Fulton ULMA racer anticipates top 5 finish, Rookie of the Year award

Dustin Hodges (center) holds his first place trophy next to friends and family after reaching victory lane for the first time in his first year as ULMA racer July 24 at the Callaway Raceway in Fulton. Hodges is currently dominating the competition for the Rookie of the Year award and is in fourth place overall in ULMA standings. Submitted by Dustin Hodges.
Dustin Hodges (center) holds his first place trophy next to friends and family after reaching victory lane for the first time in his first year as ULMA racer July 24 at the Callaway Raceway in Fulton. Hodges is currently dominating the competition for the Rookie of the Year award and is in fourth place overall in ULMA standings. Submitted by Dustin Hodges.

Twenty-six-year-old Dustin Hodges never thought he'd cross victory lane when he started racing late dirt model cars this year for the United Late Model Association (ULMA).

"I never pictured I'd win a race at all my rookie season," Hodges said. "And here we've won two of them, so it's pretty nice."

Hodges nabbed the checkered flag after 20 laps to reach victory lane twice at the Callaway Raceway, which he said is his favorite track because it's close to home.

"It's my hometown track," he said. "It always has been. It's the first track I ever raced at, and I've went there every Friday night for the last six years now."

Hodges is originally from the Hallsville-Columbia area. He's lived in Fulton for the past four-and-a-half years.

Now Hodges is dominating the Hoosier Tire Midwest Rookie of the Year standings for ULMA racing. He has racked up 1,435 points in 18 starts, which doubles the second place rookie racer's starts and nearly laps him in points earned. His point total puts him in fourth place in the Lucas Cattle Company Point Standings with a cushioned 35-point lead over fifth-place racer Cody Holtkamp.

"I told myself at the beginning of the year it would be amazing to have a top five finish and we're actually on pace for that," Hodges said. "Especially since there's 50-something cars competing in it and whatnot."

He added that usually he competes against 15 to 20 cars on any given night. His biggest rival on the raceway is the 2014 Rookie of the Year Payton Looney, who also placed third in last year's final ULMA point standings. Both racers have gone head-to head on the track several times this year for a top five finish. Hodges has finished in fifth place seven times and has 12 top-10 finishes.

Although Hodges is not in the top three, he only trails third place racer Chris Cox by 37 points. Hodges said he plans to compete in all the remaining races for the season, so he has a chance to narrow that gap for a possible top three finish overall. Because two races are scheduled to overlap Aug. 22 and Aug. 29, he decided to race at the Randolph County Raceway because it's closer, although he prefers the Lucas Oil Speedway.

Although Hodges may be a rookie racer for the ULMA class, he's no stranger to competitive racing - he is an experienced motocross racer. During a race six years ago, he sustained an injury that required him to stop motocross racing. But he did not allow his injury to repress his passion for competitive racing.

"I've always been into racing," Hodges said. "I've always raced something."

Shortly after his injury, he decided to try a different type of racing - one that required a seatbelt.

"I figured I would just jump into a roll cage and something with a seatbelt," Hodges said. "Some friends of mine that I grew up with, I always went to the races because their dad raced and then they got into racing and I just could never really afford it. Once I quit racing motocross, I went ahead and did what they did and bought a car and took off from there."

Hodges' racing career first started with modified stock cars racing. He raced dirt cars for five years in Fulton and other tracks in the area before a friend he's known for 10 years who is a racer with 40 years of experience asked Hodges to race for him.

"I couldn't afford to race this year so I was gonna sit out," Hodges said. "But I got approached by a guy to drive for him, who actually sold me my first car. He knew I was a pretty good driver from seeing me race in the years past, so the car and everything in the car is actually not mine."

Hodges had no intention to quit racing modifies but he said he couldn't turn down his friend's offer to buy him a new car. Hodges accepted the offer because he knew it was the only way he could compete at raceways this year, although it meant competing in a different class - the ULMA.

"It (dirt late model car) was what he was racing at the time and he was willing to buy another one like his if I was willing to race that class," he said. "So I decided to move up and to go ahead and run that class. It turned out I'm able to keep up with the guys in and run with them."

Hodges added that part of the deal with his friend required him to store the car in Hodges' shop.

"I do all of the work myself on it," he said. "Of course I have a few various family members and friends that help out at the races during the weekends. But other than that, I have to take care of all the work on it."

After a year of practice runs on local tracks, Hodges said he was finally able to start sanctioned racing through the ULMA for the 2015 season.

A few weeks ago, Hodges' friend told him he could not use the car for the 2016 season because of financial reasons.

"Unfortunately, to get to all the races and race multiple times a week...for him to keep me running up front, you gotta be willing to spend the money to do so," Hodges explained. "And unfortunately he won't be able to afford to do that next year."

Because Hodges will soon be losing his ride, he said he will not be competing in ULMA races next year unless he buys a car -a purchase he said he currently cannot afford. The price for a late model racing car varies - most cost between $10,000 and $60,000 - but Hodges said the cars he competes against typically fall in the $10,000 - $30,000 range.

"It is a money sport-hobby, whichever way you want to look at it," Hodges said.

Despite lacking the financial resources to continue ULMA racing, Hodges said he's not giving up on the chance that someone else may ask him to race and provide a car so he can participate next season.

Although Hodges' future racing career is questionable, he knows his family has helped him tremendously for what he has accomplished in his first year racing in the ULMA class.

He said no one in his family has any experience racing dirt cars, but his dad has shown interest in drag racing and his mom has always been a sports enthusiast.

"Family is definitely a big deal for me," Hodges emphasized. "My parents come to most of all the races, and my uncle is a huge supporter as well. He does not miss a race. He helps me mechanically and comes down to the pits and helps me out big time on the car every weekend that he has. My uncle has always been a big part of my life."

Hodges also recognized his girlfriend's support, mentioning that she had not missed a single race this year.

"She puts up with me working on the car nonstop - all the time in the evenings and going to the races and putting up with me through the good times and the bad," he said.

Hodges will officially be recognized for his rookie ULMA racing accomplishments when he is awarded the Hoosier Tire Midwest Rookie of the Year trophy at the ULMA Championship Banquet Oct. 24 at Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville.