Race fans were treated to 50 laps worth of UMP Late Model feature race action in the Dual Push Truck Challenge at Oakshade Raceway on Saturday night with two full 25-lap feature events. Matt Miller and Casey Noonan each took a checkered flag.
Curtis Roberts from Coleman, Michigan, set the pace early in the first UMP Late Model Dual Push Truck Challenge feature event. Matt Miller worked his way to second by lap three after starting sixth. Miller finally took the lead on lap nine and pulled away from the rest of the field. With no yellow flags to tighten up the field, Miller went on to win his fourth feature of the year. Devin Shiels started on the pole and finished second followed by Jeff Babcock, Zack Olger and Casey Noonan.
The start of the second UMP Late Model Dual Push Truck Challenge feature had the top ten finishers from the first race inverted and two additional cars were added for a total of 23 cars. Dusty Moore benefited most from the invert and started on the pole. He led the first lap, but Dona Marcoullier took over on lap two. Marcoullier opened up a sizable lead, but Noonan who started sixth began to close in on Marcoullier. Noonan got by Marcoullier on lap 12 for the lead and proceeded to pull away. Noonan significantly tightened up the Oakshade Raceway UMP Late Model point race with his second feature win of the year. Noonan now sits 34 points behind Rusty Schlenk with only two more weekends of point racing left this season. Marcoullier held off Matt Miller to finish second. Miller started 10th and fought hard to end up third. Dusty Moore was fourth and point leader Rusty Schlenk finished fifth.
One of the most exciting races of the night was once again the UMP Sportsman feature with side by side racing for the lead most of the race. Mike Jessen and Bruce Stuart couldn’t get away from each other the first 12 laps of the race. Both drivers swapped the lead numerous times with Stuart running the outside and Jessen on the inside, lap after lap. Finally Jessen got the advantage over Stuart, but Bob Gregory took command on a few laps later. Stuart’s top three run a turn for the worse when he spun and brought out the first caution of the race with just two laps remaining. Gregory held on to win his fifth feature of the year to give him a slim three point advantage in the point standings over Jessen who finished second. Third was Jamie Grochowski with Tim Line fourth and Joe Derbeck fifth.
Great racing action continued into the UMP Bomber A Main in which Gregg Detray led early with Curt Lancaster and Terry Rushlow challenging. Rushlow took advantage of a restart after a caution to grab the lead away from Detray by lap three. Jeff Foks started knocking at the door for the lead behind Rushlow and also took the lead on a restart on lap eight. Rushlow battled back with Adam Noonan thrown into the mix to race three-wide for the lead in the late stages of the race. Foks proved too strong for the competition and won for the ninth time this season. Noonan got around Rushlow to finish second. Lancaster slipped back to finish fourth and Dave “Gumby” Golembiewski Jr. wound up fifth.
William Cundick from Toledo, Ohio, has come on strong the past few weeks in Oakshade’s Hornet class. Cundick fended off Brandon Myers who was glued to his rear bumper for much of the race to win his third feature in as many weeks. Myers settled for third followed by Taylor Dippman, Drew Smith and Maverick Wright.
Trent Delong continued his domination in the new UMP Sport Compacts with another feature victory. Delong started last and took the lead from Steve Morris by the completion of lap one after some slight contact. Derek Morris moved into second and started challenging Delong for the lead until about halfway through the race. Then Delong stretched his advantage en route to feature win number seven for the Monclova, Ohio, driver. Derek Morris finished second with Regan Ford, Stephanie Miller and Cory Gumm the rest of the top five finishers.
Last week’s M&K Metals Bomber Bash winner Jeff Geis led from flag to flag in the UMP Bomber B Main. Geis started on the outside of the front row and got the lead at the start over Ted Hill. A few cautions kept the field somewhat tight, but Geis was able to open his advantage under green and picked up the easy victory. Chris Sands got by Kyle Light to finish second. Hill ended up fourth and Randy Murday worked his way up to finish fifth after starting 15th.
Chris Howard was the class of the UMP Bomber C Main field. He took the lead at the start and despite a few slips in the corners, went on to lead the entire distance for the feature win. Pole sitter Dylan Hough maintained a second place finish followed by Jack Garland, Ron Williams and Mike Elliott.
Tight point battles atop the UMP Late Model and UMP Sportsman divisions will highlight the racing action on Saturday, August 25. All five classes will be in action with double features for the UMP Bombers to make up the postponed races from August 4. Gates open at 4pm with racing at 7pm.