Justin Paxton and Kris Patterson came in to Saturday night’s events tied for the Late Model points lead at Oakshade, but one of them would break the tie and claim the top spot in the points outright.
Getting the Late Model Feature started proved to be the toughest challenge. A bad start brought out the yellow setting up he first complete restart. Tim Butler and Brad Miller led the field around again for the green flag and once again the caution flag flew when Jeff Chapko spun in turn 4 collecting Rich Noonan.
After the ensuing complete restart, the rest of the race was run caution free. Ron Miller grabbed the lead early with Justin Paxton closing in quickly. Paxton made the pass for the lead on lap five and never looked back. Paxton, in a usually extremely competitive Late Model division, opened up a half lap lead over Miller and went on to pick up his third Late Model feature win of the year and taking sole possession of the points lead. Miller finished second and Todd Nuding came home third.
Brad Kendall gave up his top ten starting position in the Sportsman Feature to take the Racer’s Connection Tail Start Challenge and started at the back of the field going for an extra $400 if he could get to the front and win.
Bob Fisher started on the outside of the front row and jumped out to the lead with a good scramble going on behind him between Joe Derbeck, Brad Wade and Chris Smith.
After a mid-race caution, Derbeck took his car straight to the pits giving up second to Wade. Wade then went high around the outside of Fisher in turn two with three laps remaining to take the lead.
Wade went on to pick up his second consecutive Sportsman Feature win and his fourth of the year. Fisher finished second followed by Smith, Ray Klaywitter and Mike Sudeth. Brad Kendall ended up sixth.
Rich Risner assumed the lead from the pole early in the Bomber A Main. Ted Goetz Jr. and Roy Zimmerman tangled on lap three bringing out the first caution.
Rob Price was the man on the move as he closed in on David Gumby who was running second. Price got by Gumby and then took the lead from Risner.
Brice Luttrell came out of nowhere and blew by Risner and then by Price to take over the lead and pick up the Bomber A Main win for the second week in a row. Price finished second and Risner finished a decent third. Randy Roseman also had a good finish in fourth and starting 18th.
The Bomber B Main was slowed many times for cautions. Jim Chapman led the entire race with Brian McCabe and Chris Joy battling for second. Joy did get by McCabe with three laps to go, but Chapman held off Joy win his first Bomber Feature of the year.
Kevin Cole, celebrating a birthday, and Mitch Betts slugged it out for the lead early in the Bomber C Main until Betts lost it in turn two. Cole then had to deal with Scott Robertson and was successful in holding him off allowing Cole to win his first of the year. Robertson was second and Rick Piotrowski was third.
A huge wreck on the first lap of the Bomber D Main took out all but seven cars in the event. Joe Hill won easily over Rusty Smith, Ken Dodson and Chris Dotson.
Another regular racing program featuring Late Models, Sportsman and Bombers will highlight this Saturday night at Oakshade Raceway.