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.
Tim Hunt Photo
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]
