Hansen back in victory lane at Thunderbird Speedway

By John Rittenoure (Kelten Weaver photo) - MUSKOGEE, Okla. (September 18, 2026) - Brett Hansen has not raced much over the last couple of seasons and came into Friday nights Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation Sooner Late Model Series show feeling a little rusty.

However, it did not take long for that feeling to go away. Hansen chased down race leader Kip Hughes and passed him with two laps remaining to claim his 14th career victory.

“I have to shake some rust off,” said Hansen who has not raced full time since winning the Sooner Series champion in 2023. “I have not raced much in two years. I have to get back into the swing of it.

“It was a great night for not more than I have raced this year. It was an accomplishment, Kip (Hughes) is a great driver.”

Hughes jumped into the early lead and was pulling away from the field as Hansen was working his way forward from his fifth starting position. Hansen was a distant second until the yellow waved on lap 17. Following the restart Hansen moved down low and it paid off.

“It started drying off,” Hansen said of the track surface. “I moved to the bottom to see if I could catch up and was able to get some traction down there. I was able to make a move on the bottom and he (Hughes) could not keep his nose stuck to the bottom and pushed up. I was able to slide under him.”

Hughes settled for second at the finish followed by pole sitter William Nusser in third. Eighth starting Bryce Clark finished fourth and Trey Langley rounded out the top five.

Sooner Late Model Series Results

Thunderbird Speedway - Muskogee, Oklahoma

September 18, 2026

A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 7H-Brett Hansen[5]; 2. 60-Kip Hughes[3]; 3. 7N-William Nusser[1]; 4. 41-Bryce Clark[8]; 5. ZZX-Trey Langley[7]; 6. 8B-Ashlee Buck[15]; 7. ZZ-Sloppy Hog[2]; 8. 65-Eric Brill[10]; 9. 88S-Richard Shepler[6]; 10. 1W-David Vinson[18]; 11. 777X-Luke Vargas[9]; 12. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[13]; 13. 66R-James Rini[14]; 14. T12-Shannon Skaggs[12]; 15. 99-Jeff Hull[17]; 16. 14S-Randy Swett[19]; 17. 19-RJ Ramer[16]; 18. 31-Gary Lowe[11]; 19. 22*-Jerrett Bransom[4]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 22*-Jerrett Bransom[6]; 2. 7N-William Nusser[3]; 3. ZZX-Trey Langley[5]; 4. 65-Eric Brill[2]; 5. 1W-David Vinson[7]; 6. 8B-Ashlee Buck[4]; 7. (DNF) 99-Jeff Hull[1]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[6]; 2. 88S-Richard Shepler[4]; 3. 41-Bryce Clark[2]; 4. 31-Gary Lowe[5]; 5. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[3]; 6. (DNS) 19-RJ Ramer

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 7H-Brett Hansen[4]; 2. ZZ-Sloppy Hog[2]; 3. 777X-Luke Vargas[5]; 4. T12-Shannon Skaggs[1]; 5. 66R-James Rini[3]; 6. 14S-Randy Swett[6]

Lap Leaders: Kip Hughes 1-18, Brett Hansen 19-20.

Margin of victory: 0.948.

2026 Winners: 4/4/2026 - Eli Ross, Enid Speedway; 5/2/2026 - Dakota Dellinger, Enid Speedway; 5/15/2026 - Eli Ross, Humboldt Speedway; 5/16/2026 -  Eli Ross, 81 Speedway; 5/29/2026 - Brandon Morton, Thunderbird Speedway; 5/30/2026 - Christopher Wilhite, Jr., Creek County Speedway; 7/3/2026 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway; 7/17/2026 - Kip Hughes, Beaver County Raceway; - 7/18/2026 - Kip Hughes, Route 66 Motor Speedway; 8/15/2026 - Callan Hill, Enid Speedway; 9/5/2026 - Nate Janz, Enid Speedway; 9/18/2026 - Brett Hansen, Thunderbird Speedway.      

2026 Top 10: 1. Eric Brill 5430; 2. Dakota Dellinger 5265; 3. Ashley Buck 4775; 4. James Rini 4635; 5. Randy Swett 3475; 6. Kip Hughes 2520; 7. Kev2n Newell 2370; 8. Nate Jantz, Denver Howard  2260; 10. Dustin Leatherman 2115.

2026 Rookie Standings: 1. Ashlee Buck 4775; 2. James Rini 4635; 3. Randy Swett 3475; 4. Dustin Leatherman 2115. 5. Jaden Bolster 2110; 6. Brian Stinson 1490; 6. 7. Troy Martin, Jr. 1055.

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation goal is to help grow both high school, trade school and college programs to start and or develop a motorsports program, club, or organizations at their school as well as individual motorsports programs. HRMF will provide financial grants, equipment, expertise, scholarships, and educational opportunities for these organizations and individuals. This program will allow students to overcome the hurdle of entering motorsports due to the high costs and specialized experience needed to get started. This program will allow these students the opportunity to be part of a team with one overall goal of success on the track, including budgeting, marketing, mechanical skills, logistics, and team building efforts. All while honoring the life lost to early of Hayden Diesel Ross, #forever66.

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 Missouri, and Arkansas.