Hanover, PA — (May 3, 2013) — Hanover, PA (05/03/13) – For the final six laps of Friday’s 25-lap 358 sprint feature at Trail-Way Speedway, it was a return to the past.
In a duel of the top two feature winners in the track’s 358 sprint history, York’s Jeff Rohrbaugh and Westminster, Md.’s Brad McClelland held the top two positions over the final six laps before Rohrbaugh edged McClelland by 75-hundredths of a second at the checkered flag for his first victory of the 2013 season.
“That’s what the fans pay to see. Brad and I had a pretty good rivalry there a couple of years ago and it’s good to see him in a good car. A hell of a competitor, him and Cris (Eash, who placed third) both,” Rohrbaugh said, adding, “I started in front of them both, so I had the benefit.”
Rohrbaugh began his drive to victory in sixth place, but had driven to second place behind polesitter Shane Hoff by the end of the first lap. Rohrbaugh chased Hoff for the first three laps before passing the New Oxford driver in the second turn of the fourth lap.
From there, Rohrbaugh was never headed, but it has hardly a smooth Friday night drive. While Rohrbaugh drove his customary low line around the 1/3-mile oval, he endured one caution flag for the spinning car of Cody Fletcher in turn four before something much bigger happened.
Brad Gleason, who made a quick trip to the pits before the green flag fell, exited turn four low on the 19th lap, drifted into the frontstretch wall and rolled two times at the flagstand before leaping into the catch fence and to a sudden stop. The Walkersville, Md., driver was unhurt, but the contact ended his night, broke two fence posts and a public address speaker and forced a delay of more than 10 minutes while track personnel made repairs. Fans sitting in the vicinity of the broken fence were asked to leave that area for the rest of the program.
When the cars were given the OK to move after the red flag, Hoff, who was running second, went to the infield instead to end his race. That put McClelland, who had started 10th, behind Rohrbaugh, but he could not catch him.
“I hope next week it’s my turn,” Bittinger, who won the Big Mike’s Crabhouse Hard Charger Award, said, adding, “The top got a little too tight at the end there at the end.”
Robbie Kendall placed fourth ahead of Jason Cunningham Jr., Tim Wagaman, Zach Eucolano, 15th-starting Mike Bittinger, Joe Trone Jr. and Randy Whisler.
Heats for the 16 358 sprints were won by Wagaman and Cunningham.
The withdrawal of outside polesitter Gene Knaub from the 25-lap 358 late model feature field surprised the crowd before Grant Adams took full advantage to take the victory. Adams powered past polesitter and early pacesetter Travis Mease around the outside of the second turn on the 10th lap en route to his win by 1.81 seconds.
“This place is kind of unique because, in order to pass on the top, you have to get in line before you get on the backstretch or you’re in for some trouble,” Adams said.
Mease retained second place to the finish while Cam Zeigler was third. Shaun Jones and Steve Billet completed the top five. Gettysburg’s Brad Shank, who started scratch on the 15-car field, was the race’s Hard Charger Award winner by placing sixth.
Knaub and Pat Beard won heat races for the 15 358 late models.
York’s Lucas Montgomery won a three-car duel over the closing laps of the 20-lap Central PA Legends feature. Montgomery grabbed the top spot from polesitter Chris McKinney on the eighth lap and then fought off Chris Transeau and Bob Stough. Stough spun in the fourth corner of the final circuit and charged back to place sixth.
The spin allowed McKinney to place third ahead of Scott Houdeshell and Bill Diehl.
Houdeshell, Harlon Leppo and Richard Miller claimed the heat wins among the 21 Legends entries.
The limited stock feature produced the best race of the night in the final event. Gettysburg’s Cory Weishaar outraced Rod Weaver off the fourth corner on the final lap of the 15-lap event to win by about two feet at the checkered flag. Weishaar took the lead from Weaver on the 11th tour and won the tight duel to the finish.
Jeff Foster took third ahead of Todd Miller and Brian Walls, who started 24th.
