Steven Ulman Scores Home Win In First JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Event at Whittemore

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour crowned yet another winner on Saturday night at Whittemore Speedway, as hometown hero Steven Ulman won the series' inaugural visit to the Michigan bullring.

Ulman is a former Modified track champion at Whittemore Speedway, and that experience paid off in the InstaCoat Fourth Up North 104. The starting lineup was set by owner points per the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour rulebook when rain washed out time trials, and Ulman started deep in the field as a result.

That was not going to stop him from becoming the sixth different winner with the series in as many points races in 2024.

"I gave up a lot to come here," said Ulman in victory lane. "And I was coming to win."

The complexion of the race shifted on a lap 92 restart, when Blake Rowe and Chase Burda made contact battling for the lead. The contact sent Rowe spinning off the backstretch, relegating him to the tail of the field.

Burda inherited the lead as a result, but Ulman rocketed around the outside to the lead on the ensuing restart while Burda dueled with Brandon Varney for the second spot.

"We had a good car all day on the outside," said Ulman. "I knew it was going to work.

"This is the biggest win of my career, and definitely the hardest fought."

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Brandon Varney prevailed in the fight with Burda for second position, another strong showing for the series' race winner at Corrigan Oil Speedway in June.

"I didn't really want to use the nose as much as I did tonight," said Varney. "A lot of that was just pushing and shoving. A great race, I think this place put on one hell of a show. Congratulations to Steven Ulman, he put on a clinic. I think he waxed us tonight. I was hoping to give him one more shot."

Burda won the series' most recent points event at Flat Rock Speedway, and found himself in position to fight for the win late. However, unfamiliarity with Ulman may have cost him when it came time to choose a lane for the final restart.

"We got the lead there and I didn't know if we could have went to the bottom or the top," said Burda. "The 45 [of Ulman], I really had no idea who he was, if he was going to rough me up or not. I chose the bottom, just in case he was going to rough me up or anything. I got hit from the back and shuffled, but that's short track racing.

"It was a good points day for us, and that's what we needed. We were able to finish on the podium. We could ask for a win, but for what we had, I'm happy. I knew our team and everybody here was capable of doing it. We just had to put the right pieces together."

John Wilkinson finished fourth, with Eddie VanMeter rounding out the top five.

The next event for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour takes place on Friday, July 26 at Toledo Speedway.

-Photo credit: Dream Bigger Media

InstaCoat Fourth Up North 104 Unofficial Results