Toledo Speedway

May 26, 2023 - A beautiful day greeted families, fans, teams, and drivers in the running of Scout/Kids Night at Toledo Speedway! A very special Friday night of racing featured a special discount for scout troops and kids who trekked to Toledo Speedway in anticipation for some wild racing. Kids under 12 got in free, and received a free hot dog with admission.

The Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club was represented well at this event, with a wide table set up in the track's concourse.

The Ohio Wheelman Series also showed up well-equipped, as they provided a merchandise table with a number of unique pieces of memorabilia for purchase.

Racing began at 7 PM after a special presentation by MARFC and Steve Smith.

National Compact Touring Series

NCTS Heat race 1 - Will Slaughter over Clayton Oliver

NCTS Heat race 2 - Ashley Chalfant over Erick Johnson

The National Compact Touring Series featured a number of unique cars to the speedway, including hot hatches, foreign favorites, and a number of compact versions of muscle cars. The name badges of Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, Acura, even Pontiac would be visible to fans on the front bumpers of many cars.

On lap 3, Will Slaughter would spin around, eventually getting collected by the #41 hatch of Ashley Bell. This would place the race under red flag.

The next stint of the race, which took all the way to the checkers, would see Will Slaughter, in a #0 black and green Honda hatchback (without a rear door), rocket through the field passing car after car. Between laps 5 and 10, he would move from 6th place to 2nd.

On lap 16, Slaughter would send the Toledo crowd into a frenzy as he cleanly passed the #56 Acura-branded compact of Sean Frederick in turns 3 and 4. He would maintain this lead for the last ten laps, and capture a big win to kick off the night’s features.

Sean Frederick would finish second, followed by Jessie Yopp, Mikey Oldenburg, and Allen White in the top five.

Ashley Chalfant, Sheldon Lindlag, Erick Johnson, Shawn Grabinger, and Douglas Peters would complete the top ten in this exciting feature.

This is Slaughter’s first win of the season in the NCTS.

Slaughter would take his car to Monroe Asphalt Winners Circle, dedicating his win to his son who’s birthday coincided with the Friday race day.

“I love half miles!”

-Will Slaughter after winning at Toledo

Shortly after, the car and driver would take a trip to O’Reilly Auto Parts Autograph Alley next to the grandstands of Toledo Speedway. There, fans of all ages would get a chance to meet the driver, get some pictures or an autograph, and even get a lucky chance to sit in the seat of a compact race car.

Up next would be the 40-lap Ohio Wheelman Series feature.

Ohio Wheelman Series

OWS Heat Race 1 - Matt Wilson over Dennis Wood

OWS Heat Race 2 - Josh Poore over Kenny Sharp

Unbelievable finish to the second heat race, in which Kenny Sharp had dominated the first laps, but relinquished the lead in the final corner of the heat to Josh Poore in the #5P. The two drivers battled side-by-side to the checkered flag, with Poore powering through on the inside to take the win.

In the feature race, Josh Poore would take the lead from Kylee Wood on lap 8, and wouldn’t look back in the duration of a clean race on the half mile.

At the flag, Poore would take the victory with a one-second lead over Billy Roberts, Jeff Kuykendall, Matt Wilson, and Earl Goldy.

Dennis Wood, Howard Kelley Jr, Tommy O’Leary IV, Samuel Bigham, and Tom Joy would complete the top ten.

Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks

Fast Qualifier: Brad Turner

Mike Young and Bradley Houston would lead the field to the green in the Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks 100-Lap feature. Houston would fall back after the early contest, giving way to a trio of Mike Young, Jimmy Rae, and Randy Padgett Jr. up front.

Fast qualifier Brad Turner would be the first to be knocked out of the race after contact with another car on Lap 3, causing mechanical issues to the Ford.

Back up front, Padgett Jr would take the lead for the first time on Lap 7 after passing both Young and Rae in some great action in the bullring. Just after taking the lead, the first caution would come out with contact between Lonnie York and Jeff Metdepenningen.

At the restart, Padgett Jr. and Young would start side-by-side, with Padgett Jr and the inside line taking a hold for the next portion of the race. Young would fade, giving way to a healthy Padgett Jr lead over Jimmy Rae, Craig Osenbaugh, Josh Bunting, and Steven Smith. Padgett Jr checked out, while positions 2-9 battled hard, lead by a stalwart Jimmy Rae, who held off challenges by a number of cars that were itching to get ahead.

A flurry of cautions came next, as two cautions would take place on laps 40 and 42, the latter involving a number of contenders in the field. Jimmy Rae would be shuffled out of the front row between the two cautions, giving way to a Lap 42 restart between Randy Padgett Jr and the #99 of Craig Osenbaugh. Jeff Metdepenningen would pass Osenbaugh for second on the restart, with Josh Bunting following through to take third.

On lap 69, another caution would come as Josh Bunting spun while battling in the top 5.

On the restart, Jeff Metdepenningen and Padgett would race side-by-side for multiple laps, with Padgett Jr eventually powering through on the inside. On lap 75, another caution would come out, as Logan Bunting and Jimmy Rae would have a coming together, with James Rae coming out spun around.

Padgett Jr and Jeff Metdepenningen would resume their battle on restart on lap 77, with Padgett Jr once again getting the slim edge. On lap 80, top 3 was Padgett Jr, Jeff Metdepenningen, and Rayce Metdepenningen.

Coming to the white flag, Jeff Metdepenningen would make his move! While Padgett was dealing with lapped traffic, the elder Metdepenningen would force a daring three-wide move coming into turn one. This move would turn out unsuccessful, as Padgett would find a way to power through on the outside, taking one of the biggest Factory Stocks checkered flags of the year.

Jeff Metdepenningen, Rayce Metdepenningen, Josh Bunting, and Steve Smith would complete the top 5. Craig Osenbaugh, Logan Bunting, Jimmy Rae, Lonnie York, and Mike Young would finish out the top ten.

This is the 4th factory stocks win for Randy Padgett Jr, moving him in some great company on the all-time wins list with Dennis Whisman, Steve Crononwett Jr, and Dennis Randall. Padgett looks to defend his 2022 championship this year, and this will be a great start.

Up Next

The Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks will return to Toledo Speedway as a part of the Fathers Day Special on Sunday afternoon, June 18th! Four big-time features will be held, with action from the local Factory Stocks and Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman classes, alongside some special touring series with action from the 500 Sprint Car Tour open-wheel division, as well as the Midwest Modifieds tour in their return to the speedway.

Father's Day Sunday Special! Presented by Monroe Asphalt: 500 Sprint Car Tour, Midwest Modified Tour, plus Late Model Sportsman & Factory Stock Features

June 18, 2023 - 03:00 PM EDT

Toledo Speedway

Toledo, OH

This day of racing will look to be both a spectacle of entertainment in the Glass City, and one of the best gifts to provide the Gear Head Dad in your life.

Tickets are available now! Click the link below to learn more, get a jump, and skip the lines for this INCREDIBLE day of racing coming up ahead this Fathers Day.