WAUSEON, OH –Casey Noonan, the defending Oakshade Raceway Late Model track champion, notched his first victory of the season Saturday night after setting fast time in qualifying. The Sylvania, Ohio, driver led from the drop of the green flag all the way to the checkered flag of the UMP Late Model A Main.
Behind Noonan, a heated battle ensued for the second position for much of the race between Dusty Moore, Devin Shiels and Collin Shipley. The three drivers swapped positions multiple times a good distance behind the race leader. The group did manage to chip away at Noonan’s lead just a bit while the leaders worked through lapped traffic, but not enough to make a bid for the lead. For the second straight week, Dusty Moore settled for a second-place finish after fending off Shipley and Shiels who ended up third and fourth respectively. Jake Rendel worked his way from starting in the eighth position to finish fifth.
Carter Schlenk, the youngster from McClure, Ohio, started on the pole of the UMP Sportsman feature event and took the lead from the start. Josh Robertson would pressure Schlenk for the lead and appeared to get by him, but a spin for Jeff Robertson would bring out the yellow flag at the same time reverting the lead back to Schlenk for the restart. A couple late cautions kept the field tight and allowed Kolin Schilt to challenge for the lead in the final laps of the race, but Schlenk would hold on to win his second consecutive UMP Sportsman feature. Schilt would finish second with Jeff Robertson third. Ryan Davis finished fourth and Mike Jessen climbed eight positions from the start of the race to finish fifth. Schlenk earned an extra $150 for his efforts courtesy of Links Bump Shop Collision in Grand Rapids, Ohio.
Justin Gamber and Gabe Mueller had a great battle for the lead during the first part of a caution-free Dominator Super Stock A Main. Lapped traffic late in the race made for some intense racing at the front of the field. Gamber would lead Mueller with Adam Lantz closing in after getting by Scott Hammer for third. Gamber, from Wauseon, Ohio, managed the lapped traffic well and went on to take the checkered flag with Lantz a close second. Mueller tagged the backstretch all on the final lap, but held off Hammer to finish third. William “Bubba” Cundick would just edge out John Lonabarger for fifth at the finish.
Jeff Wells, Dylan Iffland and Josh Beaver were caught up in an early incident in the Compact A Main. Eric Carr, out of Wauseon, Ohio, started from the pole and led the entire race. The defending track champion held off Ryan Okuley who settled for a second-place finish followed by Megan Elliott, Mark Prather and Maria Wells in the caution-filled race.
Joe Nickloy has a very unique looking Dominator Super Stock and was able to park it in the winner’s circle following his B Main win. The Pioneer, Ohio, driver led the entire distance. Derek Zuver and Gary Domoe traded the second position back and forth much of the race, but Zuver would take the position for good with just a few laps remaining. Zuver then closed in on Nickloy and put the pressure on, but came up just short, settling for second. Mason Lutrell would finish third followed by John Young and last week’s B Main winner Grayson Warner.
Multiple cautions marred the final race of the night, the Compact B Main. Josh Bailey took the early lead with other top five drivers suffering bad luck during the race. Todd Drewes Jr. had something break under the rearend while running third. His night ended on the hook. James Stamper was running second with one lap to go and all of a sudden, his car went straight up and over the turn two banking bringing out the final caution and setting up a one-lap shootout to the finish. Bailey, also from Pioneer, Ohio, held off last week’s B Main winner, Eli Kolodie, to pick up the victory. Brandon Proffitt took third with Dalton McVey and Nathan Jones the rest of the top five finishers.
Oakshade Raceway is back in action with another full racing program of UMP Late Models, UMP Sportsman, Dominator Super Stocks and Compacts on Saturday, June 3. Gates open at 4pm with hot laps at 6pm and racing at 7pm. Adult general admission is just $14, ages 6-11 are $5 and kids 5 and under are FREE! Pit passes are $25.