COLIN SHIPLEY
By: Scott Hammer
WAUSEON, OH – After two consecutive weeks of feature race action getting rained out, Oakshade Raceway was able to catch up with some make up features from June 1 on a beautiful Saturday night.
Colin Shipley and Steve Kester each picked up their first DIRTcar UMP Late Model feature wins of the season at the track ‘where the FASTEST meet to race’.
Joe Smith led the first seven laps of the regularly scheduled Late Model A Main until a caution would tighten the field for a restart.
Mathew Chapman was running second and chose to start on the outside for the Delaware double file restart which put Colin Shipley to his inside in the first row behind the race leader. Shipley, from Weston, Ohio, charged to the inside of Smith on the restart to take over the race lead.
Late in the race, Rusty Smith began to close in on Shipley for the lead and caught the driver of the 46-car just as the white flag flew. Smith tried to get alongside Shipley on the backstretch going into turn three, but Shipley held on to pick up the victory.
Rusty Smith settled for a close second-place finish with Mathew Chapman, Jake Rendel and Carter Murday rounding out the rest of the top five finishers.
Later in the night, Holland, Ohio’s Steve Kester started on the pole for the make-up Late Model feature. Kester led from flag to flag and went on to a dominating win by over a straightaway.
The caution flag flew only once on lap seven that allowed Jake Rendel to restart just behind Kester. Rendel was not able to keep up with him and wound-up finishing second with Rusty Smith finishing third.
Colin Shipley gained several positions during the race and was closing on the battle for second and third but ran out of laps and finished fourth with Carter Schlenk taking fifth.
Donnie Ringman from Clayton, Michigan, started on the pole of the DCR Graphics Sportsman feature event and led the entire way to pick up his first feature win of the season He become the fourth different feature winner in four DCR Graphics Sportsman feature events this season.
The three other previous feature winners, Kolin Schilt, Adam Lantz and ‘The Outlaw’ Jesse Jones got together in turn two on a late race restart knocking them out of contention.
Ian Palmer followed in Ringman’s tire tracks for a good portion of the race and finished second ahead of Ryan Davis, Chris Williams and Matt Ringger.
The regularly scheduled Dominator Super Stock A Main was slowed by a few cautions. Jake Rendel, who was doing double duty driving his late model as well, led from the pole at the start with Jarrett Rendel behind.
Jarrett, from Clayton, Michigan, would get by Jake for the lead and go on to post the victory with Jake finishing second for a Rendel family sweep of the top two spots.
Dylan Burt started 12th and climbed his way up to a third-place finish with Chane Stuckey and John Lonabarger rounding out the top five.
Later in the Dominator Super Stock A Main make-up feature, Dylan Burt, out of Toledo, Ohio, would start on the pole and lead the entire way to earn his first feature win of the year.
Chane Stucky moved up 12 positions to finish in the runner up spot with Jake Rendel, Adam Noonan and John Lonabarger the rest of the top five finishers.
Adrian, Michigan’s Jason Deshler started on the outside of the third row and worked his up to the front, getting by pole-sitter Eric Carr to earn his first feature win of the race season.
Brett Ireland finished third with Nathan Goodman in fourth. James Stamper gained a couple positions from where he started to end up fifth.
Alex Krall and John Young started in the front row of the Dominator Super Stock B Main and ran first and second. A late caution would tighten the field with Krall leading and Young following in second.
Sylvania, Ohio’s Alex Krall would hang up to pick up the win over Young, Grayson Warner, Scott Barnhart and Amy Clair.
John Young was able to do one finishing position better in the Dominator Super Stock make-up feature race. The Toledo, Ohio, driver started fifth and was able to pick up his first Oakshade victory over Scott Robertson, Derek Zuver, Brandon Goad and Steve Reeves.
In Compact B Main action, Jackson, Michigan’s Ben Lantis was able to find his way to the front after starting eighth and pick up the win.
Brian Barber started fifth and worked his way up to a second-place finish followed by Rick Stetten, Chris Yockum and Dylan Iffland who recovered to finish fifth after a lap five caution.
Bring the kids this Saturday night, June 22, for the Night of Wheels. Every kid will have a chance at winning a brand-new bike. Racing action will be highlighted by the Oakshade/Attica Late Model Series with a full program of DIRTcar UMP Late Models, DCR Graphics Sportsman, Dominator Super Stocks and Compacts.
Also on the docket will be the DIRTcar UMP Late Model make up feature from June 8. Gates open at 4pm with hot laps/qualifying at 6pm and racing at 7:30pm. Adult general admission is just $15, ages 6-11 are $5 and kids 5 and under are FREE! Pit passes are $25.