Season Championship night provided lots of drama as three drivers had a shot at winning the Oakshade Raceway Late Model Points. Kris Patterson carried a mere seven point advantage over Brian Ruhlman into the evening’s events. Aaron Scott also carried a slim shot at the championship starting off 50 points back from Patterson.

Brian Ruhlman was the first to drop out of contention in the points race after failing to finish his heat event. That relegated him to a terrible starting position in his consolation race. Ruhlman started at the tail and ran out of laps finishing fifth, two spots behind the last car to transfer into the feature. Not making the feature ended his chances of winning championship and was a tough way to end a great year.

Kris Patterson had his share of bad luck as well. He missed transferring into the feature by one position in his heat and had to try to make it in through the same consolation race Ruhlman was in. Patterson ended up winning that event to make it in to the feature.

Aaron Scott was the only driver in the top five in points to make it in to the feature in the extremely competitive late model division by finishing second in his heat race.

Scott entered the 30-lap Season Championship feature clinging to a long shot at winning the points championship.

Scott’s chances of the improbable looked to improve before a single lap was completed in the feature. A massive pile up in turn two just after taking the green flag brought out the red flag as the track was totally blocked. At least 10 of the 21 cars in the event were involved in the accident. Among them was the O car of Kris Patterson.

A few drivers were eliminated from the race due to the crash, some went to the pits and came back out after repairs before the restart and others continued on with their damaged cars, as was the case with Patterson. Patterson did stop on the track while still under the red flag and the damage was surveyed, but no one could work on the car, otherwise Patterson would have been relegated to the tail of the field for the restart.

Two laps after the restart, Steve Miller spun and collected Aaron Scott. Scott took his car back to the pits and Patterson seemed to have things in the bag, but just as the field was taking the green flag on the restart, Scott rejoined the race at the back of the pack.

Wayne Miller was the early leader in the race with Brian Koebbe running a close second.

Ron Miller slowed on the backstretch and looked to be headed to the pits. Aaron Scott tried to squeeze between Miller and another car and ran out of room. Scott made contact with Miller. That would end any of Scott’s chances of catching Patterson. Scott took his car to the pits again and came back out to only run one more lap before parking his car for good.

With the points championship seemingly settled, the focus was back on the race in which Koebbe had taken the lead from Wayne Miller, but Todd Schroyer snatched the lead from Koebbe on lap 11 and began to drive away.

Schroyer went on to open up a huge lead on the rest of the field and looked like he was going to pick up his first win of the year until he spun all by himself with just two laps to go and brought out the yellow flag.

Schroyer was sent to the back for the restart, which set up a shootout between Brian Koebbe and Kris Patterson in the final laps.

Patterson made a move to get inside of Koebbe for the lead as they entered the final corner. Koebbe barely held off Patterson to win the exciting Late Model Season Championship feature.

Patterson finished second, but as the unofficial Oakshade Raceway Late Model Points Champion, he will receive $10,000, a Rayburn chassis and a Bert transmission.

Scott Fisk was the third place finisher in the race with Rick Green and Ken Hahn rounding out the top five.

Tim Fisher took the lead early in the sportsman feature event with Jeremy Grover right behind.

After a caution for a spin by Steve Kester on lap four, Grover would get by Fisher to take the lead on lap five. That lead was short-lived as Fisher regained the lead by lap eight and then began to put some distance between himself and Grover.

Grover had more trouble on lap 15 after slipping up high in turns three and four and falling from second back to sixth in the running order.

Fisher went on to win his third consecutive sportsman feature and added to his overall point lead over Ray Klawitter who did not finish because he was involved in a crash with Amy Bernard back on lap 13.

Rob Liaeff posted a second place finish ahead of Dale Cole, Brian Fisher and John Bailey.

Kris Patterson made repairs to his car during the sportsman feature and was the only driver to be in his own car for the Race of Champions featuring previous late model points champions.

Bill Hahn, Ron Miller, Rod Schroyer and George Lindsey were all in borrowed cars for the event and were all non-factors as Patterson, the 1992, 2000 and unofficially 2004 champion, dominated the race.

Jake Rendel, Josh Steinacker and Bill Couts were the top three for much of the bomber A Main. Couts would relinquish third after pulling off the track on a late caution.

