10/1/2022
Sooner Late Model Series
Ross closes in on two possible late model titles with Thunderbird Speedway victory
(Kelten Weaver photo) John Rittenoure - MUSKOGEE, Okla. (September 30, 2022) - Hayden Ross had the unique opportunity to work toward two objectives with one victory Friday night at Thunderbird Speedway, and he did just that with his victory in the Complete Well Testing Sooner Late Model Series vs. Southern Touring Late Model Series Red River Rivalry feature.
Ross, who leads the points race in both organizations, kept his hopes for two championships in one season alive with the victory.
“I am leading both the Texas and Oklahoma series’,” said Ross who won for the 7th time with the Sooner Series and picked up his first win with the Texas based Southern Touring Series. “I never thought about winning two championships in one year.”
Ross led from the start of the 20-lap feature, but had to turn back Cole Wells, who tried to challenge on the high side, after a lap 18 restart to secure the win.
“I just drove it as hard as it let me and not spin the tires and not make a mistake or you can get passed two or three times,” said Ross of the final restart.
Ross had to withstand challenges from Wells and Jacob Magee to keep his lead. Wells roared into second on lap 4 and stayed there till the yellow waved on lap 9. On the restart Wells drove under Ross in turn one and slid into the lead, but glanced off the turn two wall allowing Ross to retake the lead as the yellow waved again Dan Moreno who got into the turn one wall. Magee then took over the runner-up position on the restart and closed on Ross.
“I saw him slide up in front of me on a restart and luckily he drove in a little bit too deep and got into the wall a little bit,” Ross said of Wells. “I was a little nervous when the yellows came out that someone would try and slide me. I knew if I stayed on the top I would be good.
“I saw number 10 (Magee) sneak a nose under me in lapped traffic. I feel good about beating those guys.”
On the final restart, with two laps remaining, Wells charged back into second but could not reel in Ross. Kip Hughes, who won at Thunderbird the week before, moved up to third, Brett Hansen, who ran second on laps 2 and 3, finished fourth and Magee fell to fifth.
“I had a really good car and I knew there were some good guys behind me,” Ross of the competition behind him. “I got lucky with the draw and got to start on the front row.
“The first three or four rows had some pretty good drivers. I had to hit my marks and get through lap traffic as quick as I could.”
Complete Well Testing Sooner Late Model Series
Thunderbird Speedway - Muskogee, Oklahoma
September 30, 2022
Complete Well Testing A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 66-Hayden Ross[2]; 2. 7-Cole Wells[5]; 3. 60-Kip Hughes[9]; 4. 7H-Brett Hansen[6]; 5. 10-Jacob Magee[8]; 6. 48-Cody Leonard[7]; 7. 7D-Austin Theiss[1]; 8. 25-Rob Powell[3]; 9. 77-Jeremy Petty[10]; 10. 23-Kerney Weaver[14]; 11. 88S-Richard Shepler[18]; 12. 81-Troy Bynum[15]; 13. 33-Steven Hawkins[19]; 14. 22AD-Jacob Ulrich[23]; 15. 12-Brandon Brzozowski[4]; 16. 11S-Steve Johnson[11]; 17. (DNF) 31-Gary Lowe[13]; 18. (DNF) 229-Damian Patocka[12]; 19. (DNF) 118-Mike Fenton[17]; 20. (DNF) 65-Eric Brill[20]; 21. (DNF) 24-Dan Moreno[21]; 22. (DNF) 0-Bubby Morgan[16]; 23. (DNS) 51-Eddie Martin; 24. (DNS) 14-Ron Brown
Matt’s ATV Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[3]; 2. 48-Cody Leonard[5]; 3. 7H-Brett Hansen[7]; 4. 77-Jeremy Petty[1]; 5. 31-Gary Lowe[8]; 6. 0-Bubby Morgan[2]; 7. 33-Steven Hawkins[6]; 8. (DNS) 14-Ron Brown
Design One Racewear Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 7-Cole Wells[3]; 2. 25-Rob Powell[5]; 3. 12-Brandon Brzozowski[1]; 4. 11S-Steve Johnson[7]; 5. 23-Kerney Weaver[6]; 6. 118-Mike Fenton[8]; 7. 65-Eric Brill[4]; 8. 22AD-Jacob Ulrich[2]
O’Reilly Auto Parts Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 66-Hayden Ross[5]; 2. 10-Jacob Magee[6]; 3. 7D-Austin Theiss[7]; 4. 229-Damian Patocka[3]; 5. 81-Troy Bynum[8]; 6. 88S-Richard Shepler[4]; 7. 24-Dan Moreno[2]; 8. (DNF) 51-Eddie Martin[1]
??Lap Leaders: Hayden Ross 1-20?
Margin of victory: 0.950
?Hard Charger: Jacob Ulrich +9
Top 10 Standings: 1. Hayden Ross 9890; 2. Kip Hughes 8165; 3. Eddie Martin 7305; 4. Brett Hansen 6975; 5. Eric Brill 6465; 6. Kerney Weaver 6335. 7. Richard Shepler 6200; 8. Eddie Tidwell 5350; 9. Troy Bynum 5145 10. Ron Brown 4855.
2022 Winners: 3/25 - Hayden Ross (Thunderbird Speedway); 3/26 - Brett Hansen (Thunderbird Speedway). 4/2 - Brett Hansen (Enid Speedway); 4/15 - Hayden Ross (Thunderbird Speedway); 4/22 - Kip Hughes (Thunderbird Speedway); 4/23 - Hayden Ross (Oklahoma Sports Park); 5/6 - Jamie Burford (West Texas Raceway); 5/7 - Jamie Burford (Route 66 Motor Speedway); 5/14 - Dustin Allen (Enid Speedway); 5/20 - Brett Hansen (Thunderbird Speedway); 5/21 - Hayden Ross (Thunderbird Speedway); 6/3 - Kip Hughes (Creek County Speedway); 6/4 - Dustin Allen (Enid Speedway); 6/11 - Brett Hansen (81 Speedway); 7/9 - Kip Hughes (Enid Speedway); 8/6 - Hayden Ross (Enid Speedway).; 8/13 - Dan Smith (81 Speedway); 8/26 - Brett Hansen (Tulsa Speedway); 8/27 - Clint McFadden (Caney Valley Speedway); 9/17 - Jason Redman (Oklahoma Sports Park); 9/23 - Kip Hughes (Thunderbird Speedway); 9/24 - Hayden Ross (Crawford County Speedway); 9/30 - Hayden Ross (Thunderbird Speedway).
About Complete Well Testing
Based in Oklahoma, Complete Well Testing is a family owned and operated company specializing in hydrostatic tubing testing and EMI tubing scanning.
About Sooner Late Model Series
The Sooner Late Model Series was formed in 2016 by Enid Speedway co-promoter Mark Brill. Brill felt there was not many opportunities for late model competitors to race in Oklahoma and the Sooner Late Model Series was formed. Now the series has grown beyond the borders of Oklahoma with events held in the neighboring states of Kansas, Texas and Arkansas as well.
Article Credit: John Rittenoure