WAUSEON, OH – Steve Kester became the only four-time DIRTcar UMP Late Model feature winner of the year at Oakshade Raceway after picking up the checkers in the Season Championship night main event Saturday night. Despite, four feature wins, Kester ended up third in the final point standings. Unofficially earning 2024 Oakshade Raceway track champions were Carter Murday in the Late Models, Ryan Davis in the DCR Graphics Sportsman, Jarrett Rendel in the Dominator Super Stocks and Jason Deshler in the Compacts.
Kester, from Holland, Ohio, started on the pole of the 25-lap feature event and led all but one lap. Kyle Moore took advantage of a lap 14 caution and challenged Kester for the lead on the ensuing restart. The two drivers battled side by side for the lead with Moore edging out Kester at the line on lap 15. Kester edged back ahead the following lap and was able to finally get back in front of Moore.
A late caution would give Moore another shot with just two laps remaining. Moore was able to hang with Kester when the green flag dropped, but Kester held on to pick up the win. Moore had to settle for second with Rusty Schlenk close behind in third. Rusty Smith finished fourth and ended up second in the final point tally. Colin Shipley gained 11 positions to finish fifth.
Adrian, Michigan’s Carter Murday carried a big point lead into the final event and took it easy to try to stay out of trouble. He ended up finishing 7th. That was good enough to unofficially earn the 2024 championship by 64 points over Smith and 95 over Kester.
Ryan Davis wrapped up a dominating year in the DCR Graphics Sportsman class with his sixth feature win of the season after starting on the pole. The Weston, Michigan, driver unofficially earned the championship in the DCR Graphics Sportsman by 150 over Ian Palmer who finished the race in second. Jessie Jones, Chris Williams and Mike Jessen were the rest of the top five feature race finishers.
In Dominator Super Stock action, Clayton, Michigan’s Jarrett Rendel held a 30-point lead over Jeff Foks Jr. and was 45 points ahead of Adam Noonan at the beginning of the night. Rendel would start on the pole of the 15-lap main event and lead from start to finish. Craig Dippman would challenge Rendel for the lead for much of the race. He really put the pressure on near the finish but would retire from the race just before the white flag.
Rendel went on to pick up his second A Main win of the season and unofficially notch the season championship. Alex Krall finished the race in second followed by Jake Rendel, Adam Noonan and Dylan Burt.
Jason Deshler carried a big lead into the season championship Compact feature event. It was a good thing too, because the Adrian, Michigan, driver lost a wheel on the third lap while running in the second position, forcing him to park in the infield for the rest of the race. Ken Wells led most of the feature race with Ryan Okuley knocking on the door. Suddenly, Wells dropped off the pace with three laps to go and Okuley from New Bavaria, Ohio, took command and went on to claim his fifth A Main win of the year. Geoff Wasnick started deep in the field and came away with a second-place finish ahead of Nathan Goodman, Ben Lantis and Justin Newman.
Deshler was credited with an 11th place finish which unofficially earned him the Compact championship by 109 points over James Stamper who also did not finish the feature race.
The Compact B Main wrapped up another exciting night of racing with Gavin Stambaugh leading from flag to flag for his first feature win of the season. Nathan Spencer pressured Stambaugh early before slowing on the track and retiring to the pits on lap five. That allowed the Fayette, Ohio, driver in the Jacoby’s Old Smokehouse #84GT to go on and pick up the easy win over Tyson Harper, Jeff Goodman and CJ Hargett.
On the weekend of September 7, there will be no racing at Oakshade Raceway. Racing action will return with the $1,000 to win Papa Boiler Dominator Super Stock Spectacular on Saturday, September 14. The DCR Graphics Sportsman and Compacts will also be in action. Gates will open at 4pm with hot laps/qualifying at 6pm and racing at 7:15pm. Adult general admission is just $15, ages 6-11 are $5 and kids 5 and under are FREE! Pit passes are $25.
