Hanover, PA — (September 20, 2013) — This is awesome! I couldn’t have wanted it to end any better.”
So said Cris Eash after winning in his last-ever Trail-Way appearance in Friday’s Trone Outdoor Advertising “358”” sprint car championship.
Eash, who confirmed a few weeks ago that this will be his final year of sprint car racing, started third and had the lead by the end of the first lap of the 25-lap feature. Though his lead dwindled at times as he raced through heavy lapped traffic, he was scored the leader of every lap.
“I didn’t want any cautions,” said Eash of the non-stop race, which he covered in six minutes, 11.35 seconds.
“I want to thank my dad (Dave) and my crew,” added Eash, “Shawn Norris, Shawn Kromer, and all the others who help me deserve all the credit. We’ve tore up some equipment this year, and they just kept fixing it after several crashes. Jeff (Rohrbaugh) and Brad (McClelland) were the class of the field this year, but this is a great way to go out.”
Eash’s win secured a third-place finish in season points.
Jeff Rohrbaugh’s sixth-place finish was good enough to claim his third Trail-Way track title by six points over second-place finisher and hard charger Brad McClelland.
“I’ve been using Shane Smith’s motor the last three races, and without his help, we wouldn’t be here,” said Rohrbaugh, “Lapped traffic was tough tonight, and I knew I wouldn’t win, so I began counting cars. I knew I needed to stay in the top six.”
Crossing third behind Eash and McClelland was 2012 track champ Tim Wagaman, with Shane Hoff and Cody Fletcher completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten behind Rohrbaugh were Isaac Sneeringer, Matt Findley, Jeff Halligan, and Zach Euculano.
All 16 cars finished the event.
Qualifiers were won by Wagaman and Colby Womer.
It was also the final points race of the season for the limited stocks, with Cory Weishaar’s sixth place finish also securing the track title by six points.
Winner of the event was Tom Senseney, who started sixth and took the lead from Jason Chronister on lap seven. He led the rest of the way, with Todd Miller, Matt Chronister, Shannon Weaver, and Brian Walls completing the top five.
Matt Chronister’s third-place finish secured second in the season-long point series.
Heats for the 29 limited stocks were won by Jason Chronister, Kenny Startzman, and Todd Miller.
Ryan Smith won the consolation event.
Jim Young won both 15-lap feature events in the 1000cc “Sidewinder” micro-sprint division.
And he did it in style, driving his 600cc micro to a half-lap win in both races.
“The sidewinders are faster on the straightaways,” said the 2013 Trail-Way 600cc champ in victory lane, “But the 600s are faster in the turns, and I’ll take speed in the turns here at Trail-Way.”
Rohan Beasley crossed second in the first feature, followed by Zach Overmiller, Jerry Strausbaugh, and Josh Chess.
Second through fifth in the second feature were Christian Wright, Rich Halter, Chess, and Strausbaugh.
Pete Neal came from the back row to win the 20-lap Classic Car feature. The Taneytown, MD driver started 11th and grabbed the lead from Charlie Summers on lap 14 to score the win.
Summers faded to fourth at the end, with Jody Yearick and Neal Reamer crossing second and third.
Heats for the 12 Classic Cars were won by Matt Wallace and Bill Brown, Jr.
Tomorrow (9/20), Trail-Way Speedway will host the 24th Annual Kevin Gobrecht Memorial. The 600cc and 270cc Micros Sprints, Central PA Legends Cars, and ACMS 600 Series are on the schedule. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. with racing beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Next Saturday (9/28), Trail-Way will host “Thunder on the Farm”. It is also the 3rd Annual Mike Zeigler Memorial. It will be $2100 to win for the 358 Late Models. Also on the schedule are the Limited Stocks, Street Stocks, and Williams Grove and Susky Street Stocks. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing begins at 6:00 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 September 20, 2013
RACE RESULTS
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. Cris Eash($2000); 2. 6R-Brad McClelland; 3. 1-Tim Wagaman; 4. 69-Shane Hoff; 5. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 6. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 7. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 8. 28F-Matt Findley; 9. 45H-Jeffrey Halligan; 10. 10-Zach Euculano; 11. 12-Mike Bittinger; 12. 64-Randy Whisler; 13. 4-Dwight Leppo; 14. 19-Colby Womer; 15. 28-Austin Kirby; 16. 36-Douglas Deeds. Time 6:11.35.