BJ Gregory got sideways coming off turn four on the following restart and Jody Burton drilled the 56 car of Gregory after his car came down in front of him. Both drivers were done for the night.

Jake Rendel went on to hold off Josh Steinacker in the closing laps to win the bomber A Main. Brian Stricklin finished third and Bob Rendel was fourth.

Jim Chapman took command of the bomber B Main early on leading a three-car breakaway with Ron Tolles and Jeff Foks.

Tolles took the lead midway through the race and held off a late charge from Brad Blonde to win. Chapman ended up third followed by Jeff Foks and Curt Lancaster.

Rain began falling as the final race of the night took to the track. Kevin Hanford took the lead and never looked back in the rain-shortened bomber C Main.

Dan Drummond, Terry Rump, Ian Lewis and Jeff Potridge were the rest of the top five finishers.

Saturday, September 4, will be the final night of competition for the late models in 2004 at Oakshade Raceway (with the exception of the topless late model show on September, 25). It will be the fourth and final American Late Model Series presented by Sunoco event paying $2,000 to the winner of the feature. Sportsmen and bombers will also be in action.

Shane Yoder won his first feature of the year at Oakshade Raceway in a wild night of racing Saturday night. Sixty-four late models showed up to try to make it in to the 21-car starting field late model feature.

A spectacular crash delayed the evening’s program slightly as the first of three late model consolation races took the green flag. Steve Rowe and Larry Kingseed started on the front row and made contact coming off turn four. Kingseed’s car got sideways and then airborne. He began flipping and got into the catch fence above the concrete wall just past the flag stand.

The other 15 cars behind him all took evasive maneuvers with cars ending up everywhere on the front stretch and Larry Kingseed’s car coming to rest on its roof.

Kingseed emerged from his destroyed automobile and gave a wave to the crowd.

Later in the late model feature, Shane Yoder got the lucky draw to start on the pole alongside Rick Delong. Yoder grabbed the lead at the start and never looked back.

Zac Davis brought out the first and only yellow with a spin in turns three and four on lap two.

Yoder pulled away from Ron Miller who was second on the restart. Miller fell back through the running order while Delong, Justin Paxton, Kris Patterson, Aaron Scott and Rusty Schlenk battled for positions second through sixth.

Yoder went on to pick up the easy victory with Schlenk finishing a distant second. Aaron Scott finished third with Delong and Patterson rounding out the top five.

Brian Fisher jumped out to an early lead in the sportsman main event. Tim Fisher quickly closed in while running in second.

Dale Cole and Evan Myers both spun on lap eight to bring out the first yellow flag. Rich Noonan spun a couple laps later to for the second yellow.

The Fishers battled each other for the lead with Tim taking the top spot just before a caution for debris would slow things down and reverting to the last completed lap allowed Brian Fisher to maintain the lead.

Finally on lap 16, Tim Fisher got to the inside of Brian Fisher and took the lead for good. Tim went on to pick up his second consecutive sportsman feature win and the third of the year. Brian Fisher held on to finish second ahead of Jeremy Grover, Brian Przepiora and Brian Roop.

Randy Roseman gave up his starting position in the bomber A Main to take the Racer’s Connection sponsored Tail Start Challenge for a chance to win $700 if he could win after starting on the tail. Unfortunately for him, he would not be a major factor in the race.

Dan Bliekamp got turned around in turn two on the first lap and was drilled by Chuck Leininger who had nowhere to go. Gene Zollner also spun at the same time on the backstretch resulting in a complete restart.

Josh Steinacker led a three car break away early with Jake Rendel and Bill Couts in tow.

The second caution flag flew on lap three after Dan Drummond, Craig Dippman and Gene Potridge got together in turn four.

On the ensuing restart, the second place car of Jake Rendel lost a wheel. Billy Ruff found that wheel rolling down the front stretch when he hit it and was launched up into the air.

In the end, Steinacker went on to win his second consecutive bomber A Main followed by Couts, Gary Domoe, Bob Gregory and Jim Scout. Randy Roseman mustered a tenth place finish.

Joe Smith led from flag to flag in the bomber B Main holding off Randy Murday for the victory. It was Smith’s first feature win of the year.

