Ruhlman Oakshade victor; Wallace wins Summit Modified Nationals Crown

[NickHolt]

Ruhlman Oakshade victor; Wallace wins Summit Modified Nationals Crown

 

Wauseon, Ohio - July 14, 2012 - Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich., raced to his first DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals victory Saturday night in the finale of the month long tour at Oakshade Raceway. Kenny Wallace of Concord, N.C., finished sixth and thus won his first Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Championship over defending champion Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill.

 

Ruhlman, who was one of a few drivers competing in both a modified and late model, started eighth and charged around the track's high groove the majority of the race. Ruhlman swapped the lead with Jake Ruefer of Roanoke, Ind., multiple times each lap in the races late stages eventually coming out on top.

 

"I ran 60-laps in the late model just before I went out there and I knew my car was going to work well on the top," Ruhlman said. "It feels really good to get a win against the level of competition that was here tonight."

 

Ruefer settled for second ahead of I-96 Modified Nationals winner Jacob Poel of Spring Lake, Mich.

 

Zach Schroder of Findlay, Ohio, finished fourth and Zack Olger of St. Johns, Mich., rounded out the top five.

 

Newly crowned DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Champion Kenny Wallace of Concord, N.C., finished sixth.

 

"After everything in my NASCAR career, this ranks right up there with that as a highlight of my career to outrun guys like Mike Harrison, Devin Gilpin, some of the winningest drivers in DIRTcar UMP Modified competition," Wallace said. "The DIRTcar Summit Modified Nationals are a big deal now for DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in its second year and I'm really excited to win it!"

 

Wallace used two wins over the final week, coupled with an average point finish of 67 to edge defending champion Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., by 16 points for the title, which is determined by a driver's 10 best finishes throughout the course of the month long tour.

 

You know, we went on a special streak starting in Florence, Ky., when we won then we won at Terre Haute, and we had a bunch of second place finishes and all of a sudden someone said hey, you could win the DIRTcar Summit Modified Nationals championship!", he explained. "I almost said no I'm not going to do it but then I got sick to my stomach this morning because I knew I had to give up the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Championship in February to do SPEED TV and I said I can't keep going through my career just laying down and giving championships away."

 

Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Statistical Report; Oakshade Raceway; Wauseon, Ohio; July 14, 2012 A-Main (20-laps): 1. Brian Ruhlman , 2. Jake Ruefer , 3. Jacob Poel , 4. Zach Schroder , 5. Zack Olger , 6. Kenny Wallace , 7. Taylor Cook , 8. Dona Marcoullier , 9. Lonnie Mcintyre , 10. Terry Hall , 11. Travis Stemler , 12. Brent Hole , 13. Nick Katerhenry , 14. Shannon Fisk , 15. Mark Anderson , 16. John Mcclure , 17. Brett Miller , 18. Clint Reagle , 19. Collin Thrlby , 20. Tyler Stump .