Patocha wins Sooner Late Model main

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y John Rittenoure - Sooner Series PR

MEEKER, Okla. (May 7, 2016) - Damian Patocha became the third new driver to visit the Sooner Late Model Series winners circle with his victory Saturday at Brill's Motor Speedway.

Starting inside second row, Patocha wanted to get out front as fast as possible and he did just that taking the lead just two laps in. 

Patocha had a game plan in mind before the green flag dropped and he played it to perfection.

“I knew I was not going to give up the bottom getting into (turns) 1 and 2,” Patocha said of his plan to run on the low side of the track. “I knew if I protected the bottom lane it would be tough for the rest of the people to get around me in (turns) 3 and 4.

“I wanted to get low and get fast in a hurry. With Eddie Martin, Kip (Hughes) and Randy Timms joining in on the deal they were going to catch up in a hurry. I wanted to put as many cars between us as fast as possible.” 

Once out front Patocha set a quick pace, but when lapped traffic came into play plus some yellow flag laps he was not sure what to expect. 

“I got a little nervous when some cautions fell late in the race as we were coming through lapped traffic,” Patocha said. “Luckily that bunched the field back up. That made it easier for me. I feel like the yellow flags flew just at the right time.”

Patocha was not really challenged and was chased across the finish line by Eddie Martin. Jason Redman, Mark Harrison and Kip Hughes finished third through fifth. 

Patocha is enjoying racing with the Sooner Late Model Series and feels like it came along at just the right time for him. After racing with the NCRA the past couple of seasons Patocha was ready to make a change when that series switched to crate engines.

“I have a lot of friends that also run (late models) and It is great to have a series where we can run and hang out in,” Patocha said. "This series kicked off at just the right time for several of us."

Sooner Late Model Series

Brill's Motor Speedway

May 7, 2016

Car Count: 17

Heat 1 (10 laps)

1, 5T-Randy Timms. 2, 36-Jason Redman. 3, 91-Eddie Martin. 4, 56X-Jay Sale. 5, 28-Garrett Murrell. 6, 164-TJSale.

Heat 2 (10 laps)

1, 4-Shannon Scott. 2, 7-Dalton Ragsdale. 3, 229-Damian Patocha. 4, 56C-Darin Busch. 5, 29R-Ritchie Burcik. DNS: 1J-Johnny Reed.

Heat 3 (10 laps)

1, 60-Kip Hughes. 2, 81-Mark Harrison. 3, 93-Eric Brill. 4, 4-Harlan Sale. 5, 444-Zach Nickell. 

A Feature (25 laps)

1,  229-Damian Patocha. 2, 91-Eddie Martin. 3, 36-Jason Redman. 4, 81-Mark Harrison. 5, 60-Kip Hughes. 6, 56X-Jay Sale. 7, 93-Eric Brill. 8, 56C-Darin Busch. 9, 29R-Ritchie Burcik. 10, 7-Dalton Ragsdale. 11, 164-TJ Sale. 12, 4-Harlan Sale. 13, 28-Garrett Murrell. 14, 4-Shannon Scott. 15, 5T-Randy Timms. 16, 444-Zach Nickell.