October 12, 2025 | By John Rittenoure

Smith family closes out Sooner season with victory and series championship

ENID, Okla.—For most of the season the Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation Sooner Late Model Series championship battle has been a family affair. It was just a matter of who would end up on top.

That question was answered Saturday at Enid Speedway with Dan Smith capturing the points championship with a fourth place finish behind dad, Delbert Smith, who won the season finale.

It was a season of consistency for both as the winners circle continued to elude them until Saturday’s finale. However, both Dan and Delbert were able to remain on top of the points chase with each one logging 15 top 10 finishes in 18 shows. Ten of those were top five finishes each.

“It was a battle,” Dan Smith said of the season long battle for the Smith family. “We both had stretches of bad luck. When we felt like we got on top of it the other car would have trouble. We are one big family. We work on each other’s cars and root for each other to do well.”

Delbert led the final 14 laps for his first victory of the season and Dan was rooting for him all the way while chasing him from fourth position.

“To see him run up front like he should and get the win was great,” said Dan. “I had enough point padding going in that all I had to do was keep him in sight. I probably could have run harder, but did not want to risk it.

“Enid in October and a Smith in victory lane just feels right.”

Delbert has been racing for 51 years and enjoys racing with his son.

“I had too many motor issues at the middle of the year. But it was fun,” said Delbert of his season. “We were just trying to keep it all in the family. All the money goes in the same account.

“He (Dan) is the future of the team and I am just trying to keep things going and pay the rent.”

The two plan to freshen things up a bit for next season.

“We have a new car we are going to put together for next year and will look at the schedule and see where we are going to go,” Dan said.

The feature got underway with newcomer Brandon Morton jumping into the lead for the first 11 laps before the red flag waved for Justin Patocka who sailed off the high side of turn three. Fortunately Patocka was not hurt.

Smith took over the front spot on the restart and Kip Hughes charged his way round Morton for second. Hughes stayed behind Smith to the finish with Morton hanging on to third. Dan Smith finished fourth and Dalon Helm came from 13th to finish fifth.


Sooner Late Model Series
Enid Speedway - Enid, Oklahoma

October 11, 2025

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 92-Delbert Smith[4]; 2. 60-Kip Hughes[5]; 3. 11M-Brandon Morton[2]; 4. 92S-Dan Smith[3]; 5. 4X-Dalon Helm[13]; 6. 27D-Jared Dunkin[7]; 7. 8B-Ashlee Buck[16]; 8. 194-Scott Phillips[11]; 9. 171-Dax Harless[20]; 10. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[12]; 11. 67-RJ Ramer[17]; 12. 9L-Dustin Leatherman[8]; 13. 88S-Richard Shepler[9]; 14. 122-Damian Patocka[1]; 15. 8-Gary Cooper[14]; 16. 3*-Logan Macy[10]; 17. 18B-Bob Bills[6]; 18. (DNS) 66R-James Rini; 19. (DNS) 99-Nate Jantz; 20. (DNS) 171H-Drew Harless

Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 122-Damian Patocka[4]; 2. 18B-Bob Bills[2]; 3. 27D-Jared Dunkin[5]; 4. 3*-Logan Macy[1]; 5. 4X-Dalon Helm[3]; 6. 8B-Ashlee Buck[6]; 7. (DNS) 171H-Drew Harless

Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 92S-Dan Smith[4]; 2. 11M-Brandon Morton[5]; 3. 9L-Dustin Leatherman[3]; 4. 194-Scott Phillips[6]; 5. 8-Gary Cooper[2]; 6. 67-RJ Ramer[1]; 7. 171-Dax Harless[7]

Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 60-Kip Hughes[1]; 2. 92-Delbert Smith[4]; 3. 88S-Richard Shepler[6]; 4. 9XX-Dakota Dellinger[3]; 5. 66R-James Rini[5]; 6. 99-Nate Jantz[2]

Lap Leaders: Brandon Morton 1-11, Delbert Smith 12-25.

2025 Winners: 3/28 - Eli Ross, Enid Speedway; 4/11 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 4/12 - Bryan Glaze, Crawford County Speedway; 5/30 - Brandon Conkwright, Humboldt Speedway; 5/31 - Kyle Berck, 81 Speedway; 6/20 - Christopher Wilhite, Enid Speedway; 6/28 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 7/5 - Terry Phillips, Enid Speedway; 7/19 - Jon Herring, Jr., Longdale Speedway; 8/9 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway; 8/22 - Dusty Leonard, SaltCity; 8/23 - Dusty Leonard, SaltCity; 9/6 - Kip Hughes, Enid Speedway; 9/13 - Joseph Gorby, Caney Valley Speedway; 9/20 - Kip Hughes, Longdale Speedway; 9/26 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 9/27 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 10/11 - Delbert Smith, Enid Speedway. 

2025 Final Top 10: 1. Dan Smith 7522; 2. Delbert Smith 7455; 3. Eric Brill 5375; 4. Damian Patocka 4945; 5. Dalon Helm 4230; 6. Kip Hughes 3655; 7. Steve Hewitt, Sr. 3265; 8. Jon Herring, Jr. 3115; 9. Nate Jantz 2905; 9. Jon Herring, Jr. 2965; 10. Nate Jantz, Dax Harless 3020.