Kyle Light finished third behind Randy Murday with Matt Shipley ending up fourth.

Rob Price was back in action in the bomber C Main and took the lead from Chris Williams after a lap two restart after a caution.

Ron Tolles closed in quickly on Price. The two battled side by side for a couple laps until Tolles made contact with Price coming off turn four to take the white flag.

Tolles went on to take the checkered flag finishing ahead of Price, Williams and Bill Reeves Jr.

Season Championship Night for the late model division is Saturday, August 28. There will also be a special Race of Champions featuring past Oakshade Raceway late model champions. The sportsman and bomber divisions will also be in action that night as well.

Aaron Scott edged out Brian Ruhlman to win a thrilling B&P Wrecking Late Model Feature Saturday night at Oakshade Raceway.

Scott started on the outside of the front row and grabbed the lead at the start of the 25-lap feature that would run from green to checkered without any cautions.

While in lapped traffic, Ruhlman got by Rick Delong to take over the second position. Justin Paxton also approached the front working his way up to third.

Ruhlman reeled in leader Aaron Scott in the closing laps and began to put the pressure on. The two raced side by side on the final lap with Scott on the outside and Ruhlman underneath. Ruhlman surged ahead slightly in turns three and four, but Scott had the momentum coming off the final corner and took the victory by inches over Ruhlman.

It was Aaron Scott’s third late model feature win of the year at Oakshade and his win kept Brian Ruhlman from winning two in a row after winning the previous week’s American Late Model Series feature.

Rusty Schlenk once again started deep in the field and managed a third place finish with Casey Noonan fourth and Justin Paxton falling back to finish fifth.

Greg Martin took top honors in the special “Crack the Whip” exhibition race, leading the entire distance.

Last week’s feature winner in the sportsman division was taken out of competition early after getting together with Jamie Grochowski on the first lap of the event.

Tim Line brought out the second yellow after spinning on the restart.

Once some green flag laps were run, sportsman points leader Tim Fisher found himself out in front with Mike Jessen and Chris Keller close behind.

Keller and Jessen closed in on Fisher and challenged for the lead. Keller went around Jessen on the high side and then got alongside Fisher for the lead.

Keller had the lead for a moment, but got pinned behind a lapped car that allowed Fisher to regain the lead and eventually pull away.

Fisher went on to win his second sportsman feature of the year with Keller taking a strong second place finish just edging out Joe Derbeck who finished third. Ray Klawitter and Jeremy Grover rounded out the rest of the top five finishers.

Action heated up early in the bomber A Main when Matt Shipley had problems in turn one on the first lap and collected the 14 of Dan Bliekamp.

With Josh Steinacker leading, the second yellow flag flew on lap three after Gary Domoe lost a wheel in turn two.

Back under green, Steinacker began to pull away with the lead from Andy Borton who had a good run going until he fell off the pace on the backstretch on lap 11 and retired to the pits.

Steinacker went on to pick up his third bomber A Main win of the year with Ted Goetz Jr. and Jim Scout finishing second and third respectively.

Richard Patton started from the pole in the bomber B Main and led the entire distance of the event to pick up the victory.

A couple of hard crashes slowed the event with yellows. The first of which came out after Cliff Barnard and Kyle Light made hard contact entering turn one and collected the 27 of Steve Dempewolf on lap two. A few laps later Bob Zuver and Jarrett Rendel got together on the front stretch and smacked the wall.

Danny Hogrefe and Chris Howard gave up second and third on the restart after both cars slowed with mechanical problems.

Randy Roseman challenged for the lead late in the race, but he too fell off the pace allowing Patton the easy win. Jacob Gamber finished second followed by Bob Zuver (who came back after his earlier crash), Dace Sibberson and Rex Strow.

Chris Williams led the first lap of the bomber C Main with Ron Tolles taking the lead on lap two.

Third place was not the place to be in the C Main. B.J. Gregory gave up third and fell out of competition. Carl Mapes later gave up third after spinning a short time later.

Ron Tolles went on to pick up the victory over Chris Williams, David Goben, Terry Dempewolf and Allyn Goodlock.

More great racing action continues Saturday, August 21 as the late model, sportsman and bomber divisions once again invade Oakshade Raceway.