Oakshade Raceway
Carrier's dramatic debut at Oakshade nets $4,700
Eddie Carrier Jr. was all smiles in victory lane. (Brian McLeod)
WAUSEON, Ohio (June 25) — Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., made his first trip to Oakshade Raceway a successful one, making a dramatic last-lap pass for a $4,700 victory in the 22nd annual Barney Oldfield Race.
The seventh-starting Carrier's late charge stole a victory from Canadian invader Andrew Reaume of Blenheim, Ontario, who started ninth and took the lead from outside front-row starter Casey Noonan of Sylvania, Ohio, on a lap-eight restart. | Sidebar | Slideshow
Reaume stayed in control as the race ran caution-free the rest of the way, but Carrier caught him at the finish in the non-touring UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned event.
Reaume settled for second followed by Noonan and Curtis Roberts of Coleman, Mich., Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., rallied from 11th to round out the top five while polesitter Mike Bores of Bellevue, Ohio, was last in the 20-car field.
"I didn't think I was gonna be able to drive up through there," said Carrrier, running seventh at the lap-eight caution. "After the yellow, I got to movin' around and got the tires working better. I wasn't even sure the No. 88 car was the leader. He'd checked out a little bit earlier, and I wasn't sure if someone else had maybe gotten around him. I've always heard a lot of good things about the racing at this place, and it's our first time to come here. It's everything we'd hearda really great racetrack with plenty of room to maneuver around."
Notes: Carrier's Grover Motorsports-owned Rocket Chassis has a Grover Racing Engine and sponsorship from Engines Inc., Cox Wrecker Service and Blue Ridge Machinery and Tools. ... The victory is Carrier's third of the season overall. ... Among drivers who failed to make the feature lineup: Jon Henry, Ryan Missler, Brandon Thirlby, Ryan Markham, Tom Ordway, and Chuck Hummer. ... Oakshade's next Late Model special is July 16 for the $10,000-to-win finale of UMP DIRTcar Summernationals.
Barney Oldfield Race: (1) Eddie Carrier Jr., (2) Andrew Reaume, (3) Casey Noonan, (4) Curtis Roberts, (5) Steve Casebolt, (6) Matt Miller, (7) Rick Delong, (8) Brian Ruhlman, (9) Rody Schroyer, (10) Rusty Schlenk, (11) Alan Vochaska, (12) Dusty Moore, (13) Dona Marcoullier, (14) Josh Scott, (15) Curt Spalding, (16) Chris Ross, (17) Brad Eitniear, (18) Phil Ausra, (19) Steve Kester, (20) Mike Bores. Heat race winners (among 41 cars): Schlenk, Delong, Noonan, Carrier. Consolation winners: Spalding, Miller.
