WAUSEON, OH – Mother Nature finally cooperated with some decent weather to allow Oakshade Raceway to kick off the 2023 race season on Saturday night that was highlighted by the Schlenk and Schlenk show. Rusty Schlenk had to work his way back to the front to win the UMP Late Model feature event. Rusty’s son, Carter Schlenk, then put his car in the winner’s circle in the UMP Sportsman feature race.
It was Rusty Schlenk out of McClure, Ohio, starting on the pole of the 25-lap UMP Late Model main event. He quickly pulled out to a large lead. Second place Dusty Moore spun on lap two and had to drop to the tail for the restart. Then it was Colin Shipley putting the pressure on Schlenk for the lead after going back green.
Four-time track champion Devin Shiels worked his way up from the fifth starting position and passed Shipley to challenge Schlenk for the lead. He got alongside Schlenk on lap 11. Shiels appeared to complete the pass coming off turn two, but Schlenk tried to duck back under Shiels going into turn three. The two drivers made contact and Schlenk spun around bringing out the yellow flag on lap 12.
As the field was coming back to the green flag, Shiels suddenly pulled off the track and retired back to the pits. That turned the lead over to Shipley. Dusty Moore fought back from his early spin to take the lead from Shipley on lap 17, but Schlenk was charging hard toward the front and got by Moore to take the lead once again on lap 18. Moore would fight back on the final lap, but Schlenk held on to pick up the first Oakshade Raceway feature win of the year. Shipley slipped back to finish third behind Moore. Steve Kester and 2022 track champion Casey Noonan were the rest of the top five finishers.
2022 Dominator Super Stock track champion Kolin Schilt moved up to the UMP Sportsman class this season and made his presence known. Schilt started on the pole and looked to be on his way to his first UMP Sportsman feature win leading the majority of the race. Unfortunately, Schilt would come up just a few laps short after suffering motor issues while leading. That turned the lead over to the eventual winner, Carter Schlenk. It was the McClure, Ohio, driver’s third career Oakshade feature win. Josh Robertson and Scott Robertson finished second and third respectively. Karl Spoores had a heat race win earlier in the night and finished the feature in fourth with Jarrett Rendel fifth.
William “Bubba” Cundick jumped to the early lead in the Dominator Super Stock A Main after starting inside the third row. Cundick would slow on lap seven of the 15-lap race with rearend issues relinquishing the lead to Adam Noonan. Noonan, from Sylvania, Ohio, fended off a challenge from John Lonabarger and went on to pick up the checkered flag. A crash in the final corner of the last lap took out several drivers running in the top five including Lonabarger, Dylan Burt and Scott Hammer. Justin Gamber got though the last lap chaos to finish second followed by Herbie Haynes, Zeke McNew and Derrick Roseman.
Hillsdale, Michigan’s Cory Gumm swept the night, winning his heat race after starting deep in the field and then dominating the Compact A Main feature event. Gumm started on the outside of the front row pulled out to a big lead early. Jason Deshler and Eric Carr had a heated battle for second well behind the race leader until Deshler lost a wheel entering turn one to bring out the caution flag. Gumm went on to the easy win with Eric Carr taking second and Josh Bailey third. Brandon Paskan and Jeff Goodman both worked their way up after starting deep in the field for top five finishes.
A big wreck on the first lap of the Dominator Super Stock B Main whittled down and already slim field of starters. Josh McNicol pulled out to a decent lead at the start and appeared to be on his way to the easy win, but McNicol would slow coming off turn four with two laps remaining and parked it in the infield. That turned the lead over to Grayson Warner, out of Perrysburg, Ohio. Warner went on to lead Derek Zuver and John Young to his first ever feature win. Brian Stutzman and Harriet Callahan were the rest of the top five finishers.
Fayette, Ohio’s Eli Kolodie led from flag to flag in the final event of the night, the Compact B Main. Jeff Wells and Josh Beaver started deep in the field and drove up to finish in second and third behind Kolodie. Maria Wells finished fourth with David Zachrich taking fifth. The racing action heats up this Memorial Day weekend at Oakshade Raceway with another full racing program of UMP Late Models, UMP Sportsman, Dominator Super Stocks and Compacts. 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.
