Chip Brindle
photo by Brian McLeod
Chip Brindle of Dalton/Chatsworth, Ga., topped the United Championship Racing Alliance - UCRA 2018 season finale at TriCounty RaceTrack in Brasstown, N.C., winning the $2,500/40 lap feature in flag to flag fashion, for his car owners (Randall Hill) birthday, Satrday night.
Brindle headed to victory overcoming his car’s failing power steering over the final five laps, holding off $200 Performance Racing Inc,/Hayesville Trailer Sales and CM Truck Beds fast qualifier Ethan Hunter to become rhe UCRA's 10th different winner in 10 races this season.
Brindle’s #17s "BDR Loopers & Clips, Brindle Bros, North GA Pumping, Team 17 Racecars" sponsored racecars right-rear tire went flat while awaiting post-race tech inspection. Brindle, proud new dad of two, won three UCRA events in 2017, but only followed the series a minimal of three times total in 2018.
Jimmy Elliott scored a fifth-place finish, clinching his second series championship of the season after winning the 2018 Winter series league championship in Florida and South Georgia. Michael Courtney of Powell, Tn., had trouble in his heat and started at the tail in the feature. He rallied through the field, but still fell just short in his bid for the series title, despite finishing a position ahead of close friend Elliott.
This was the alliance's second visit to Ray Cook’s TriCounty Race Track in 2018. Track hotshoe Jason Deal of Copperhill, Tn, won the tour’s stop at TCRT on Sept. 3 and would finish third behind Hunter. Courtney started 16th and finished 4th overall. Courtney earned the $1,000 bonus for the UCRA Rookie of the Year honors that will be dolled out in the coming off-season.
The points chasers were separated by three points at the season's conclusion. For more information visit www.UCRAracing.com