FORTUNA, California -- As the calendar approaches mid-April, Luke Hall of Fortuna, Calif., is gearing up for a championship run in the North State Challenge Series.
After a seventh place finish in last year’s championship, Hall is looking to regain the momentum he found over the last half of the 2006 season in which he garnered a win at Lakeport Speedway and two other Top-Five finishes in the ultra-competitive touring super late model series. This year’s schedule, which opens April 14th at Shasta Raceway Park, features 10 points races in the battle for the championship and has one new track on the slate – May 12th at Altamont Motorsports Park.
“I’m looking forward to getting the season started,” Hall said. “We finished so strong last year, and I’ve been looking forward to getting back to the track. We had some great results last year, and I’m confident we’ll show the speed necessary again this year to run up front and be competitive.”
Despite leading a race and running up front some over the first half of the season, the results weren’t coming for Hall until he caught his stride in a late July race at Redwood Acres Raceway, finishing in fifth place. In the next race at Lakeport, Hall got everyone’s attention by laying down the fastest qualifying lap en route to his first win. The Lakeport race fans witnessed 60 laps of green flag racing with Hall dominating before a late race caution bunched the field, setting up a wild finish as Hall held off two-time defending series champion Mike Doss for the checkered flag.
In early September at Ukiah Speedway, Hall was mixing it up again at the front of the field; however, a late-race accident sent him to the back on the 71st lap of the 100-lap feature. Showing his determination, Hall fought his way back to a fourth place finish. He rounded out the 2006 season with a fine showing at the Win River 100 at Shasta Raceway Park, coming home in eighth place.
Hall will wheel the No. 36 Chevy Monte Carlo for Turnbull Motorsports this year.
“The North State Challenge Series will be very competitive again this year and it should be fun,” Hall said. “We have to work hard getting the car prepared and race smart and take advantage of opportunities when they are there. Winning races is our goal, but you also have to take advantage of getting points when you can get them. We want to be there at the end of every race, racing for a win, but also racing for a championship.”
