MEEKER, Okla. — A highly successful season for the Ortco Inc. United Sprint League presented by Same Day Auto Repair series came to a close Saturday at Red Dirt Raceway and defending champion Johnny Kent came away with another title that was not decided until the final checkered flag.
Kent led the first 22 laps of Saturday’s finale before giving away the lead and victory to Steven Shebester. But it was still enough for a second USL championship.
“I love this place,” Kent said of racing at Red Dirt. “I come here overconfident and it does not matter if I start at the back of a heat or what, we are going to end up at the front when the night is over.
“We started to get a little snug late in the feature. But I knew as long as I could stay in front of Tim (Kent) we would be alright. I thought we were going to get another one, but Shebester is tough here.”
Shebester charged from the sixth starting position to challenge Kent and got around him with seven laps remaining.
“The track was pretty tricky and I started being able to get on the wall and get a little more bit to get off (the turn),” Shebester said of the track conditions. “I saw we were gaining on him so I picked it up a little bit and was able to get to him. It was kind of hard getting by, I messed up a little bit. I got by him and got a good run off and slid him going into 3 and 4.
“This is my first race with (the USL) this year. It is nice to get a win.”
The USL season became a Kent family battle with cousin Tim Kent leading the points chase for much of the season and Johnny giving chase.
“It started a little rough, had a good run midway then we both tried to give it away last night”, Kent said of his season that saw him take the point lead away from Tim for the first time Friday at Creek County Speedway.
However, trouble plagued both Johnny and Tim Friday putting the point outcome up in the air.
“I have to thank Kelly Fode,” Kent said. “He saved me last year and did it again last night. We hurt a motor Friday at Creek and he gave us this motor for the weekend so we could have a shot at this. I ran Kelly’s car at Creek and change motors this morning.
“Tim had an accident Friday in the B feature and we were 19 points (ahead) going into last night and came into tonight plus 16. We just did what we could do.
“It is super cool to be able to do this. We have been at it several years.”
Did Johnny enjoy beating his cousin despite the bad luck both endured?
“Absolutely, he would do the same,” smiled Kent.
Brett Wilson finished third Saturday topping a strong weekend that saw him run second to Tyler Edwards on Friday. The two finishes moved Wilson to fourth in the final standings. Tim Kent did manage to finish fourth but it was not enough to get the points lead back from Johnny. Tanner Conn rounded out the top five. Friday night winner Edwards climbed to sixth place after winning the B-main, earning him a 13th place starting position in the feature.