Wytheville, VA ~ Pit Stops was started so we could have a weekly update of the latest in Late Model racing for the week … well, a week has turned into four or five days and we could honestly do a new Pit Stops update every two or three days with all the things happening right now.

Here we go again with a couple of Pit Stops from around the racing region ….

UARA-STARS Champion, Jake Crum is looking for a ride for the 2009 season opener at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 14th. Crum, who is currently involved in sponsor negotiations to race in a handful of ARCA Series starts this season is also hoping to pick up a quality ride for atleast a handful of races on the UARA-STARS tour this season.

Crum won two races in 2008 at Dillon(SC) and Coastal Plains(NC) Raceway en route to his record setting championship performance making him the youngest champion in series history at age 17. Crum and his Team Crum Racing struggled through tough economic times for the team in 2008 and with the potential ARCA deal on the horizon the team has decided to not compete in the UARA-STARS Series at least not early in the season.

“Jake(Crum) really wants to run at least a handful of the tour races this season and we’re putting all our efforts in a potential ARCA deal, so we’re really hoping he’ll pick up a part-time ride,” commented Jake’s father, Billy Crum. “Jake runs good nearly everywhere he goes, but especially Hickory and Bristol, so this would be a couple good races for us to compete in if we can find a ride.”

Matt DiBenedetto will be running a Super Late Model for the first time in a couple weeks when he straps it on behind the wheel of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, David Stremme’s Super Late Model in SpeedFest at Lanier National Speedway in Lanier, GA. DiBenedetto, who hasn’t tested the car and doesn’t plan to before strapping into race the car on January 24-25th is excited about the opportunity to drive the car for Stremme.

“I’m excited about this opportunity. David(Stremme) and his guys have been very nice to me and it was really cool that David called and asked me to drive his car in this race,” commented DiBenedetto.

Philip Walker’s Piedmont Racers Expo & Trade Show will take center stage for many Carolina Racers next weekend, January 16-17th at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raliegh, NC. Walker, a veteran racing promoter and auctioneer says that this years trade show will be the biggest in it’s history beginning in the mid-1980’s.

“Over 45 vendors filling nearly one hundred 10×10 booth spaces are expected for this year’s tradeshow, which along with the racing auction make up the annual racing expo”, stated Walker. “We have everything from go-karts and mini-cup cars to 600+ horsepower modified racers at the show, along with vendors with the latest racing technology and parts on display and for sale.”

The Piedmont Racing Expo will be held regardless of weather at the fairgrounds located at 1025 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, NC. For more information please visit www.piedmontracingexpo.com.

PASS South Officials made two announcements last week, the first concerning the PASS South Series Championship Awards dinner which will be held the night before the season opener on March 14th in Dillon, SC. Pro All Stars Series (PASS) President Tom Mayberry announced today that the PASS South Super Late Model Awards dinner honoring those who competed with the series in 2008 will be held Friday night, March 13th at the Kintyre House in Dillon, SC.

The awards dinner will coincide with the 2009 PASS South season opener the following day at the Dillon Motor Speedway. Activities will start on Friday, March 13th with practice for the South Carolina Clash from 3 to 6 PM at the Dillon Motor Speedway and will then move to the Kintyre House for dinner and the awards ceremony set to begin at approximately 8:30 PM. The Fourth Annual South Carolina Clash will kickoff the 2009 racing season at Dillon Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 14th.

“We felt like this was the best way to reward the teams that raced with us in 2008 because they’ll already be at Dillon getting ready for the race on Saturday and this will hopefully eliminate an extra trip for them,” said Mayberry. “We really appreciate everyone that supports PASS and this is just a small way for us to give something back to them.”

The Other Announcement by the PASS South series had to with a new rules package which will allow former USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series teams to utilize their engines by racing with them in the PASS Series. Pro All Stars Series (PASS) President Tom Mayberry has announced a new engine package that will be eligible for competition in the PASS South super late model series for the upcoming season. In 2009, PASS South competitors will have the option of utilizing “Pro Cup” spec engines in PASS South super late models.

According to Mayberry, “Since we started the Pro All Stars in 2001 we’ve permitted a variety of engine options in an effort to allow racers to utilize the equipment they have already invested in. This addition to the PASS South rules gives our super late model teams access to yet another readily available and affordable engine option.”

“This package has undergone comparison testing and has proven to be very competitive and will compliment the engine options we currently permit,” stated Mayberry. “With the proper weight assignment to this package, the inclusion of the “Pro Cup” spec engine will make PASS South super late model racing a viable option for even more race teams.”

Doc Love and his Kick’n Asphalt Radio Show announced recently a move to www.RaceTalkRadio.com … The show is also set to move from two hours to a one hour segment on Thursday night’s. Love also announced that this year RaceTalkRadio.com has allowed him to add a second show called the UARA Soiree`. This show will be dedicated solely to the UARA-STARS Series and will debut on Tuesday’s night’s in March.

RaceTalkRadio.com is very supportive of the efforts that Doc and his gang are making for the 2009 season and the UARA-STARS Series. Love is hoping to be able to broadcast some UARA series races as well as other major events throughout the region. For more information please visit www.RaceTalkRadio.com