Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Wytheville, VA(January 23, 2010) — In racing, the wheels never seem to stop turning and neither does the list of drivers competing on our regions weekly tracks and in the touring series and 2010 is certain to be no different.

Right now, according to sources close to RACE22.com it appears that two-time UARA-STARS Series Champion, Matt McCall who was just crowned champion at the series banquet a week ago and his runner-up, veteran Jamey Caudill won’t be returning to the tour in 2010. Both drivers are anticipating to run for the track championship at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, VA and both will likely be top contenders not only for the track title, but the Virginia State and NASCAR National titles as well.

Of course both drivers will have to go through defending and three-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champion, Philip Morris and a host of other track regulars including Tommy Lemons, Jr., Brandon Dean, Chad Harris and Jerame Donley among others. So, where does the UARA-STARS Series look for the next big name driver to carry the torch most recently carried by Caudill and McCall???

One name notably left off the list of regulars at Motor Mile Speedway above, Frank Deiny, Jr. could be the ‘big name’ that will keep the UARA-STARS Series as challenging as it’s become through the years. Without McCall and Caudill the series would have to look to Alex Yontz, Kyle Grissom or Coleman Pressley to carry the torch and while all three drivers would likely be up for the task, neither carries the name in Late Model Stock Car racing that Deiny does.

There’s only one problem with Deiny becoming the new face of the UARA-STARS Series … he needs the funding to make it happen and without it he won’t be able to compete full time with the series.

“I’d love to go and do that deal, but doing a touring schedule is a lot more expensive than say going back to Motor Mile Speedway and running for the championship again,” said Deiny in a recent telephone interview. “The UARA has certainly proven to produce some great talent through the years, but without guys like (Jamey)Caudill and (Matt)McCall there for the young guys to test their skills against, I don’t think they would develop the young drivers as easily or as well.”

Deiny’s right, having guys like McCall and Caudill, who combined have more than 125 victories in a Late Model Stock Cars certainly allows young drivers like Brennan Poole this past season to test his skills and develop his craft.  If Deiny, a five time Late Model Stock Car champion with experience racing in the NASCAR West Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is able to run the UARA-STARS Series it will allow a strong crop of 2010 rookies to become better drivers faster.

Certainly Deiny would also be a strong contender for the championship with Yontz, Grissom, Pressley, Poole and a great ambassador for the series, bringing his knowledge and experience to a series that has seen unimaginable growth since it’s inception in 2002.

Deiny’s stats speak for themselves, he’s won five track championship at five different tracks including Ace, Motor Mile, Old Dominion, Orange County and South Boston Speedway. Also with over 100 feature wins all over the region including a Bailey’s 300 at Martinsville Speedway victory and multiple wins in the Myrtle Beach 250 at Myrtle Beach Speedway.  Plus, he’s already picked up a victory in the UARA-STARS Series in a one-off start in 2003 at Orange County Speedway.

Hopefully this veteran driver can find the funding to compete on the UARA-STARS Series tour as he’s exactly what the series needs in the wake of McCall and Caudill’s anticipated departure.