WAUSEON, Ohio — After becoming the youngest winner in DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals history two years ago, a now 16-year-old Hunt Gossum has doubled down at Oakshade Raceway, winning the modified portion of the Birthday Race for the second time in his career.
“I love this place,” Gossum said. “Every time we come here, it’s always a great race track.”
Gossum started on the outside pole and made his trip around the three-eighths-mile look easy, despite some tough competition from behind. With Modified big dogs like Chad Bauer, Dylan Woodling and Curt Spalding in his rearview the entire time, Gossum never cracked once under the pressure.
Several cautions were thrown over the 25-lap affair, which meant Gossum had to play superb defense on the restarts. Which, he did. Five times, to be exact. His biggest challenge came from veteran racer Spalding, who chased the No. 99 in the closing laps but could not get close enough to attempt the pass.
“On the race receiver, I heard ‘5CS’ behind me, so I knew it was Spalding. I know he’s fast, so I was just trying to protect the bottom and it worked out,” Gossum said.
Gossum sailed across the line with a 1.5-second gap to collect his first $1,500 check of the season, while Spalding, Woodling, Brian Ruhlman and Bauer completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps) 1. 99-Hunt Gossum[2]; 2. 5CS-Curt Spalding[6]; 3. 3W-Dylan Woodling[4]; 4. 49-Brian Ruhlman[10]; 5. 19-Chad Bauer[1]; 6. 53S-Bobby Stremme[8]; 7. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum[5]; 8. 12M-John McClure[9]; 9. 117-Kevin Reeve[3]; 10. 65-Todd Sherman[23]; 11. 22T-Tony Anderson[16]; 12. 45-Robby Henderson[19]; 13. 9-Garrett Rons[21]; 14. 1X-Brad Keckler[13]; 15. 23-Luke Hubbell[17]; 16. 66W-Jack Waldfogel[24]; 17. 114-Clayton Bryant[11]; 18. 4G-Bill Griffith[22]; 19. 25-Josh Lolmaugh[14]; 20. 9PG-Percy Gendreau[15]; 21. 8C-Corey Bevard[7]; 22. 71-Drew Smith[12]; 23. 4T-Hillard Miller[18]; 24. 60-Shannon Fisk[20]