Rody Schroyer made a late race pass to capture his second UMP Late Model Feature win at Oakshade Raceway Saturday night.
Swanton Sports Center sponsored a great night of racing action at the wide, 3/8 mile high-banked dirt oval with Rick Delong assuming the lead of the UMP Late Model Feature on the first lap as the outside pole sitter Kevin Reeve bounced off the backstretch wall. Reeve gathered up his car, but fell back through the field.
Kris Patterson ran second and didn’t let Delong get away the first ten laps of the race even as the leaders began to lap slower cars.
The caution flag flew for the first time on lap 10 for a spin which would tighten up the leaders for the restart. Delong went on to open up some room between himself and the rest of the field until Ronnie Perrine Jr. spun and brought out the only other yellow flag in the race.
Schroyer had been closing in on Delong just before the caution and had his sights set on the lead once the green flag waved again. Schroyer looked high and then dove under Delong to take the lead with just two laps to go.
Rody Schroyer went on to pick up his second feature win of the year with Rick Delong settling for second. Last week’s feature winner Brian Ruhlman started 10th and worked his way up to finish third ahead of Dusty Moore and Rusty Schlenk.
Tim Fisher dominated the UMP Sportsman Feature leading every lap after starting on the outside of the front row. Fisher hugged the inside around the turns and went on to pick the easy victory and his first UMP Sportsman Feature win of the year.
A great battle for second on back ensued behind Tim Fisher with Brian Fisher just holding off Ky Harper for second at the finish. Oakshade’s Sportsman points leader Josh Steinacker was also in that battle and ended up fourth. Bruce Stuart ran second most of the race, but fell back to finish fifth.
Brian Przepiora took the Racer’s Connection Tail Start Challenge in the UMP Bomber A Main and elected to give up his starting position to start at the tail and had a chance at a lot of extra bonus money if he could win the race.
Brett Miller led the first half of the race with Jeff Foks Jr. and Chris Henry racing side by side for second for quite a few laps with Henry eventually completing the pass.
Henry then began to pressure Miller for the lead and those two then raced side by side for a number of laps with Henry finally completing the pass and taking the lead for good.
A late caution tightened the field for a two lap shootout and gave Miller a final shot and Henry to try to reclaim the lead. Miller got alongside Henry, but Henry held him off at the finish.
It was Chris Henry’s second feature win and will help him in the Bomber points chase after entering the night in fifth. Bret Miller had to settle for second with Josh Montague, Jim Scout and Dan Dippman rounding out the rest of the top five finishers. Brian Przepiora only managed to work his way up to finish eighth.
Brent Hartsworm led the first lap of the UMP Bomber B Main, but spun into the infield coming off turn four just before completing lap two turning the race lead over to Joe Overmyer.
Overmyer’s lead didn’t last too long as Wade Rick forced his way to the point and then began to pull away.
Wade Rick never looked back and won his first feature of the year over Jody Burton, Joe Overmyer, Karl Spoores and Ronnie Leonard.
The UMP Bomber C Main had trouble getting going early with two complete restarts.
Chris Howard had a very fast car and was a little two quick at the start and passed before the start cone once the race finally got going. Howard led the field, but the penalty for jumping the start is to be docked two positions which is enforced at the next caution or the conclusion of the race, which ever comes first. Unfortunately for Howard, there would be no more cautions.
Howard was the first to take the checkered flag, but Jim Plotts and Cliff Bernard had a great race going on behind him with the two drivers side by side at the white flag with lapped traffic directly in front of the them.
Bernard was able to get by and was scored as the winner with Jim Plotts taking second. Chris Howard received credit for a third place finish followed by Cody Walls and Jeff Strock.
Saturday, August 4 will mark the third American Late Model Series event of the year at Oakshade Raceway paying $2,000 to win. UMP Sportsmen and UMP Bombers will also be back in action with gates opening at 4pm and racing at 7pm.
