By: Tracy Dean

    This points battle is the tightest the UARA series has ever had. Approaching the half-way point of the season with the race at Shenandoah Valley Speedway. After Saturday night the UARA will have completed eight of the sixteen races scheduled. This will complete the toughest part of the schedule with four straight weekends in a row. Next weekend drivers and teams will get a much needed weekend off.

    Kyle Grissom heads into Shenandoah with a slim lead in the standings with 649. Kyle has one win this year at the season opener at Hickory Motor Speedway.

    Brandon Ward is having an awesome year with a win at Orange County Speedway. Brandon trails Kyle by a mere 4 points. He has turned this season into his best ever, after struggling last year with his car. This team is competitive every weekend.

    Alex Yontz has done one heck of a job this year overcoming some qualifying difficulties. When the race starts you can always count on the blaze orange #55 moving to the front. This team made a great recovery at Lanier, after being wrecked and pitting six or seven times to repair damage. Yontz has collected 639 points and won the Myrtle Beach race. Alex is only ten points out of the championship lead.

    Jamie Yelton has accumulated 600 points on the season and has secured two victories at MMS and Lanier. Jamie also overcame struggles at Lanier, after getting spun by a lap car he battled back to the front. Yelton is only 49 points out of the lead.

    Ross Furr is another driver having a great year compared to last year. He has really matured as one of the great UARA drivers. Ross holds down fifth spot in the standings with 572 points. Furr is only 77 points out of first place.