UKIAH >> The North State Modified Series (NSMS), presented by Protect the Harvest and Swartz Diesel, visits Ukiah Speedway on Saturday night to open the second half of its 2015 schedule.
In only it’s second year, NSMS has staged 42 modified race cars with 45 different drivers. This weekend will be the first and only visit to the quarter-mile paved oval at Ukiah.
Leading in points is Tripp Gaylord of Golden, Colorado, driving for the Mike Garcia racing team. He was the winner of the NSMS fifth annual Summer Horsepower Nationals at Madera on June 6. He has also set fast time in three of five outings this season.
Gaylord’s teammate, Jason Patison of Corona, is making the haul to Ukiah to compete against the best of the NSMS. Patison currently competes in the NASCAR Whelen Super Late Model Series and the Lucas Oil Modified Series. He works as program director for MAVTV.
Running second in points is Anderson’s Cody Braund, who has run every NSMS event both this year and last. His consistency keeps him up in the standings in spite of running one of the oldest cars in the series. Braund is the grandson of the legendary Jack Epperson from Shasta Speedway.
Darrin Knight of Kelseyville, third in the point standings, trails Braund by only two points. Knight has two wins this year, the first at Lakeport Speedway on May 2 and the second at All American Speedway in Roseville on June 27. He is very familiar with the Ukiah track and is among the favorites.
Michael Mitchell of Loomis is running fourth in the point standings, 10 points behind Knight. So far this season he has racked up three third place finishes and a fourth. His Sinister Diesel No. 77 was the first visiting car to make an impressive outside pass earlier this year at Lakeport.
Jason Philpot of Sacramento holds the fifth spot in the points standings. He was the winner of the final event at Roseville in 2014 and is familiar with the Ukiah track as well.
Sixth in points is rookie-of-the-year contender Kelsie Martin from Beaver Creek, Oregon. She has three top-10 finishes so far in her first season in a modified. This is her maiden voyage to Ukiah.
All these drivers plus others will gather at the Ukiah Speedway on Friday for a practice session before Saturday’s Lucas Oil Dash for Cash and the Sinister Diesel 60-lap feature. The North State Modifieds join the Pacific Challenge Late Models, the Pro-4 Modifieds and the local Jammers on the Ukiah Speedway racing card.
For more information visit the North State Modified Series Facebook page.
