Hanover, PA (07/22/11) – “It’s been a rough night. It did cool down a little, but MAN IT’S HOT IN THAT CAR!” exclaimed Cris Eash after winning the 25-lap 358 Sprint Car feature Friday at Trail-Way Speedway.
“We’ve had a good car all year, but it’s been tough to pass.” said Eash of his West Shore Printing/Cromer’s Electric sponsored #10W, although he’s had 9 top tens in 10 features.
Eash started fourth and was leading when the red flag came out for Joe Trone, Jr. before the completion of the second lap. Trone got out of shape in turn two, but kept the car going until two cars in front of Trone also got out of shape, leading to Trone’s flip on the backstretch. Trone was uninjured but took his damaged sprinter to the pit area.
Polesitter Matt Boland, who took the lead on the start, was put at the point for the restart. Boland led lap two before Eash found his way into the lead. >From there, Eash pulled away from the field like a rocket. Eash entered lapped traffic on lap 7 and had a 4.09 second lead and 4 lapped cars between himself and Boland by lap eleven.
Eash was slowed when the caution came out on lap 14 for a tractor tire that was hit by a driver and was on the track in turn four. On the restart, Eash pulled away and Billy Dietrich took the second spot from Boland.
The final caution flew on lap 20 when Boland lost his right rear wheel and came to a stop in turn four. Eash once again drove away from the field to win his second feature of the season by 4 seconds over second place finisher Dietrich.
“Anytime you’re standing out here(in victory lane), it’s a good night.” said Eash.
“Missing those two races just killed us in the points.” Going into tonight’s races, Eash was fifth in points even though he missed a make-up feature and a regularly scheduled feature to attend his son’s high school graduation. But Eash plans to come out every week and do his best.
Rounding out the top five were Tim Wagaman, 11th-starting Jeff Rohrbaugh, and Dale Hammaker. Sixth through tenth were Logan Schuchart, 12th-starting Mike Bittinger, Randy Whisler, Randy Davis, Jr. and Scott Fisher.
Heats for the 24 358 Sprint Cars were won by Wagaman, Boland, and Rohrbaugh.
RACE RESULTS
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 10W-Cris Eash; 2. 8-Billy Dietrich; 3. 1-Tim Wagaman; 4. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 5. 66-Dale Hammaker; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 7. 12-Mike Bittinger; 8. 64-Randy Whisler; 9. 98-Randy Davis, Jr.; 10. 21-Scott Fisher; 11. B52-Brook Weibley; 12. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 13. 7C-J.B. Cunningham; 14. 10-Zach Euculano; 15. 85-Nathan Berwager; 16. 22T-Matt Boland(DNF); 17. 75-Todd Berkheimer(DNF); 18. 18J-Jessie Morrison(DNF); 19. 28-Keith Prutzman(DNF); 20. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.(DNF); 21. 1A-Jacob Allen(DNS). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Matt Boland (1-2), Cris Eash (3-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 1-Tim Wagaman; 2. 8-Billy Dietrich; 3. 66-Dale Hammaker; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 5. 21-Scott Fisher; 6. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 7. 10-Zach Euculano. No Time.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 22T-Matt Boland; 2. 10W-Cris Eash; 3. 64-Randy Whisler; 4. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 5. 85-Nathan Berwager; 6. 28-Keith Prutzman; 7. 75-Todd Berkheimer. Time 2:23.26.
Heat 3 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 2. 12-Mike Bittinger; 3. 7C-J.B. Cunningham; 4. 98-Randy Davis, Jr.; 5. B52-Brook Weibley; 6. 18J-Jessie Morrison; 7. 1A-Jacob Allen(DNF). Time 2:21.19.