in addition to driver winnings at that event. The base UFo payoff guarantees $300 to start the feature and $150 for non-qualifiers. This will guarantee drivers in the top 5 point standings $500 minimum if they qualify for the feature, and $350 minimum if they do not qualify for the feature on a one-day program. One bonus will be paid for two day events at the same track. If multiple drivers are tied for points, their bonus money will be pooled together and split evenly among those in attendance that are tied for that position.
The top five Super Late Model drivers from the June 11 point standings will be eligible for the $200 bonus money at the first event on August 20. Kyle Hardy, Mike Mort, Gregg Satterlee and Alex Ferree will each be eligible for $200. Keith Barbara, Jason Covert and Michael Norris were tied for fifth, and will spilt the available bonus if they attend the event. As the points are being reset to zero, the drivers eligible for the bonus for the second event will be determined by the outcome of the first event.
All tour sponsors will continue to support the tour including Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, American Racer, Lias Tire, Precise Racing Products, Townsend Gas & Oil and Ritchey Sandblasting. 100% of sponsor revenue will be used for a moderate, season ending point fund or driver awards. This year’s Super Late Model total point fund will be $4,000 to $4,500 if all eight events are completed. This will be split among the top five drivers. This is in addition to the $6,000 of available “instant bonus payoff”
The kick-off of the UFo Championship Challenge will be an event that was not on the original UFo schedule. “Jim & Jean’s Sweetheart Special 50th Bash” at the New Stateline Speedway has been scheduled for Saturday, August 20. The 50 lap Super Late Model championship feature will pay $5,000 to the winner. This event will celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of track owners Jim and Jean Scott. Along with their partner Brian Horner, they have turned Stateline into a show place with massive track improvements for 2016.
The “Red Miley Rumble” at PPMS on Saturday, August 27 will pay $3,053 to the winner. This race will pay tribute to PPMS patriarch Red Miley. RUSH Crate Late Models, Sportsman, Hobby and Young Gun 4-cylinders will also be on the racing card. PPMS is renown for high-speed, three and four wide racing action on the wide half-mile, and is home of the six-wide salute. This event will give drivers an opportunity to tune-up for the spectacular $20,000 to win “Pittsburgher” on October 7-8. Alex Ferree won the UFo “Herb Scott Championship” in June at PPMS.
The “Butch Renninger 33” on Saturday, September 3 at Port Royal Speedway will have a $3,300 first prize for the 33 lap feature. 410 Super Sprints will race for $3,200 with Econo Late Models and Extreme Stocks rounding out the program. The “Butch Renninger 33” is now the traditional opening of the Juniata County Fair. Fans can arrive early so they can enjoy the midway and attractions of the fair that night. Port Royal generated a whopping car count of 42 Super Late Models for the UFo “2016 World Blastoff” in March with Gregg Satterlee coming out the winner.
The “Connor Bobik Make-A-Wish 104 at Dog Hollow Speedway on Sunday, September 4 will pay $3,000 to the winner of the 44 lap feature event. E-mods and Crate/Pro-Late Models will race for $1,500 to win and $200 to start. Crate/Pro-Late Models will be permitted to use any CARS, RUSH or FASTRAK legal tire for this event. Sidewinder 4-cylinders will race for $500 to win. This race honors track photographer Derek Bobik’s. Derek and his wife Diane will lead a Chinese Auction during the event to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Bobiks have raised over $28,000 to date through this event for that charity. Jared Miley and
A pair of two-day shows will round off the season. The “Stateline ShootOut” at Stateline Speedway will see two separate shows of UFo Super Late Model action on Friday and Saturday, September 9-10 with a total of $7,500 to win. Friday night’s “Battle on the Border” will pay $2,500 to win the 38 lap feature. Saturday’s “Stateline 55” will pay $5,000 to the winner of the 55 lap feature. The Modified Tour Big Block Modifieds will also headline on Friday night. E-mods, RUSH Late Models, RUSH Pro-Mods, Street Stocks, Super Sportsman, Challengers and tentatively Pure Stocks will also be in competition during the event.
The tour final will once again be the “ThunderDog Showdown” at Dog Hollow Speedway. This year Dog Hollow has boosted the payoff to $8,000 total to win. The “Flyin Floyd Kline Klassic will pay $2,000 to win on Friday for the 38 lap championship on September 23. The “ThunderDog 56” on Saturday, September 24 will pay $6,000 to win for the 56 lap championship. UFo Semi-Lates will compete for at least $1,500 to win in their 41 lap championship. This event will be a triple-late model bonanza as the Crate/Pro-Late Models will compete in a championship event.
Cadets, Pure Stocks and Sidewinder 4-cylinders will also race in championship features.
The Semi-Lates are schedule for one non-point event as part of the “ThunderDog Showdown” at Dog Hollow. Since only one event is scheduled, no bonus money or point system will be in effect. However, this event will utilize UFo car rules and procedures, and offer provisionals based on the June point standings.
Dog Hollow Speedway and Port Royal Speedway have already set dates for their 2017 UFo Championship Challenge events. Plans for 2017 include up to 12 events for the Super Late Models and up to eight events for the Semi-Lates.
UFo Championship Point Fund Sponsors
Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic of Finksburg MD, Sarver PA and Bedford, PA http://www.hoosiermidatlantic.com
American Racer Tires of Indiana, PA http://www.americanraceronline.com
Townsend Gas & Oil/VP Fuel-Shell-Pennzoil-Quaker State Products Distributor of Homer City, PA
http://www.townsendgasandoil.com
Lias Tire of Indiana, PA and Coshocton, OH http://www.liastirespeed.com
Precise Racing Products of Pittsburgh PA, Baltimore MD, Wichita KS and Omaha NE http://www.preciseracing.com
Ritchey Sandblasting of Woodbury, PA 814-766-3659
Complete information on the UFo Race Championship may be found at http://www.ufochampionship.com. Facebook members can keep up to date with the tour by going to http://www.facebook.com/ufochampionship and clicking the “LIKE” button. Fans and race teams may follow the UFo Championship on Twitter at https://twitter.com/UFoChampionship.
