Upstate Racing League

The Upstate Racing League Coach’s Corner Pro Late Model Series headed to the Southern National Motorsports Park Thursday night for the Hanson’s Starter Shop 100, race three of the season.  Guillaume Fortin would set the Rumar Vinyl Creations Quick Time over Shawn Cool and Jake Watson, and would lead the strong field of twenty-six drivers to the green flag!  Eight cars were sent home based on time trials.

Shawn Cool would be able to nab a couple of laps led on the outside, but eventually Fortin would prevail on the bottom and take the lead.  It wouldn’t take long for Jake Watson to flex his muscle though, as he would quickly take the lead and set sail in search of his second career CCPLMS victory.  Unfortunately for Fortin, mechanical issues would force him to head behind the wall for some repairs.  He would finish the evening in the 25th spot, a disappointing result for the Zero9 Motorsports Toyota Camry entry.

Back up front it was all Jake Watson.  Watson would pull out to over a straightaway lead over second place Shawn Cool, who held a solid lead over the Green Mountain Madman AJ Hamel who settled in the final podium position after Fortin’s issues.  Last week’s winner and defending series champion Matt Kocher began to make his presence known inside the top five as the race clicked past the halfway mark, with a torrid pace being set by Watson up front.

Kocher would close in and stall out as he neared the top three around the race’s three-quarter mark.  However, the race would be shaken up by a late yellow when James McIntyre Jr would spin his Smith Racin’ Inc Ford Mustang, bringing the yellow out for the first time.  The race would take the green flag with under ten laps to go, with Watson and Cool on the front row.  Cool would fight valiantly on the outside, but slight contact on the backstretch would send his number 24 machine sideways and outside the top five.  Jake Watson would scoot away from the havoc behind him to pick up his first win of the season, and second URL Pro Late Model win overall!

Watson was followed across the line by Hamel, Kocher, Justin MacDuff, and Rex Hoyle in the top five.  Shawn Cool would have to settle for 6th after battling for the lead late.  Bryan Hacker was the Hard Charger, and Jake Watson was the Beth’s Colorful Creations Clean Driver Award Winner.

After three races, Justin MacDuff leads defending champion Matt Kocher in the Art’s Barber Shop Points Standings by just one point.  The only winner of the Rookie of the Race Award this season, Kris Stump, continues to lead the Brian Rogers Motorsports Rookie of the Year Standings by nine points over Andy Lambert.

The series is off next week for Thanksgiving (US).  The series will be back in action on 11/29 from the Lanier National Speedway for the Tough as a Rock 161.  Coverage begins at 9 PM EST on MaxSpeedTV, with Kelly Dahl and Roger Muth calling the action.  Enjoy the holiday!

 

Upstate Racing League Coach’s Corner Pro Late Model Series – Hanson’s Starter Shop 100 – Official Results: 1. JAKE WATSON,  2. AJ Hamel,  3. Matt Kocher,  4. Justin MacDuff,  5. Steph Marinak,  6. Shawn Cool,  7. Rex Hoyle,  8. Kris Stump,  9. Al Smith Jr.,  10. Blake Near,  11. Brian Rogers Jr.,  12. Paul Henley,  13. Andy Lambert,  14. Brad Carpenter,  15. Dillon Canova,  16. Bryan Hacker,  17. Danny Dubuque,  18. Brett Bartels,  19. Jeremy Carpenter,  20. Wayne MacDuff III,  21. Doug Wysocki,  22. John Mignacca,  23. James McIntyre Jr.,  24. Will Drevicky,  25. Guillaume Fortin,  26. Mike Holtsclaw

DNQ:  Allen Childs,  Mark Royer,  Jeremy Watkins,  Matt Roll,  Josh Mayeu,  Jay Dubuque,  Thomas Mitteer II,  Tony Rice

 

 

Last Thursday the Upstate Racing League Coach’s Corner Pro Late Model Series stormed into the Irwindale Speedway for the FloMcNasty_TV 100 after three long off weeks.  Last season’s Most Improved Driver Award winner Shawn Cool would start from the Rumar Vinyl Creations Quick Time Pole position, with Blake Near to his outside.

Cool would fend off hard charges from Near over the race’s opening circuits.  Third place starter AJ Hamel would throw his number 18 Toyota Camry into the mix for the lead, but unfortunately on lap eight Near would squeeze Hamel into an opening sending both cars into the wall hard.  Both drivers would continue on as the yellow did not come out.  The contact allowed Jake Watson and Kris Stump to move up to second and third, respectively.

Cool would continue to lead as a new driver would emerge within the top five.  Justin MacDuff, the winner of the season opener at Iowa and ninth place starter on the evening would work his way into the top five and make quick work of Stump and Watson to move into second.  MacDuff would then go on to erase Cool’s lead and work to his inside to try to take over the top spot.  Cool would not make it easy on him, but his best proved to not be enough as MacDuff took the lead over on lap twenty-three and set his sights on two wins in a row.

Enter Sandman.  Defending series champion Matt Kocher began to pick his way through the field and as the race clicked past halfway Kocher set his sights on the number 20 of MacDuff.  On lap sixty-nine, Kocher would take over the top spot and set sail.  Kocher would not look back, and in a race that was not slowed by any cautions Kocher would pick up his first win of the season over MacDuff, Stefan Marinak, Kris Stump, and Jake Watson in the top five.