Ricky Weaver Jr., Jeff Foster and Ryan Smith took heat wins among the 27 limited stocks. Brad Kress won the consolation.
Next Friday (5/10), Trail-Way Speedway will host York County Racing Club Night, which features the 358 sprint cars, 270cc micro sprints, street stocks and limited stocks. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
On the ensuing Friday (5/17), Trail-Way will host the 358 sprints, 600cc micro sprints, thundercars and, in a qualifier for the Miller Fall Classic, the 4-cylinder stocks.
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 flag falls.
Trail-Way Speedway For Immediate Release May 3, 2013
RACE RESULTS
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 2. 6-Brad McClelland; 3. 17E-Cris Eash; 4. 55X-Robbie Kendall; 5. 7C-Jason Cunningham Jr.; 6. 1*-Tim Wagaman II; 7. 10-Zach Eucolano; 8. 12-Mike Bittinger; 9. 99-Joe Trone Jr.; 10. 64-Randy Whisler; 11. 66a-Cody Fletcher; 12. 30-Seth Kearchner; 13. 69-Shane Hoff (DNF); 14. 33-Brad Gleason (DNF); 15. 4-Dwight Leppo. DNS: 17G-George Streaker Jr. No Time.
Lap Leaders – Shane Hoff (1-3), Jeff Rohrbaugh (4-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 1*-Tim Wagaman II; 2. 55K-Robbie Kendall; 3. 33-Brad Gleason; 4. 69-Shane Hoff; 5. 99-Joe Trone Jr.; 6. 10-Zach Eucolano; 7. 64-Randy Whisler; 8. 17G-George Streaker Jr. (DNF). No Time.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 7C-Jason Cunningham, Jr.; 2. 6-Brad McClelland; 3. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 4. 17e-Cris Eash; 5. 30-Seth Kearchner; 6. 4-Dwight Leppo; 7. 66a-Cody Fletcher. DNS: 12-Mike Bittinger. Time- 2:21.97.
358 Late Models
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 64-Grant Adams; 2. 116-Travis Mease; 3. 21Z-Cam Zeigler; 4. 1J-Shaun Jones; 5. 20-Steve Billet; 6. 57-Brad Shank; 7. 1W-Billy Wampler; 8. 99-Kevin Palmer; 9. 14-Tyler Horst (DNF); 10. 54-Kyle Martin (DNF); 11. 7-Pat Beard (DNF); 12. 18M-Erick Markle (DNF); 13. 25X-Jed Latshaw (DNF). DNS: 1-Gene Knaub; 18-Travis McClelland. No Time.
Lap Leaders – Travis Mease (1-10), Grant Adams (11-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 1-Gene Knaub; 2. 64-Grant Adams; 3. 1J-Shaun Jones; 4. 21A-Cam Zeigler; 5. 54-Kyle Martin; 6. 25X-Jed Latshaw; 7. 18M-Erick Markle; 8. 57-Brad Shank (DNF). Time – 2:40.94.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 7-Pat Beard; 2. 116-Travis Mease; 3. 1W-Billy Wampler; 4. 20-Steve Billet; 5. 14-Tyler Horst; 6. 99-Kevin Palmer; 7. 18-Travis McClelland (DNF). No Time.
Limited Stocks
Feature (15 Laps)
1. 95-Cory Weishaar; 2. 3-Rod Weaver; 3. 32-Jeff Foster; 4. 25-Todd Miller; 5. 86-Brian Walls; 6. 56-Brad Kress; 7. 8-Lem Crawford; 8. 16-Julio Perez; 9. 13-John Shorb Jr.; 10. 5-Jason Ohler; 11. 27-Donald Hopkins Jr.; 12. 69-Robbie Carroll; 13. 88-Justin Oberlin; 14. 41-Robert Wellman; 15. 10-Aaron Levin (DNF); 16. 05-Andrew Cook; 17. 99-Cody Klinedenst; 18. 9-John Shorb Sr.; 19. 92-Terry Hartlaub (DNF); 20. 21-Ricky Weaver Jr. (DNF); 21. 81-Matt Chronister (DNF); 22. 59-Ryan Smith (DNF); 23. 38-Jason Chronister (DNF); 24. 54-Tyler Gastley (DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders – John Shorb Sr. (1-2), Terry Hartlaub (3-4), Rod Weaver (5-10), Cory Weishaar (11-15).
