Commentary by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
Wilkesboro, NC(February 2, 2011) — The UARA-STARS Series final two dates have caused some buzz in the Late Model Stock Car world and today it reached it’s climax as the North Wilkesboro Speedway revised their schedule to include two dates for the series.
That sparked some debate on our FaceBook page, but we went straight to the source to find out what’s going on as we called Kerry Bodenhamer, President of the UARA-STARS Series. While he said there are plans to go to North Wilkesboro this season, he said there will only be one date and that the date has not been set in stone yet.
“It’s been a challenge putting the schedule together,” said Bodenhamer in a phone interview. “We’re working to move one of the dates we have on the schedule around and I’m waiting on the track to call me back to get that done. Then we’ll have the full schedule released, hopefully before the day is over with.”
The UARA-STARS Series was expected to announce Greenville Pickens Speedway to it’s schedule for one of the dates and while Bodenhamer wouldn’t confirm the date, he did say that they had been talking to them. Greenville Pickens Speedway’s website showed a tenative date of September 24th yesterday briefly, but was quickly taken down. That is the anticipated date for the Greenville Pickens Speedway race if it is announced later today or tomorrow by the UARA.
The dates that North Wilkesboro had published of June 18th and October 2nd will likely drop the October 2nd date as the UARA wouldn’t want a date that close to Martinsville again this year. The June 18th date is a possibility, but it has not been finalized yet. With the addition of that date, I would expect the June 25th date at Hickory Motor Speedway would be moved, but have not heard that officially.
So it appears the UARA is going to North Wilkesboro and Greenville Pickens this season in addition to the other 14 races that have been announced, which will be great stops for the 10th year series. I can say for sure I’m looking forward to a trip by the series to North Wilkesboro Speedway, the first for the series and a first for many Late Model Stock Car competitors.