TULSA, Okla. — Kale Drake delivered a thrilling last-lap, last-corner pass to capture his fourth career feature victory with the POWRi National and West Midget Leagues at Port City Raceway in the annual DRC Sooner State 55.
Using a daring move through the final pair of corners, Drake would charge from third to first in the closing feet to secure the dramatic victory.
Leading the field to the green flag, high-point qualifier Kyle Jones and Ethan Mitchell would occupy the front row, with Jones quickly establishing the early advantage as the field battled for position behind him.
Controlling the pace throughout much of the feature, Jones appeared poised to secure the victory as the laps wound down. However, traffic in the closing stages would set the stage for a dramatic finish, with Zach Daum and Kale Drake remaining within striking distance of the leader.
As the field approached the checkered flag, Jones and Daum would find themselves trapped on the low side behind a slower competitor, opening the door for Drake to build momentum around the outside.
Refusing to lift, Drake would power through turns three and four on the final circuit, sweeping past both competitors in the final 20 feet to steal the victory in spectacular fashion.
“I was thinking salvage a solid podium on the white flag lap, but as the top side opened, I knew I just had to send it in turns three and four. It stuck, and here we are somehow,” said Drake. “This feels so cool to be standing here finally in victory lane at Port City Raceway; hats off to this crew for giving me such a fast piece, what a night.”
Jones settled for a heartbreaking runner-up finish after leading the majority of the event, with Daum completing the podium in third. Karter Sarff would finish fourth, while Ethan Mitchell rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 4-Kale Drake[6]; 2. 27X-Kyle Jones[1]; 3. 14X-Zach Daum[9]; 4. 7U-Karter Sarff[7]; 5. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[2]; 6. 20Q-Brecken Reese[5]; 7. 3U-Landon Henry[4]; 8. 36-Jonathan Beason[12]; 9. 28-Ace McCarthy[11]; 10. 40D-Drake Edwards[3]; 11. 4B-Chelby Hinton[18]; 12. 11A-Andrew Felker[14]; 13. 19AZ-Drew Sherman[23]; 14. 40X-Mack Leopard[8]; 15. 5U-Michael Faccinto[10]; 16. 14-Harley Hollan[22]; 17. 14F-Kris Carroll[17]; 18. 938-Bradley Fezard[19]; 19. 35L-Gaige Weldon[15]; 20. 83H-Cullen Hutchison[16]; 21. 27-Michael Hubert[13]; 22. 98P-Ryan Padgett[20]; 23. 76-Zane Lawrence[24]; 24. 8-Alex Sewell[21]
