Rob Blair Returns Home to ULMS Victory Lane at Tri-City Speedway
May 3, 2009 The Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models made their maiden visit to Tri City Speedway tonight for the thirty lap, $2000 to win Spring Late Model Spectacular. This would be the first of three ULMS visits to Tri City Speedway in 2009 and the second event of the young season. The Titusville Terror, Rob Blair picked up the main event win, winning his fourth career ULMS victory and returning to Tri City Speedway' victory lane for the first time since 1997, when he was the late model track champion.
The Northern Tier Inc ULMS rolled onto the ½ mile oval in Franklin, PA and gave the capacity crowd the four abreast salute as legendary World of Outlaw announcer, Rich Eschelmann and Tri City's own, Walt Wimer fired up the crowd for the Todd Beichner's green flag. The Bear Lake Banzai, Boom Briggs and the Rim Rider, Ron Davies set the pace with both screaming down the front chute into turn one at the start of the event. The pair would swap the lead three times on the opening lap with the Rim Rider holding the edge on lap one over Briggs, Blair, Blose and all time Tri City Emod feature winner, Brent Rhebergen. The top two kept the pace fast and wild as Davies and Briggs would stay one two as lap five clicked off the board. The duo would keep the fans on the edge of the seats as they swapped the leads various times but it would always be Davies at the line leading the lap. Blair sat patiently in third watching the front duo. Big Block Modified standout, Rex King would go pit side on lap 8 to become the first car officially out of the event. As lap ten clicked on the board it was still Davies, Briggs, Blair and a very fast moving Jared Miley in fourth. The leaders had run up on the lap cars of Dave Norton and Luke Hoffner to put them down a lap. Dave Hess Jr. had moved up to the fifth position by this time. Davies would put Jeff Hoffman down a lap on lap fourteen as they crossed the stripe. As Davies rounded turn two, his power plant would die handing the lead over to a very eager Briggs. As Briggs had to check up for the sudden loss of power by Davies, this allowed Rob Blair to close in on the back bumper of Briggs #99B machine. The race was on now between Briggs and Blair. Dave Hess Jr and Mike Blose had now engaged in a tight battle for fourth behind Miley who appeared to have the fastest car on the track, but was unable to track down the top two cars of Boom Briggs and Rob Blair.
With ten laps to go, it was still Briggs slightly over a patient Rob Blair, with Miley, Hess and Matt Lux now in fifth from starting dead last in the field! On lap twenty-two, Blair made a slingshot pass on Briggs in turn two to grab the lead to the delight of the hometown crowd. Blair seems to pull away by a few car lengths as five to go was signaled with Briggs in second and Miley still in third praying for the races first caution, which would never come. As the white flag was waved, Briggs made the Bear Lake Banzai move on Blair in the final two turns but would come up a car length short at the finish. Rob Blair would pick up his fourth career Northern Tier Inc. ULMS win over Briggs, Miley, Hess and Matt Lux came home fifth. The remaining top ten were, Blose, Russ King, Jason Dupont, Rhebergen and Dick Barton in tenth. Miley, Blair and Briggs were the three qualifying heat race winners.
Blair hails out of nearby Titusville, Pennsylvania and was the 1997 Tri City Speedway late model champion. The win was his fourth career ULMS victory and his first win at Tri City since 1997. Blair picked up his first win of the season, which he is celebrating his silver anniversary. The #Won11 is supported by, Specialty Products, Bossard Auto Parts, Maloney Tool & Mold, Armstrong Lumber, Chelby's Tanning & Hair Garage, Moody & Son Welding, Genesis Shocks, Slavic Shirts and Decals, Hypercoils, Simpson Race Products, VP Racing Fuel, Dano Auto Artistry, Farr Motorsports, MWB Graphics and Web Design, Hoosier Racing Tires and Rocket Chassis. The Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models will be back in action this coming Saturday night at McKean County Raceway (May 9) for the fourth annual Dave Lundgren Memorial, which will see $2500 to win. The United Emod Series will also be in action at MCR. The Northern Tier Inc. ULMS Late Models are schedule to be at Arcade International Raceway (Delevan, NY) on Friday, May 15 and then return to Tri City Speedway on Sunday, May 31. For more information about the ULMS Racing Series, please visit the website at www.unitedlatemodelseries.com. ULMS RACING SERIES is supported by: Northern Tier Inc., Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Lias Tire (American Racer), Close Racing Supply, GRT and BMS Race Cars, Bernheisel Race Cars, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Andrews Auto Salvage, Genesis Shocks, Cousins Designs, Allen's Wine and Liquor, Big Shot Performance (The ShockSaver), Raceway Magazine and Oyler Action Photos RESULTS: Northern Tier Inc. Heat #1: Close Racing Supply / GRT Race Cars Heat #2: Lias Tire - American Racer Tire Heat #3: FEATURE:
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