Birthday Race

Two days after celebrating a birthday of his own, Frank Heckenast Jr. got one of his biggest presents of the summer — a $10,000 check as victor of the 29th annual Birthday Race.

The Frankfort, IL-native led all 50 laps around Oakshade Raceway Saturday night, garnering his third DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory of the season and eighth of his career. After struggling early during the Hell Tour, Heckenast is closing the tour with momentum, earning all three of his wins in a span of 11 days.

“We’ve been fortunate. I won an Outlaw race on my birthday probably five years ago, so that was cool, but this means a lot,” Heckenast said. “This was so emotional for me. It was hard. I’ve tried for so long to win this race, and I’ve gotten beat so many times at this place. I’ve started up front before, and they went by me on both sides. I was in my head tonight. I don’t usually talk to myself when I’m racing, but tonight I did. I told myself, ‘Just make the best lap you can.’ I tried to build speed, and it worked out.”

Heckenast capitalized on his pole starting position and took control early. After starting fourth, Ryan Unzicker moved into third before a Lap 3 caution allowed his No. 24 to pull alongside Sam Seawright for second on the restart.

Seawright and Unzicker battled hard for second, giving Heckenast room to extend his lead. Unzicker found traction through the middle and drove around Seawright in Turns 1 and 2, moving the El Paso, IL-driver into the runner-up spot.

As the race neared halfway, lapped traffic became a factor. Unzicker closed to within a car length of Heckenast before a Lap 23 caution for a spun Mark Voigt paused the battle for the lead and gave Heckenast a clear track ahead for the restart.

Over the final 27 laps, Heckenast ran consistent laps and maintained a comfortable lead to secure his first Birthday Race win at Oakshade.

“Today was just 100% us, I got a little sideways in my head about stuff. It’s not major but the crew got me straightened out and gave me the confidence to go win the race,” Heckenast said. “I hate to admit it, but I’ve let so many people get in my head. Other racers, people and just things like that. They try every night and, you know, shout out to Logan, my crew guy, he pulled me aside and told me to just do my own thing and stop listening to these people. I want to tell my boys that you don’t quit, you don’t give up, don’t let other people bully you around.”

Unzicker finished second, Seawright was third, Rusty Schlenk finished fourth, and Luke Morey rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models wraps up its 40th anniversary celebration with a visit to Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH, on Sunday, July 12. Tickets will be available at the track on race day.

How can you watch the DIRTcar Summer Nationals? Every race is live on DIRTVision.

RESULTS

Feature (50 Laps): 1. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[1]; 2. 24-Ryan Unzicker[4]; 3. 16S-Sam Seawright[3]; 4. 91-Rusty Schlenk[7]; 5. 49-Luke Morey[8]; 6. 96-Tanner English[5]; 7. LIL91-Carter Schlenk[11]; 8. 6M-Dona Marcoullier[10]; 9. 4-Travis Stemler[13]; 10. 74-Mitch McGrath[2]; 11. 21B-Rich Bell[17]; 12. 77-Steve Kester[12]; 13. 51-Devin Shiels[20]; 14. 46-Colin Shipley[16]; 15. 15B-Mike Bores[9]; 16. 63-Terry Rushlow[21]; 17. 06-Jake Rendel[22]; 18. 30-Mark Voigt[19]; 19. 1N-Casey Noonan[14]; 20. 50-Ryan Missler[6]; 21. 75M-Dusty Moore[18]; 22. 42-Chad Finley[15]

While others have flashed speed on occasion, Zeke McKenzie has been a model of consistency with the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals this summer.

On Saturday night, that consistency turned into a win at Oakshade Raceway.

McKenzie has been a familiar face with the Summit Modifieds in 2026, logging 17 starts — most of any competitor. Now in the final full week of competition, the Claypool, IN-driver has yet to finish outside the top ten. That consistency has put him in position for wins and the season points championship.

“When you run in the top five and get podiums, the wins are going to come,” McKenzie said. “I know we don’t have the wins but they’re definitely coming the rest of the year, and I feel our cars are good enough to win almost every night, we just have to put more nights together.”

The beginning of the main event kicked off with the front row of Jerry Bowersock and Drew Charlson tangling in Turn 3, ending both their chances for victory. This moved McKenzie and Mathew Baker to the front row in a brand-new race up front for the restart.

Baker led the field into Turn 1 on the restart, but McKenzie found traction in the middle of Turns 1 and 2, got around the Baker No. B5 and began to pull away.

A Lap 14 caution bunched the field up and took McKenzie out of lap traffic, allowing him to set sail out front for the rest of the race. He crossed under the checkered flag unchallenged to secure his third career Summit Modified victory, continuing a dream season for the No. 24 team.

“We started out planning on only doing the first week to help some customers and we ran really good,” McKenzie said. “We actually had to go find a little help to do the whole thing because it just wasn’t on our schedule. Tonight, we saw guys not be forgiving and I was just fortunate enough to not get into them.”

Matthew Baker was second, Dillon Nusbaum was third, John McClure finished fourth, and Dylan Woodling finished fifth.

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals heads to Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH, on Sunday, July 12.

If you can’t be there, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

RESULTS

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 24-Zeke McKenzie[4]; 2. B5-Matthew Baker[3]; 3. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum[5]; 4. 12M-John McClure[7]; 5. 3W-Dylan Woodling[14]; 6. 14-Dalton Lane[12]; 7. 22T-Tony Anderson[10]; 8. 60-Shannon Fisk[6]; 9. 13M-Mitchell Opatik[9]; 10. 25L-Josh Lolmaugh[16]; 11. 52-Weasel Phlipot[18]; 12. 9R-Garrett Rons[20]; 13. 8C-Corey Bevard[21]; 14. 17J-Jarrod Klay[17]; 15. 87Z-George Zieman[13]; 16. 4-Logan Beckwith IV[11]; 17. 25M-Brian Mcfeeters[22]; 18. 1A-Andrew Hollister[19]; 19. T23-John Toppozini[15]; 20. (DNF) 5X-Jerry Bowersock[1]; 21. (DNF) 21C-Drew Charlson[2]; 22. (DNF) 16-Jeff Koz[8]