From Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, PA (04/15/11) – Westminster, Maryland makes some pretty good sprint car drivers.
Steve Owings, who hails from the same home town as all-time Trail-Way winner Brad McClelland, took the lead from his second starting spot at the outset and dominated the 25-lap season opener for “358” sprint cars at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night.
And he did it with support from Brad McClelland.
“There was a lot of pressure for me here tonight,” said Owings upon exiting his Valentine Motorsports #35 in victory lane, “We had the McClellands with us. Brad will be driving this car when I’m not in it here this year.”
After a first-lap red flag for Randy Whisler, who was uninjured in a first-turn flip, the first 21 laps of the feature went non-stop, with lapped traffic a factor once Owings lapped his first car on lap six.
“My car kept getting faster and faster, but you didn’t know when to go fast and when to go slow,” said Owings, “Then I would catch three or four cars at once.”
“We were leading at Lincoln last week and Billy (Dietrich) drove around us like we were standing still,” continued Owings, “So you can’t fool around.”
Owings didn’t. By the time the only caution flag of the race came out on lap 22, Owings had four lapped cars between himself and sixth-starting Cris Eash.
Eash was never able to clear the lapped cars after the restart, and settled for second, with Jeff Rohrbaugh coming from 16th starting spot to cross third, polesitter Mike Duncan, Jr. finishing fourth, and Joe Trone, Jr. fifth.
Completing the top ten were Dietrich, invader Kevin Nouse, 18th-starting Steve Storrie, Keith Prutzman, and J.B. Cunningham, running his first Trail-Way 358 sprint feature. Storrie was the last car on the lead lap.
Heat winners for the 22 “358” sprint cars on hand were won by Owings, Nouse, and lady driver Jessie Morrison.
Sykesville, Maryland’s Glenn Elliott has raced at Trail-Way many times, mostly in the Classic Cars and All-American Outlaws, but Friday night’s “358” late model feature was his first-ever win at the McSherrystown oval.
Elliott started third, squeezed under polesitter Cam Zeigler when he got sideways in the first two turns, and led every lap. Zeigler pulled up lame at the end of the first lap and dropped out.
Elliott’s final margin of victory was 5.37-seconds over fifth-starting Steve Billet, with Mike Walls, Bobby Beard, and Bernie Beard completing the top five.
The lone heat for the nine “358” late models was won by Zeigler.
Former track champ Kyle Rohrbaugh started fourth, took the lead from outside front row starter Daryl Hanson on lap seven, and claimed the 12-lap season opener for the limited stocks.
Eighth-starting Rod Weaver caught Hanson for second on lap 10 and finished there, with Hanson settling for third, Chad Weaver fourth, and Robbie Carroll fifth.
Heats for the 22 limited stocks were won by Jason Chronister, Rod Weaver, and Matt Chronister.
Tomorrow (4/16), Trail-Way will host the 600cc and 270cc Micro Sprints and 1000cc Sidewinders. Also on the schedule are the Scramble Cars and Starlite 4cyl Ovals. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing begins at 6:30 p.m.
Next Friday (4/22), Trail-Way Speedway will host the $1,200-to-win “Insinger Performance Spring Championship” for the 358 Sprint Cars. Also on the schedule are the Thundercars and Limited Stocks. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
Next Saturday (4/23), Trail-Way will host the 600cc and 270cc Micro Sprints and Classic Cars. Also on the schedule are the Scramble Cars, Starlite 4cyl Oval and Starlite 6cyl Oval. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing begins at 6:30 p.m.
For all the latest news and related information from Trail-Way Speedway, fans are reminded to visit the speedway website at www.trail-wayspeedway.com. The complete story and agate from each race night is posted shortly after the final checkered falls.
