LIMA - It's been a learning curve for University of Northwestern Ohio freshman stock car driver Joel Ortberg, but it appears he's catching on fairly quickly. Ortberg raced to his best finish of the season with a third-place showing in the 15-lap Bud Thunderstocks feature Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park.

Ortberg, who has experience racing late models back home in Sardinia, Ohio, has driven in six races this season for UNOH, amassing five top-10 finishes and three top-5's.

In addition to his third in the feature and second in his heat race, Ortberg finished third in the Fricke Thunderstock Memorial Select at the end of the night.

"We had a pretty good night. The guys worked hard on the car; (Anthony) Paupore, Sebastian (Font), Brent (Weaver), Dan (Smith), I can't thank those guys enough for working their tails off," Ortberg said. "We're on a good track. I think we'll be better as the season goes, and hopefully pick up a win before the season is over.

"Coming from a four-bar car to a leaf car, I've had to relearn how to drive a car. … The last few weeks I've learned what I like in the car, Paupore has learned how to adapt the car to what I like. Things are meshing together."

To listen to the complete interview with Ortberg, follow this link.

Nick Wojcik finished sixth in the stock feature, and Shane Wolf was eighth while Dwight Niehoff was 11th. Niehoff led the first eight laps of the feature but went to the tail when another car drove him into the wall in turn four.

In the Select race, Wolf came in sixth and Niehoff was seventh.

Kody Weisner continued his solid season in the modified division, taking home a fourth place in the K&N UMP Modified 20-lap feature. Weisner started fifth and immediately made his way to third after the first lap. He moved to second after a restart on the second lap, but he got caught in the cushion later in the race, allowing Terry Hull and Jake Reufer to pass him.

Ryan O'Dette and Andy Mattord didn't finish the race, both coming to the infield midway through the feature.

The Racers continue their season next Friday at Limaland on the Night of Champions.