After two races, Justin MacDuff leads the Art’s Barber Shop Points Standings over Matt Kocher by just three points.  Andy Lambert holds the final Chase position by three points over Shawn Cool with eight races remaining before the regular season finale.  Kris Stump leads the Brian Rogers Motorsports Rookie of the Year Standings by six points over Andy Lambert.

Next week, the series heads to the Southern National Motorsports Park for the Hanson’s Starter Shop 100.  Coverage begins at 9PM EST on MaxSpeedTV with group qualifying. Will someone new find their way to victory lane?  Find out next Thursday night!

 

FloMcNasty_TV 100 at Irwindale Official Results: 1. MATT KOCHER,  2. Justin MacDuff,  3. Steph Marinak,  4. Kris Stump,  5. Jake Watson,  6. Shawn Cool,  7. Blake Near,  8. James McIntyre Jr.,  9. Brad Carpenter,  10. Will Drevicky,  11. Al Smith Jr.,  12. AJ Hamel,  13. Brian Rogers Jr.,  14. Andy Lambert,  15. Dillon Canova,  16. Josh Mayeu,  17. Rex Hoyle,  18. Mark Royer,  19. Jeremy Line-Watkins,  20. Brett Bartels,  21. Wayne MacDuff III,  22. Paul Henley,  23. Thomas Mitteer II,  24. Danny Dubuque,  25. Guillaume Fortin,  26. AJ Childs

DNQ:  Mike Holtsclaw,  Matt Roll,  John Mignacca,  Jeremy Carpenter,  Scott Naslund,  Doug Wysocki,  Jay Dubuque,  Tony Rice

Provisionals: Alex Orians,  Bryan Hacker

 

 

 

 

After a long offseason that saw a new title sponsor join the Upstate Racing League Pro Late Model Series, the 2018 – 2019 Coach’s Corner Pro Late Model Series kicked off Thursday night with the league’s annual trip to Iowa.  As the league embarks on a new relationship with title sponsor Coach’s Corner, it was only fitting that the first race was called the Coach’s Corner Lead Off 108.  Brian Rogers Motorsports Rookie of the Year contender Kris Stump started his rookie season off strong by winning the Rumar Vinyl Creations Quick Time Pole Award.  Kris’ Empire Racing Team teammate Justin MacDuff started to his outside.

Stump would power away in his Ronald McDonald House sponsored Toyota Camry on the initial start, but it wouldn’t be long before Justin MacDuff began to track him down.  On lap 11, MacDuff was able to get by Stump and set his sights on running away from the field.  The field would be slowed for the first time on lap 26, after a spin by “The Bossman,” Al Smith Jr.  MacDuff would hold off a challenge from his teammates Stump and Stefan Marinak on the ensuing restart, as “Rocket Fuel” Shawn Cool would wheel his number 24 Chevrolet powered machine into the mix up front.

The yellow flag would fly again on lap 36 for a spinning Doug Wysocki machine.  On the restart, MacDuff would pull out to a lead again fending off challenges from Cool, Marinak, and Stump.  At this point, defending series champion Matt Kocher would crack the top five after starting the race from the ninth place position.  What would end up being the longest green flag run of the race would be slowed on lap 61.  Kocher would battle door to door with Marinak on the next restart as MacDuff continued to lead.

Kocher would eventually clear Marinak and set his sights on the lead car of MacDuff as the race began to wind down.  Kocher would never be able to close the gap and challenge, as MacDuff would hang on and win the race in dominating fashion, leading 97 of 108 laps for his first career win!  Defending champ Matt Kocher would finish in second, Stefan Marinak in third, a hard charging AJ Hamel would finish fourth, and Dillon Canova would round out the top five.  Taking home the accolades for the Beth’s Colorful Creations Clean Driver Award and the Upstate Racing Hard Charger Award were Justin MacDuff and Jeremy Carpenter, respectively. Kris Stump was the highest finishing Brian Rogers Motorsports Rookie of the Year Candidate. Toyota scores the first victory in the manufacturers battle.

The series is off until 11/1, when the cars and stars of the URL head into the Lucas Oil Raceway for the Coach’s Corner 100!  Coverage begins on 11/1 at 9 PM EST on MaxSpeedTV.  Be sure to check the Facebook page and website often to stay up to date on everything URL.  We’ll see you at the track!

 

 

Coach’s Corner 108 Official Results: 1. JUSTIN MACDUFF, 2. Matt Kocher, 3. Stefan Marinak, 4. AJ Hamel, 5. Dillon Canova, 6. Rex Hoyle, 7. Kris Stump, 8. Alex Orians, 9. John Mignacca, 10. Dan Dubuque, 11. James McIntyre Jr., 12. Brian Rogers Jr., 13. Andy Lambert, 14. Jeremy Carpenter, 15. Tony Rice, 16. Mark Royer, 17. Thomas Mitteer II, 18. Jeremy Watkins, 19. Mike Holtsclaw, 20. AJ Childs, 21. Brett Bartels, 22. Shawn Cool, 23. Blake Near, 24. Al Smith Jr., 25. Josh Mayeu, 26. Douglas Wysocki, 27. Matthew Roll, 28. Will Drevicky, 29. Jake Watson, 30. Jay Dubuque, 31. Scott Naslund, 32. Wayne MacDuff III, 33. Bryan Hacker

Provisionals: Guillaume Fortin, Paul Henley