Trail-Way Speedway April 15, 2011
RACE RESULTS
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 35-Steve Owings; 2. 10W-Cris Eash; 3. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 4. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 5. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 6. 8-Billy Dietrich; 7. 21T-Kevin Nouse; 8. 0-Steve Storrie; 9. 28-Keith Prutzman; 10. 7C-J.B. Cunningham; 11. 18J-Jessie Morrison; 12. 7V-Mike Ressler; 13. 10-Zach Euculano; 14. 20-Trevor Little; 15. 66-Dale Hammaker(DNF); 16. 52-Austin Hogue(DNF); 17. 16-Arron Spahr(DNF); 18. 85-Nathan Berwager(DNF); 19. 98-Randy Davis, Jr.(DNF); 20. 21-Scott Fisher(DNF); 21. 64-Randy Whisler(DNF); 22. 66H-Doug Hammaker(DNS). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Steve Owings (1-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 35-Steve Owings; 2. 10W-Cris Eash; 3. 85-Nathan Berwager; 4. 16-Arron Spahr; 5. 10-Zach Euculano; 6. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 7. 7V-Mike Ressler(DNS); 8. 98-Randy Davis, Jr.(DNS). Time 2:19.03.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 21T-Kevin Nouse; 2. 28-Keith Prutzman; 3. 66-Dale Hammaker; 4. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 5. 21-Scott Fisher; 6. 52-Austin Hogue; 7. 66H-Doug Hammaker(DNF). No Time.
Heat 3 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 18J-Jessie Morrison; 2. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 3. 8-Bill Dietrich; 4. 64-Randy Whisler; 5. 7C-J.B. Cunningham; 6. 0-Steve Storrie; 7. 20-Trevor Little. Time 2:25.62.
358 Late Models
Feature (20 Laps)
1. 5-Glenn Elliott; 2. 20-Steve Billet; 3. 1W-Mike Walls; 4. 81S-Bobby Beard; 5. X-Bernie Beard; 6. 18-Travis McClelland; 7. 19Z-John McDonough, Jr.(DNF); 8. 9-Matt Adams(DNF); 9. 21Z-Cam Ziegler(DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Glenn Elliott (1-20).
Heat 1 (8 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 21Z-Cam Zeigler; 2. 5-Glenn Elliott; 3. 20-Steve Billet; 4. 1W-Mike Walls; 5. X-Bernie Beard; 6. 81S-Bobby Beard; 7. 18-Travis McClelland; 8. 19Z-John McDonough, Jr.; 9. 9-Matt Adams. Time 2:39.25.
Limited Stocks
Feature (12 Laps)
1. 12-Kyle Rohrbaugh; 2. 3-Rod Weaver; 3. 5-Daryl Hanson; 4. 2-Chad Weaver; 5. 69-Robbie Carroll; 6. 77-Justin Mitchell; 7. 07-James Myers, Jr.; 8. 95-Randy Hartlaub; 9. 37-Cory Weishaar; 10. 24-Donald Hopkins, Jr.; 11. 96-Sarah Redmond; 12. 15-Hubert Snyder; 13. 25-Tom Senseney, Jr.; 14. 19-Roy Denike; 15. 39-Shane Miller; 16. 48-Lem Crawford; 17. 81-Matt Chronister(DNF); 18. 81-Matt Chronister(DNF); 19. 38-Jason Chronister(DNF); 20. 21-Ricky Weaver, Jr.(DNF); 21. 87-Wesley Miller(DNF); 22. 01-Chelsea Weaver(DNS). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Daryl Hanson (1-6), Kyle Rohrbaugh (7-12).
Heat 1 (6 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 38-Jason Chronister; 2. 39-Shane Miller; 3. 37-Cory Weishaar; 4. 48-Lem Crawford; 5. 19-Roy Denike; 6. 15-Hubert Snyder; 7. 01-Chelsea Weaver; 8. 87-Wesley Miller. Time 2:06.06.
Heat 2 (6 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 3-Rod Weaver; 2. 2-Chad Weaver; 3. 21-Ricky Weaver, Jr.; 4. 95-Randy Hartlaub; 5. 77-Justin Mitchell; 6. 96-Sarah Redmond; 7. 85-Wayne Blevins. Time 2:04.47.
Heat 3 (6 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 81-Matt Chronister; 2. 69-Robbie Carroll; 3. 5-Daryl Hanson; 4. 12-Kyle Rohrbaugh; 5. 24-Donald Hopkins, Jr.; 6. 07-James Myers, Jr.; 7. 25-Tom Senseney. Time 2:06.13.