David Smith
Head Talent Scout
 

You’ve got to feel for B.J. Mackey. The 28 year-old South Carolina native looks like a wily veteran on a circuit filled to the brim with teenage talent.

Mackey’s success has snowballed since a near-perfect performance at Tri-County (NC) in which he picked up his first career UARA win. Thanks to his constant presence at the front of the pack, he’s the point leader. And he’ll have to hold off a barrage of adolescent avengers:

Matt DiBenedetto has been turning heads since his controversial limited late model championship at Hickory (NC). What isn’t a controversy has been his poise in 2007, running the UARA like a veteran finishing 5th in his first race and claiming the win in the second, thanks to a bullet-fast performance at Concord (NC). At 15, he’s already garnering interest from NASCAR scouts and insiders and is considered the top driver his age in America.

While cousin Stephen is blossoming into a fine Busch Series talent, Kevin Leicht and younger brother Matt Leicht are attempting to break the sound barrier.

It’s an understatement to say Kevin has been fast: three poles in six races in 2007 and finishes of 2nd (Tri-County), 3rd (Coastal Plains (NC)), and 4th (Concord) has the North Carolina native itching for more seat time and a shot at wins. With second go-rounds at Concord and Tri-County on the schedule, it’s safe to say Kevin will have more chances to find victory lane before the end of the year.

Matt isn’t running the full UARA schedule but the races he has started haven’t been as horrendous as they look on paper. He finished 23rd at Tri-County but not before qualifying on the outside pole (next to his brother) and racing in the top-five for over two-thirds of the race before contact with a lapped car ended his night early. If anything, Matt is just as fast as Kevin and could continue on the Leicht reign of success on the regional late model circuit.

Jake Crum finished 2nd at Shenandoah (VA). The only way to top that? Win the next race, which he did. Crum’s victory at Coastal Plains put him in the DiBenedetto-echelon of young talent in the UARA. The just-turned 16 year-old has climbed to 9th in points but his current rash of success has thrust him onto development radars (currently the third-ranked 1991 born prospect behind DiBenedetto and USAR Pro Cup’s Trevor Bayne).

Just above Crum in the point standings is Lucas Ransone, a 17 year-old Greensboro, North Carolina native whose 2007 success came in the form of a win in the Woodforest Bank 100 at Hickory in which he lapped all but the top five cars. He’s been consistent at the top of the UARA heap (best finish of 3rd at Hickory) and is slowly climbing the standings.

With the influx of new talent coming into the Carolina area, the UARA will continue to blossom as the top touring super late model series in the country.

June 27, 2007