Oakshade Raceway hosted two special events on Saturday night, the Papa Boiler Bomber Spectacular and the Sportsman Dirty 30. Jeff Foks Jr. came out on top of an epic battle with Craig Dippman to win the $1,000 Bomber Spectacular and Mike Jessen claimed the $1,200 for winning a caution-free Dirty 30.
Rich Riffe started on the outside of the front row for the night’s main event, the Bomber Spectacular, and took the early lead. Craig Dippman came charging by both Jeff Foks Jr. and Rich Riffe to take the lead after making it three-wide for the top spot. Foks, out of Holland, Ohio, began to battle with Dippman once again with about 10 laps to go. The two drivers raced door to door for several laps with Foks finally taking over on lap 20 of the 25-lap race. Foks pulled away after a late race caution to pick up the Bomber Spectacular win. It was the fifth feature win of the season for the unofficial 2017 Bomber track champion. Dippman settled for a second place finish with Riffe holding on for third. Adam Noonan started 15th and managed a fourth place finish with Tim Hancock rounding out the top five finishers.
The Sportsman Dirty 30 was supported by a bunch of sponsors that included DK Products, Steve Mills, Wallace Racing Products, Performance Machining, Ron Miller Race Cars, Affordable Towing, Keith’s Automotive, John Morton, E & B Salvage, Ben’s Bump Shop, C&J Pallets, Magic Fountain, Kester Mowing, Central Collision, Cedar Downs Construction, Ambrosia’s Automotive, Wauseon Machine, Larry’s Muffler Shop, Chris Keller, Mark Gilbert Construction, Rusty Schlenk Racing, Bailey’s Body Shop/Racer’s Connection and Concrete Saw Cutter. Together they brought the Sportsman Dirty 30 race payout to start at $125 just to make the starting line up.
Billy Brown started on the pole of the 30-lap Dirty 30 and led the first lap before unofficial 2017 Sportsman Track Champion Drew Smith took command on lap two. Defending 2016 Sportsman Track Champion Mike Jessen from Berkey, Ohio, tracked Smith down and took the lead away on lap nine and then navigated lapped traffic to win his second feature of the year. Smith held off Mathew Chapman for a second place finish. Brian Fisher finished fourth with Matt Lindsey finishing fifth.
The UMP Late Models were also in action and put on quite a show in their main event. Rob Anderzack darted out to the early lead while being pursued by Brian Ruhlman. A caution on lap four slowed things down and on the restart, Anderzack, Ruhlman and Brett Miller fanned out three-wide to race for the lead. Ruhlman came out on top and took the lead by the completion of lap five. Ruhlman led a majority of the race, but Sylvania, Ohio’s Casey Noonan closed in and drove by Ruhlman to take the lead on lap 17. Noonan went on to open up a pretty big lead, but Ruhlman closed back in late in the race after Noonan got held up by some lapped cars. Noonan was able to hang on and pick up his first feature win of the year. Ruhlman settled for a second place finish.
Randy Murday from Adrian, Michigan, led from flag to flag in the final event of the night, the Compact feature event. Murday wasted no time getting to the front after starting outside the second row. The only caution flag flew on lap two after Ken Watts got turned into the front stretch wall. Josh Proffit tried to pressure Murday for the lead, but Murday was too strong and went on to post his first feature win of the year. Jason Deshler got by Proffit to finish second. Mark Barrick and Jeff Goodman were the rest of the top five finishers.
Oakshade Raceway’s final night of racing of the season takes place this coming Saturday, September 30 with topless UMP Late Models, UMP Sportsman, Bombers and Compacts. All UMP Late Models will have their roofs removed for the night’s competition. Gates will open at 4pm, hot laps start at 6pm and racing begins promptly at 7pm.
