8/10/2025
Sooner Late Model Series
New car propels Hughes to Sooner Late Model victory
By John Rittenoure (Maxx Ramsey photo) - ENID, Okla. (August 9, 2025) - Kip Hughe had no idea what to expect when he unloaded his new Late Model at Enid Speedway on Saturday. But he quickly found he had a rocket ship. Hughes roared off the pole and easily won the Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation Sooner Late Model Series 20-lap main event.
“We picked this one up last week and did nothing to it except change the seat and put fresh tires on it,” Hughes said of his inaugural outing in the newly purchased car. “ It was great right out of the box.
“I knew it was going to be pretty good. It came out of Joe Godsey’s shop. Anything that come out of there is going to be pretty good.”
Hughes felt he was not having the success he expected this season so he purchased a new ready to run late model last week and brought it home.
“I felt like we had to do something,” Hughes said. “We had been struggling with the other car and I did not know what to do with the new Longhorn stuff. Now we have one that fits me pretty good.”
No one could match the pace Hughes was sitting in the main event although several drivers took their turns in the runner-up position. Veteran Delbert Smith was the first to give chase before giving way to Damian Patocka on lap 7. The yellow waved and on the restart Dustin Bolster took his turn. On lap 16 Dan Smith moved into second but could not close on Hughes. Patocka held on to third followed by Jon Herring, Jr. and Gary Lowe rounding out the top five.
The new car felt so good that Hughes was able to run anywhere on the track.
“Your could run in the black, across it, anywhere you went it was really good,” Hughes said. “There was a couple of laps I kind of slowed down and got a signal the B1 (Bolster) was coming so I jumped to the top.”
Sixth place finish Nantz Jantz was the 405 Performance / Race Jugs performer of the race.
In winning his 42nd career Sooner Series main event Hughes also won the Redline award cash presented by photographer Maxx Ramsey.
Sooner Late Model Series
Enid Speedway, Enid, Oklahoma
August 9, 2025
Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[1]; 2. 9SS-Dan Smith[2]; 3. 122-Damian Patocka[3]; 4. 96-Jon Herring Jr[14]; 5. 31-Gary Lowe[5]; 6. 99-Nate Jantz[8]; 7. A2-Randy Wilson[10]; 8. 65-Eric Brill[6]; 9. B1-Dustin Bolster[4]; 10. 92-Delbert Smith[7]; 11. 22N-Kevin Newell[11]; 12. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[9]; 13. (DNS) H2-Chris Hewitt; 14. (DNS) 27D-Jared Dunkin
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 122-Damian Patocka[2]; 2. 92-Delbert Smith[1]; 3. 31-Gary Lowe[6]; 4. 92S-Dan Smith[3]; 5. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[7]; 6. 22N-Kevin Newell[5]; 7. (DNS) H2-Chris Hewitt
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[4]; 2. B1-Dustin Bolster[2]; 3. 65-Eric Brill[3]; 4. 99-Nate Jantz[5]; 5. A2-Randy Wilson[1]; 6. 27D-Jared Dunkin[7]; 7. (DNS) 96-Jon Herring Jr
Lap Leaders: Kip Hughes 1-20.
Margin of victory: 5.308.
2025 Winners: 3/28 - Eli Ross, Enid Speedway; 4/11 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 4/12 - Bryan Glaze, Crawford County Speedway; 5/30 - Brandon Conkwright, Humboldt Speedway; 5/31 - Kyle Berck, 81 Speedway; 6/20 - Christopher Wilhite, Enid Speedway; 6/28 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 7/5 - Terry Phillips, Enid Speedway; 7/19 - Jon Herring, Jr., Longdale Speedway; 8/9 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway.
2025 Top 10: 1. Delbert Smith 4655; 2. Dan Smith 4382; 3. Steve Hewitt, Sr. 3165; 4. Eric Brill 2835; 5. Damian Patocka 2595; 6. Christopher Wilhite, Jr. 2275; 7. Jon Herring, Jr. 2245; 8. Gary Lowe 2195; 9. Kip Hughes 2145; 10. Dax Harless 1950.
Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation
Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation goal is to help grow both high school, trade school and college programs to start and or develop a motorsports program, club, or organizations at their school as well as individual motorsports programs. HRMF will provide financial grants, equipment, expertise, scholarships, and educational opportunities for these organizations and individuals. This program will allow students to overcome the hurdle of entering motorsports due to the high costs and specialized experience needed to get started. This program will allow these students the opportunity to be part of a team with one overall goal of success on the track, including budgeting, marketing, mechanical skills, logistics, and team building efforts. All while honoring the life lost to early of Hayden Diesel Ross, #forever66.
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.
Article Credit: John Rittenoure
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