(Mike Howard photo) John Rittenoure - MEEKER, Okla. (October 7, 2023) - Driving in his first late model event on Friday night, modified racer Tanner Mullens did not expect to visit victory lane and was surprised when he did.
Mullens surely was not expect a repeat of Friday night, but it happened as the Kansas competitor raced to his second Complete Well Testing Sooner Late Model Series on Saturday. This time it happened at Red Dirt Raceway.
Mullens started outside pole sitter Damian Patocka and Patocka led at the drop of the green. But Mullens was able to pass Patocka on lap two and pulled away from the field. Patocka held on for a second place finish just ahead of points leader Brett Hansen in third. Troy Bynum and Adam Popp finished fourth and fifth respectively,
With one race remaining on the 2023 season Hansen has wrapped up his first Sooner Series championship after his third place finish at Red Dirt.
The race for second is still up for grabs. Joseph Gorby took over second Saturday dropping Richard Shepler to third. Shepler trails Gorby by just 40 points going into the final race at Enid Speedway on October 14.
Complete Well Testing Sooner Late Model Series Results
Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, Oklahoma
October 7, 2023
Complete Well Testing A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 02-Tanner Mullens[2]; 2. 229-Damian Patocka[1]; 3. 7H-Brett Hansen[3]; 4. 81-Troy Bynum[5]; 5. 10 4-Adam Popp[7]; 6. 36-Jason Redman[9]; 7. 26-Adrien Hickman[8]; 8. 21-Christopher Wilhite JR[4]; 9. 65-Eric Brill[10]; 10. 9-Joseph Gorby[6]; 11. 64-Jay Sale[11]; 12. 4X-Dalon Helm[13]; 13. 88S-Richard Shepler[12]; 14. 96-Jon Herring Jr[22]; 15. 1-Eddie Tidwell[16]; 16. 77-Ryder Laplante[24]; 17. 9J-Jared Jelsma[18]; 18. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[14]; 19. 31-Gary Lowe[21]; 20. 10W-John Willard[15]; 21. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[17]; 22. 6D-Dustin Dixon[19]; 23. 27X-Ron Brown[23]; 24. 11S-Steve Johnson[20]
O’Reilly Auto Parts Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 9-Joseph Gorby[2]; 2. 229-Damian Patocka[3]; 3. 10 4-Adam Popp[8]; 4. 65-Eric Brill[5]; 5. 4X-Dalon Helm[7]; 6. 1-Eddie Tidwell[6]; 7. 6D-Dustin Dixon[4]; 8. 96-Jon Herring Jr[1]
Gage Diamonds Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 02-Tanner Mullens[6]; 2. 81-Troy Bynum[1]; 3. 26-Adrien Hickman[2]; 4. 64-Jay Sale[7]; 5. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[8]; 6. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[3]; 7. (DNF) 11S-Steve Johnson[5]; 8. (DNS) 27X-Ron Brown
Design One Racewear Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 7H-Brett Hansen[4]; 2. 21-Christopher Wilhite JR[8]; 3. 36-Jason Redman[7]; 4. 88S-Richard Shepler[3]; 5. 10W-John Willard[5]; 6. 9J-Jared Jelsma[1]; 7. 31-Gary Lowe[2]; 8. 77-Ryder Laplante[6]
Lap Leaders: Damian Patocka 1, Tanner Mullens 2-25
Margin of Victory: 5.183
Marks Machine Shop Hard Charger: Jon Herring, Jr.
2023 Winners
4/14 - Kip Hughes - Thunderbird Speedway
4/15 - Brett Hansen - Tulsa Speedway
4/29 - Brett Hansen - Monett Raceway
5/06 - Brett Hansen - Thunderbird Speedway
6/02 - Kip Hughes - Outlaw Motor Speedway
6/09 - Kip Hughes - Humboldt Speedway
6/10 - Kip Hughes - 81 Speedway
6/24 - Jace Parmley - Salina Highbanks Speedway
7/01 - Joseph Gorby - Enid Speedway
7/15 - Brett Hansen - Longdale Speedway
7/22 - Kip Hughes - Caney Valley Speedway
7/29 - Brett Hansen - Enid Speedway
8/12 - Brett Hansen - Enid Speedway
8/19 - Joseph Gorby - Longdale Speedway
8/25 - Shayne Bailey - Tulsa Speedway
8/26 - Dusty Leonard - Caney Valley Speedway
9/09 - Darren Moses - Enid Speedway
9/16 - Dusty Leonard - 81 Speedway
9/23 - Bryan Glaze - Crawford County Speedway
9/30 - Joseph Gorby - Creek County Speedway
10/6 - Tanner Mullens - Longdale Speedway
10/7 - Tanner Mullens - Red Dirt Raceway
Top 10 Standings: 1. Brett Hansen 8970; 2. Joseph Gorby 8295; 3. Richard Shepler, 8255; 4. Eric Brill, 7325; 5, Dakota Dellinger, 6960; 6. Gary Lowe, 5895; 7. Steve Hewett, Sr., 5885; 8. Eli Ross, 5745; 9. Ron Brown, 5735; 10. Adrien Hickman, 5585.
About Complete Well Testing
Based in Oklahoma, Complete Well Testing is a family owned and operated company specializing in hydrostatic tubing testing and EMI tubing scanning.
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.