Frank Heckenast Finally Gets Oakshade Raceway Birthday Race Win

WAUSEON, OH – Frank Heckenast added his name to the Oakshade Raceway record book on Friday, as the Frankfort, Illinois driver started on the pole as led all 50 laps to capture the $10,000 payday for the 29th annual Birthday Race during the annual stop for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour for late models.

“This place kicked my ass for a long time,” Heckenast said in victory lane. “I started on the front a couple of times and had it completely handed to me. Tonight, we checked all the boxes. We were quick in the heat (race).”

Ryan Unzicker, who started on the outside of the second row, gave Heckenast a slight challenge. When the second, and final, caution of the night came on a Mark Voigt spin just shy of the halfway mark, Heckenast was able to pull away and grab his third Hell Tour win of the season and eighth on his career.

The only other caution of the night came on lap four when Terry Rushlow looped his car around in turn two.

After Unzicker, Sam Seawright, who started alongside Unzicker in the second row, finished third. Rusty Schlenk worked his way from seventh starting spot to finish fourth. Luke Morey was in the tracks of Schlenk most of the event and rounded out the top five.

An incident on the first lap wiped out the front row for the Summit National Modifieds for their Summer National feature.

Coming out of turn three, Jerry Bowersock and Drew Charlson were battling side-by-side to see who would lead lap one. Both wanted the same piece of real estate, and the two came together in front of the field. Most of the mods escaped without damage, except for Jeff Koz, who could not get out of the way.

On the restart, Zeke McKenzie and Matthew Baker moved up and inherited the front row. Baker led the field to the green flag, but it was Mckenzie that led by the end of the opening lap.

A caution on lap 14 gave the rest of the field a chance in the 25-lap event, but the Claypool, Indiana driver scooted out to a comfortable lead and eventually brought home his third career Summit Modified victory.

Baker ended second, with Dillon Nusbaum, John McClure and Dylan Woodling rounding out the top five.

The night closed with the Dominator Super Stock feature, held before the biggest crowd they’ve had all season. Jeff Foks, Jr. and Mason Luttrell ran side-by-side for the lead until an early caution came out for Taylor Hough and Josh McNicol in turn three. Once the race restarted, it was Lutrell who was able to grab the lead and pull away from the rest of the field.

The final caution of the night with two laps to go bunched the field up, but Luttrell was able to power up at the start and claim the feature win, with Foks coming in second.

Brad Eitniear won an entertaining battle with Adam Noonan and Jarrett Rendel to take third. Noonan and Rendel rounded out the top five.

Action continues this Saturday at Oakshade Raceway with the return of the Sportsman Mods, with Dominator Super Stocks and Compacts also in the action. Gates open at 4PM, with hot laps set for 6PM and racing at 7:15PM.