By John Rittenoure (Maxx Ramsey photo)
ENID, Okla. (October 5, 2024) - The 2024 APEX Healthcare Partners Sooner Late Model Series season came to a close the same way it started with Kip Hughes in the winners circle. Hughes, who won the season opener at Enid Speedway on April 13, wrapped things up on Saturday with his fifth victory.
However, the season championship was on the line and second place finisher Eli Ross picked up the title in just his second year driving a late model.
“It is really special especially since my brother won,” said Ross referring to his brother Hayden who won the 2022 Sooner championship before losing his life in a non-racing accident. “I love the Sooner Series everyone is like family.”
In 2022 at the age of 14 Ross knew he wanted to follow in his brothers footsteps and race a late model.
“We went to test at Thunderbird and that is where it all started,” recalled Ross. “The next month he passed away and the next year I started racing.
“I always wanted to race, but I knew that Hayden was the priority and I was going to help him. But that is not how thing went.”
While too young for a drivers license, Ross was becoming an experienced driver on the track and earned Sooner Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. In 2024 Ross picked up the first of three career victories at Oklahoma Sports Park on May 18 and climbed into the points lead September 14 at Caney Valley Speedway.
Winning the championship was the culmination of a lot of hard work to become a competitive racer in a very short time.
“When I started racing I knew I had to get better at somethings and we just tested and got Joe Godsey helping us,” explained Ross. “He (Godsey) was such a big help.”
Saturday Ross raced into an early lead and looking close to a fourth victory when a lap 9 flat tire sent him to the work area. Hughes took over the lead and raced to his 41st career win, but Ross worked his way back to second on lap 20.
“I was trying to set a pace and make consistent laps,” Ross said of his lead in the early going. “When I had that flat tire I knew I was going to have to make moves and get back to the front as fast as I can. I did that and got to second. I tried to make smooth laps and try different lines then when Kip (Hughes) pushed in (turns) 3-4 and I thought I was going to get him. But that is racing.”
At the finish Ross settled for second ahead of Kaleb Roach who charged from 14th starting to finish third. Zach Nickell, who led the points chase midway through the season before giving way to Ross, finished in fourth, and Texan Nate Jantz rounded out the top five.
Sooner Late Model Series Results
Enid Speedway - Enid, Oklahoma
October 5, 2024
APEX Healthcare Partners A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[5]; 2. 66-Eli Ross[4]; 3. 33R-Kaleb Roach[14]; 4. 65-Zach Nickell[7]; 5. 99-Nate Jantz[3]; 6. 8-Troy Bynum[6]; 7. 27D-Jared Dunkin[2]; 8. 33-Steven Hawkins[13]; 9. 31-Gary Lowe[9]; 10. 4X-Dalon Helm[10]; 11. 95-Jerry Derr[18]; 12. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[8]; 13. 27X-Ron Brown[16]; 14. 96-Jon Herring Sr[1]; 15. 27-Ryan Harris[15]; 16. 229-Damian Patocka[12]; 17. (DNS) 2-Adam Pearson; 18. (DNS) 11H-Denver Howard
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 27D-Jared Dunkin[4]; 2. 96-Jon Herring Sr[1]; 3. 8-Troy Bynum[5]; 4. 31-Gary Lowe[3]; 5. 229-Damian Patocka[2]; 6. 27-Ryan Harris[6]; 7. 95-Jerry Derr[7]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[5]; 2. 99-Nate Jantz[1]; 3. 65-Zach Nickell[3]; 4. 4X-Dalon Helm[2]; 5. 33-Steven Hawkins[6]; 6. 27X-Ron Brown[4]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 66-Eli Ross[5]; 2. 9W-Cole Traugott[4]; 3. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[3]; 4. 2-Adam Pearson[6]; 5. 33R-Kaleb Roach[2]; 6. 11H-Denver Howard[1]
Lap Leaders: 1 Jared Dunkin, 2-8 Eli Ross, 9-25 Kip Hughes
Margin of victory: 0.265
2024 Winners: 4/6 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway; 4/13 - Jon Herring, Jr., Beaver County Raceway; 5/11 - Joe Godsey, Caney Valley Speedway; 5/17 - Kip Hughes, Longdale Speedway; 5/18 - Eli Ross, Oklahoma Sports Park; 5/26 - Geoff Aitken, Crawford County Speedway; 6/8 - Brandon Conkwright, 81 Speedway; 6/28 - Hudson O’Neal, Thunderbird Speedway; 6/29 - Brett Hansen, Salina Highbanks Speedway; 7/5 - Kip Hughes, Beaver County Raceway; 7/6 - Eli Ross, Enid Speedway; 7/26 - Clayton Stuckey, Thunderbird Speedway; 7/27 - Jon Kirby, Tri-State Speedway; 8/3 - Jon Herring, Jr., Enid Speedway; 8/31 - Eli Ross, Red Dirt Raceway; 9/14 - Kip Hughes, Caney Valley Speedway; 9/27 - Brett Hansen, Thunderbird Speedway; 9/28 - Jace Parmley, Tri-State Speedway; 10/5 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway.
Final 2024 Top 10: 1. Eli Ross, 7195; 2. Zach Nickell, 6855; 3. Troy Bynum, 6010; 4. Kip Hughes 5480; 5. Ron Brown 4615; 6. Dalon Helm 4555; 7. Dakota Dellinger 4210; 8. Damian Patocka 3925; 9. Steve Hewitt, Sr. 3550; 10. Richard Shepler 2930.
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.
APEX Healthcare Partners
Specializing in Multidisciplinary Care Across Specialties, at APEX Healthcare Partners, a team of skilled and experienced providers, therapists, and support staff work together to provide personalized and compassionate care for patients with spinal and neurological conditions in Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas.
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