Jantz ends six year drought with Sooner Series victory

By John Rittenoure (Rickety Roach photo) - ENID, Okla. (September 5, 2026) - It has been six years since Nate Jantz last won a Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation Sooner Late Model Series feature.

Now the drought has ended.

Jantz, who picked up his last Sooner victory on October 3, 2020 at Enid Speedway, returned to Enid Speedway on Saturday and ran away with his fourth career Sooner Series win.

Jantz started on the pole and quickly pulled away. Denver Howard passed series points leader Eric Brill for second after a lap 15 restart, but ran a distant second to Jantz for his best Sooner Series victory of the season.

A race for the points lead was on the line between Brill and Dakota Dellinger who led the chase for most of the season. Brill came into the night with just a 40 point lead over Dellinger and the two were running third and fourth respectively for the first 10 laps. Dellinger left the race on lap 11. Brill was passed by Howard with five laps remaining and finished third to increase his points head to 125 over Dellinger. Rookie drivers Jaden Bolster and James Rini finished fourth and fifth.

Sooner Late Model Series Results

Enid Speedway - Enid, Oklahoma

September 5, 2026

A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 99-Nate Jantz[1]; 2. 11H-Denver Howard[6]; 3. 65-Eric Brill[2]; 4. 32J-Jaden Bolster[3]; 5. 66R-James Rini[7]; 6. 22N-Kevin Newell[10]; 7. 14S-Randy Swett[11]; 8. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[9]; 9. 4X-Dalon Helm[5]; 10. 122-Damian Patocka[4]; 11. 87-Kenny Sweet[8]

Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 65-Eric Brill[5]; 2. 32J-Jaden Bolster[1]; 3. 4X-Dalon Helm[4]; 4. 14S-Randy Swett[6]; 5. 87-Kenny Sweet[2]; 6. 22N-Kevin Newell[3]

Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 122-Damian Patocka[2]; 2. 99-Nate Jantz[1]; 3. 11H-Denver Howard[5]; 4. 66R-James Rini[3]; 5. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[4]

Lap Leaders: Nate Janz 1-20

Margin of victory: 10.212

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.      

2026 Top 10: 1. Eric Brill 5060; 2. Dakota Dellinger 4935; 3. Ashley Buck 4390; 4. James Rini 4310; 5. Randy Swett 2785; 6. Kevin Newell 2370; 7. Nate Janz 2260; 8. Denver Howard 2260; 9. Dustin Leatherman 2115; 10. Jaden Bolster 2110.

2026 Rookie Standings: 1. Ashlee Buck 4390; 2. James Rini 4310; 3. Randy Swett 3165; 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.