Hanover, PA — (July 5, 2013) — Brad McClelland’s 30th career 358 sprint feature win at Trail-Way Speedway was a memorable one for the Westminster, Md., driver for one reason. He had to endure a wild moment to move to the front.
Moving up from his fifth starting spot, McClelland obtained the top spot on the 13th lap when he passed Hanover’s Randy Whisler, who had led nonstop from the green flag, entering the first turn. Moments later, Whisler’s car made contact with the No. 5O of Brian Allman, sending Whisler’s No. 64 into a wild end-over-end flip onto the first-turn wall.
“I think he had an early flight to get somewhere tonight, but he didn’t make it,” McClelland said about watching Whisler’s crash.
From there, McClelland led Hanover’s Cris Eash until Eash’s car broke on the frontstretch on the 19th lap, putting McClelland’s archrival this season, points leader Jeff Rohrbaugh, into second place. However, McClelland drove away to win by 1.2 seconds for his third triumph in the 358 sprints’ past four programs. Rohrbaugh placed second for the third time at Trail-Way in 2013.
“I’d seen the 45 (Rohrbaugh on the scoreboard) and I said, ‘No, he ain’t going around on the top.’ But the car was loose on the bottom and I kept pulling the (top) wing back. All you can do is wait until you hear somebody or see somebody, and sometimes that is too late,” McClelland, a former National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year, said. “And we brought it home.”
Tim Wagaman II placed third ahead of Austin Hogue and defending feature winner Austin Hogue, who joined Jordan Givler as heat winners for the 15 358 sprints. Shippensburg’s Austin Kirby, a former stock car driver competing in only his second 358 sprint feature, placed sixth to earn the Hard Charger Award after he started 14th.
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 6R-Brad McClelland; 2. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 3. 1*-Tim Wagaman; 4. 52-Austin Hogue; 5. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 6. 28-Austin Kirby; 7. 5O-Brian Allman; 8. 4-Dwight Leppo; 9. 16-Matt Campbell; 10. 17E-Cris Eash (DNF); 11. 90-Jordan Givler (DNF); 12. 64-Randy Whisler (DNF); 13. 55K-Robbie Kendall (DNF); 14. 10-Zach Eucolano (DQ). DNS: 69-Shane Hoff. No Time.
Lap Leaders – Randy Whisler (1-12), Brad McClelland (13-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All Qualify): 1. 90-Jordan Givler; 2. 6R-Brad McClelland; 3. 17E-Cris Eash; 4. 64-Randy Whisler; 5. 1*-Tim Wagaman II; 6. 16-Matt Campbell; 7. 28-Austin Kirby; 8. 55K-Robbie Kendall (DNF). Time – 2:27.42.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All Qualify): 1. 52-Austin Hogue; 2. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 3. 4-Dwight Leppo; 4. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 5. 69-Shane Hoff; 6. 5O-Brian Allman; 7. 10-Zach Eucolano (DNF). Time – 2:21.73.