Heat 1 (6 Laps/6 to Qualify)
1. 21-Ricky Weaver Jr.; 2. 92-Terry Hartlaub; 3. 25-Todd Miller; 4. 95-Cory Weishaar; 5. 5-Jason Ohler; 6. 38-Jason Chronister; 7. 56-Brad Kress; 8. 10-Aaron Levin; 9. 99-Cody Klinedenst. Time – 2:06.16.
Heat 2 (6 Laps/6 to Qualify)
1. 32-Jeff Foster; 2. 3-Rod Weaver; 3. 16-Julio Perez; 4. 9-John Shorb Sr.; 5. 8-Lem Crawford; 6. 27-Donald Hopkins Jr.; 7. 01-Chelsea Weaver. DNS: 11-Michael Kolodiej Jr.; 48-Bobby Mullins. Time – 2:08.69.
Heat 3 (6 Laps/6 to Qualify)
1. 59-Ryan Smith; 2. 81-Matt Chronister; 3. 86-Brian Walls; 4. 13-John Shorb Jr.; 5. 88-Justin Oberlin; 6. 41-Robert Wellman; 7. 69-Robbie Carroll; 8. 05-Andrew Cook; 9. 54-Tyler Gastley (penalized for rough riding). Time – 2:04.94.
Consolation (6 laps/3 to Qualify)
1. 56-Brad Kress; 2. 69-Robbie Carroll; 3. 10-Aaron Levin; 4. 54-Tyler Gastley; 5. 05-Andrew Cook; 6. 99-Cody Klinedenst; 7. 01-Chelsea Weaver. DNS: 11-Michael Kolodiej Jr.; 48-Bobby Mullins Time – 2:05.19.
Central PA Legends
Feature (20 Laps)
1. 15-Lucas Montgomery; 2. 18-Chris Transeau; 3. 3M-Chris McKinney; 4. 5-Scott Houdeshell; 5. 53-Bill Diehl; 6. 07-Bob Stough; 7. 94-Greg Burd; 8. 09-Chris Spidle; 9. 38-Richard Miller; 10. 76-Randy Minich; 11. 44-Scott Gobrecht; 12. 85-Chad Earnst; 13. 56-Mike Gable; 14. 55-Greg Martz; 15. 85S-Keith Haring; 16. 79-Ed Trump; 17. 14-Joe Ehrisman; 18. 15H-Harlon Leppo (DNF); 19. 13-Jacob Feltch (DNF); 20. 20-Vernon Houseman; 21. 93-David Miller (DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders – Chris McKinney (1-7); Lucas Montgomery (8-20).
Heat 1 (8 Laps/All Qualify)
1. 5-Scott Houdeshell; 2. 3M-Chris McKinney; 3. 07-Bob Stough; 4. 53-Bill Diehl; 5. 76-Randy Minich; 6. 79-Ed Trump; 7. 14-Joe Ehrisman Time – 2:51.06.
Heat 2 (8 Laps/All Qualify)
1. 15H-Harlon Leppo; 2. 09-Chris Spidle; 3. 94-Greg Burd; 4. 15-Lucas Montgomery; 5. 44-Scott Gobrecht; 6. 85S-Keith Haring; 7. 93-David Miller (DNF). No Time.
Heat 3 (8 Laps/All Qualify)
1. 38-Richard Miller; 2. 18-Chris Transeau; 3. Jacob Feltch; 4. 20-Vernon Houseman; 5. 56-Mike Gable; 6. 55-Greg Martz (DNF); 7. 85-Chad Earnst (DNF). No Time.