Veteran driver Hillard Miller finally captured his first UMP Late Model feature win of the year at Oakshade Raceway after strong runs in recent weeks.
The action started early on the first lap after Josh Steinacker bounced off the backstretch wall and kept going, but the was collected in a wreck in turns three and four involving Dean Anderson and Oakshade Late Model points leader, Aaron Scott. Scott’s night ended with his car being towed to the pits opening the door for Rusty Schlenk (second in points) to close up and possibly lead the points chase.
Rick Delong and Ron Miller traded the lead soon after the second and final caution of the race for a spin with Rick Green and Dean Anderson.
Hillard Miller and Ron Miller then raced side by side for a few laps with Hillard, who started tenth, finally taking the lead on lap 12 of the 25-lap feature event.
Rusty Schlenk started even further back in the sixteenth position and worked his way up to second by lap 15. Unfortunately for Schlenk, Hillard Miller had already opened up a big lead by that time and it turned out to be insurmountable for Schlenk.
Schlenk settled for a second place finish well behind the race winner Hillard Miller. Ron Miller came across the line third for his best finish of the year with Rick Delong and Casey Noonan filling out the rest of the top five finishers.
Rusty Schlenk, fresh off his second place finish in the Late Models, jumped into his Sportsman ride and put on a clinic in the Sportsman feature event.
Joe Derbeck managed to lead the first lap until being surpassed by Schlenk by the completion of lap two. Schlenk then drove off into the distance leaving Derbeck and Mike Jessen to put on an exciting race for second. The two raced side by side lap after lap.
In the end, Schlenk had built up a half lap lead over the second place battle to win his third Sportsman feature in a row. Jessen finished second followed by Derbeck, Bruce Stuart and Ray Klawitter.
Craig Dippman led the first lap of the Bomber A Main until a huge pile up in turn two on the second lap knocked him out of the lead. Jake Rendel, Bob Rendel, Mike Montague, Rick Dippman and Dan Bleikamp were also involved.
That turned the lead over to Jeff Foks Jr. for the restart and it would turn out to be a lead he would not relinquish.
With Bob Gregory glued to his back bumper, Jeff Foks Jr. led the two car break away to the finish with Gregory taking a look to the inside in the final turn on the final lap. Foks and Gregory finish first and second respectively with Tom Ordway in third. Dan Dippman and Rich Risner were the rest of the top five finishers.
The first lap of the Bomber B Main was an interesting one. Tim Zuver lost a wheel and came to a stop on the top of turn two bringing out the yellow flag. Curt Lancaster had the lead, but came to a stop on the track in turn three while under caution. In accordance with Oakshade rules, anytime a car stops on the track under yellow, it must restart at the rear of the field. That gave the lead over to Terry Dempewolf.
Jeff Foks Sr. took the lead soon after the restart, but then got loose in turn four allowing Karl Spores and Shane Stuckey to get by for the top two positions.
Stuckey put the pressure on Spores for the lead in the final two laps, but Spores held him off to pick up the victory. Ian Lewis finish third, Brad Blonde was fourth and Curt Lancaster worked his way back up to a fifth place finish after restarting at the tail on lap one.
Jeff Potridge led a tight group at the front of the Bomber C Main consisting of Scott Mills, Jason Deshler and Adam Bokor.
Potridge spun with two laps to go which turned over the lead to Jason Deshler who went on to pick up the victory over Bokor, Gene Potridge and Scott Mills. Jeff Potridge fell back to finish fifth.
The UMP Late Model, Sportsman and Bomber divisions will once again invade Oakshade Raceway Saturday, July 16 with gates opening at 4pm and racing at 7pm.