By Kalida Landis
Hanover, PA (8/24/18) – Two weeks ago, David Holbrook’s #77 Turning Stone Resort & Casino/SCC Trucking 358 Sprint Car had to be towed off of the track following a violent last lap crash that sent his race car straight into a wall. Holbrook walked away from the crash unscathed and was able to return to Trail-Way Speedway two weeks later, only to claim victory in the 2018 Trone Outdoor 358 Sprint Car Championship.
“After two weeks ago, this feels really good,” Holbrook explained in victory lane. “This is a completely new car, a new motor and we were able to put something together here.”
Polesitter Mark Van Vorst grabbed the lead on the initial green and held the top spot for several laps until Holbrook raced his way into the picture. Van Vorst and Holbrook split a lapped car going into three and four with Holbrook taking the high side and snatching the lead away coming to the line on the ninth lap.
Nearly a few seconds later, the same lapped car spun in turn one causing fifth running, Steve Owings, to stop in the same turn. Owings rejoined the field at the tail end of the lead lap and raced his way to a seventh place finish.
Holbrook held a comfortable lead throughout the final laps of the 25-lap feature, coming across the line 2.231 seconds ahead of fifth starter, Cody Fletcher. Zach Euculano, Joe Trone, Jr., and JB Cunningham, Jr.
“We take it one week at a time,” Holbrook commented in victory lane, after being told he currently leads the 2018 Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic 358 Sprint Car point standings. “If you’re leading going into the last one, good, so be it. If you’re not, try your best. We come here every week to try our best.”
Holbrook leads Cody Fletcher by 14 points and Dylan Norris by 28 points going into the final three weeks of racing for the 358 Sprint Cars at Trail-Way Speedway.
Following a fifth place finish at Lincoln Speedway and Friday’s second place finish at Trail-Way Speedway, Cody Fletcher claimed the 2018 Trail-Way/Lincoln 358 Sprint Car Shootout Series title and a $500 bonus. Kody Hartlaub, Matt Findley, Tyler Walton and Dylan Norris completed the top five.
Heats for the 19 358 Sprint Cars were won by Owings, Holbrook and Cunningham.
“I thought somebody was behind me the entire time so I was just trying to drive harder and harder,” so said 600 Micro Sprint driver, Bret Cronrath, in victory lane following a dominating 20-lap feature race.
Cronrath led from the drop of the green and was able to maintain a two second lead through the majority of the feature.
“Unfortunately we haven’t been here in a long while but we love this place and it feels good to get a win after four years,” Cronrath laughed.
Completing the top five were Travis Keiser, Jesse Snyder, Kameron Morral and Tyler Walton. 19th starter, Randy Kunkle, Jr., finished ninth, taking home the Donahue Motorsports Hard Charger award.
Heats for the 19 600 Micro Sprints were won by Snyder and Geoff Gill.
On the second lap of the 600 Micro Sprint feature, a caution had been brought out for a car stopped in turn two. Almost immediately, two micro sprints, driven by Cheyenne Robicheaux and Mike Rynard, collided going into turn three resulting in red flag conditions. Rynard was able to walk away from the accident while Robicheaux was transferred to York Hospital for further evaluation.
Littlestown’s Sam Gallagher claimed the 20-lap Precise Racing Products Street Stock feature, leading from the drop of the initial green flag until the checkered flag was waved.
The win, which was Gallagher’s fourth of the year, inched him closer to point leader, Brian Walls, with only two races remaining in the 2018 season.
Kyle Martin crossed the line second followed by Jim Jacobs, Aaron Beard and Danny Beard completing the top five.
Street Stock heat wins went to Walls and Gallagher.
Kyle Rohrbaugh claimed the 15-lap Limited Stock feature win, Friday night at Trail-Way Speedway. Rohrbaugh and Matt Chronister were battling for the lead when a lapped car became involved with only three laps remaining. Rohrbaugh drove to the outside of the lapped car while Chronister chose the inside, and while doing so, Chronister tagged the lapped car allowing Rohrbaugh just enough time to take the lead on the 13th lap.
Chronister followed Rohrbaugh across the line by .738 seconds followed by Shannon Weaver, Jeff Foster and Terry Hartlaub.
Heats for the Limited Stocks were won by Robbie Carroll and Rohrbaugh.
Trail-Way Speedway is back in action, Friday, August 31, 2018, with the 358 Sprint Cars, 270 Micro Sprints, Street Stocks and Limited Stocks. This will be the final “Kids Race Car Rides” event of the 2018 season. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m.
Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, PA
Friday, August 24, 2018
For Immediate Release
TRONE OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP & RACE #2 OF THE TRAIL-WAY/LINCOLN SPEEDWAY SHOOTOUT – HOOSIER TIRE MID ATLANTIC 358 SPRINT CARS
Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 77-David Holbrook, [2]; 2. 66A-Cody Fletcher, [5]; 3. 10-Zach Euculano, [3]; 4. 99-Joe Trone Jr, [4]; 5. 39-Jason Cunningham Jr, [11]; 6. 11D-Kody Hartlaub, [7]; 7. 35-Steve Owings, [10]; 8. 48-Glenndon Forsythe, [12]; 9. 14T-Tyler Walton, [18]; 10. 28X-Matt Findley, [8]; 11. 44-Dylan Norris, [17]; 12. 8-Kenny Kuhn, [15]; 13. 28-Austin Kirby, [13]; 14. 34-Mark Van Vorst, [1]; 15. 77K-Steven Kisamore, [9]; 16. 29T-Neal Amspacher, [14]; 17. 2-Dennis Gross, [16]; 18. (DNF) 51-Austen Treuchet, [6]; (DNS) 19D-Wyatt Hinkle. No time.
Lap Leaders – Mark Van Vorst (1-8), David Holbrook (9-25)
358 Sprint Car Heat 1 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 35-Steve Owings, [4]; 2. 10-Zach Euculano, [1]; 3. 66A-Cody Fletcher, [2]; 4. 28X-Matt Findley, [7]; 5. 28-Austin Kirby, [3]; 6. 2-Dennis Gross, [6]; 7. (DNF) 14T-Tyler Walton, [5]. No time.
358 Sprint Car Heat 2 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 77-David Holbrook, [2]; 2. 51-Austen Treuchet, [5]; 3. 99-Joe Trone Jr, [4]; 4. 11D-Kody Hartlaub, [6]; 5. 29T-Neal Amspacher, [1]; (DNS) 19D-Wyatt Hinkle. Time – 2:24.65
358 Sprint Car Heat 3 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 39-Jason Cunningham Jr, [2]; 2. 77K-Steven Kisamore, [3]; 3. 34-Mark Van Vorst, [1]; 4. 48-Glenndon Forsythe, [4]; 5. 8-Kenny Kuhn, [5]; 6. (DNF) 44-Dylan Norris, [6]. No time.