Tyler Boggs earned his first ever Oakshade Raceway UMP Late Model Feature win on Leupp Outdoor Equipment Night as he edged out a hard-charging Jon Henry at the finish line.
Boggs started on the outside of the front row and took command at the onset and set sail. A close call on lap 16 almost took him out of contention as some cars at the back of the field wrecked just in front of him. Boggs somehow navigated through the melee, but third place driver Rich Neiser didn’t make it through and had to restart at the back, ending his top five run.
Jon Henry battled with Rusty Schlenk for second and eventually took the spot. Henry managed to close in on Boggs and somehow got to the inside of him as the two drivers exited turn four with the checkered flag in sight.
Tyler Boggs from Warsaw, Indiana held him off on the outside and took the victory by just inches over Henry who was also looking for his first Oakshade UMP Late Model Feature win.
Schlenk held on to finish second followed by Casey Noonan and Brian Ruhlman. Kevin Reeve started 18th and passed more than half the field to finish sixth.
Jon Henry picked up an extra $250 for winning a special Australian Pursuit race sponsored by Leupp Outdoor Equipment a little later in the night over Rusty Schlenk and Ronnie Perrine Jr.
A couple young drivers put on a show in the UMP Sportsman Feature event. Point leader Matt Lindsey took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Sportsman rookie Brett Miller, who already has a feature win this year, pressured Lindsey for the lead much of the race with veteran driver Bruce Stuart also joining the battle at times.
In the end, Lindsey held off Miller in a close finish to win his third feature of the year and added to his point lead in the UMP Sportsman division at Oakshade. Mike Jessen got by Bruce Stuart to finish third and Joe Smith moved up to finish fifth after starting 14th.
Craig Dippman has not had the kind of year he would like so far, but things may be turning around for the Northwood, Ohio driver. Dippman took the lead of the UMP Bomber A Main on lap three from Dan Plath and didn’t look back.
Rick Dixon got crossed up in the first half of the race and collected point leader Jim Scout, forcing both drivers to the tail of the field.
Dippman was unchallenged most of the event, but Danny Hogrefe closed in and made a race out of it just before the checkered flag, but Dippman fended off the challenge and took his first feature win of the year. Hogrefe settled for second followed by Kyle Light, Dan Plath and Dan Shaffer.
Fifteen year old Dylan Herman from Custar, Ohio earned his fourth UMP Hornet Feature win of the year. Adam Noonan closed in for a challenge for the lead at one point, but slipped up high in the corner and fell back. Derek Morris took advantage of Noonan’s slip to finish second with Noonan ending up third. Drew Smith and Max Essman rounded out the rest of the top five finishers in the caution-free event.
Dustin Sautter exploded out to a big lead at the start of the UMP Bomber B Main. Dan Dippman was the man on the move, taking third place by lap four after starting dead last. Dippman suffered some bad luck on lap seven when he spun while battling with Jake Gamber for second, forcing him to the tail again.
Sautter went on to pick of the victory over Jake Gamber, Curt Lancaster, Tony Tolles and Justin Gamber. Dan Dippman fought back to finish sixth.
Jim Guinn started on the pole of the UMP Bomber C Main and opened up a huge lead over the rest of the field and appeared to be on his way to an easy victory. Guinn suddenly slowed on the track with two laps to go allowing Jack Garland to get by for the lead.
Garland went on to pick up the victory. Guinn got his car back up to speed and finished second followed by Jesse Moyer, Skyler Plotts and Jim Plotts.
Oakshade Raceway will celebrate the Fourth of July this Saturday with a full racing program of UMP Late Models, UMP Sportsmen, UMP Bombers and UMP Hornets in addition to a fireworks display. Gates will open at 4pm with racing at 7pm.