Lap Leaders- Cris Eash (1-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 1-Tim Wagaman; 2. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 3. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 4. 17E-Cris Eash; 5. 69-Shane Hoff; 6. 28F-Matt Findley; 7. 12-Mike Bittinger; 8. 36-Douglas Deeds. Time 2:25.59.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 19-Colby Womer; 2. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 3. 6R-Brad McClelland; 4. 45H-Jeffrey Halligan; 5. 10-Zach Euculano; 6. 64-Randy Whisler; 7. 28-Austin Kirby; DNS: 4-Dwight Leppo. No Time.
Limited Stocks
Feature (15 Laps)
1. 1-Tom Senseney; 2. 25-Todd Miller; 3. 81-Matt Chronister; 4. 51-Shannon Weaver; 5. 86-Brian Walls; 6. 37-Cory Weishaar; 7. 38-Jason Chronister; 8. 73-Wes Kellison; 9. 21-Ricky Weaver, Jr.; 10. 32-Jeff Foster; 11. 93-Richard Grim, Jr.; 12. 94-Kenny Startzman; 13. 92-Terrance Hartlaub; 14. 27-Donald Hopkins, Jr.; 15. 3-Rod Weaver; 16. 59-Ryan Smith; 17. 88-Justin Oberlin; 18. 47-Travis Brown; 19. 10-Aaron Levin; 20. 29-Mike Wolf; 21. 99-Cody Klinedenst; 22. 39-Shane Miller; 23. 55-Kory Shorb; 24. 41-Robert Wellman; DNS: 8-Lem Crawford. Time 5:16.82.
Lap Leaders- Jason Chronister (1-6), Tom Senseney (7-15).
Heat 1 (6 Laps/7 to Qualify)
1. 38-Jason Chronister; 2. 55-Kory Shorb; 3. 3-Rod Weaver; 4. 81-Matt Chronister; 5. 86-Brain Walls 6. 93-Richard Grim, Jr.; 7. 21-Ricky Weaver, Jr.; 8. 59-Ryan Smith; 9. 8-Lem Crawford; 10. 82-Wesley Miller (DNF). No Time.
Heat 2 (6 Laps/7 to Qualify)
1. 94-Kenny Startzman; 2. 37-Cory Weishaar; 3. 51-Shannon Weaver; 4. 1-Tom Senseney; 5. 73-Wes Kellison; 6. 39-Shane Miller; 7. 29-Mike Wolf; 8. 99-Cody Klinedenst; 9. 01-Chelsea Weaver(DNF); DNS:14-Julio Perez. Time 2:08.75.
Heat 3 (6 Laps/7 to Qualify)
1. 25-Todd Miller; 2. 41-Robert Wellman; 3. 92-Terrance Hartlaub; 4. 32-Jeff Foster; 5. 27-Donald Hopkins; 6. 88-Justin Oberlin; 7. 10-Aaron Levin; 8. 47-Travis Brown; 9. 00-Keith Dorsey II. No Time.
Consi (6 laps/3 to Qualify)
1. 59-Ryan Smith; 2. 8-Lem Crawford; 3. 47-Travis Brown; 4. 99-Cody Klinedenst; 5. 00-Keith Dorsey II; DNS: 01-Chelsea Weaver; 00-Keith Dorsey II; 82-Wesley Miller. Time 2:04.94.
1000cc Sidewinder Sprints
Feature #1 (12 Laps)
1. 8-Jim Young; 2. 14-Rohan Beasley; 3. 75-Zach Overmiller; 4. 26-Jerry Strausbaugh; 5. 72-Josh Chess; 6. 22-Christian Wright; 7. 95-Jonathan Hynes; 8. 81-Mike Zielonis; 9. 4T- Brandon Yarlett; 10. 04-Rich Halter; 11. 23M-Adam Meier. Time 4:09.54.
Lap Leaders- Rohan Beasley (1-4), Jim Young (5-15).
Feature #2 (12 Laps)
1. 8-Jim Young; 2. 22-Christian Wright; 3. 04-Rich Halter; 4. 72-Josh Chess; 5. 26-Jerry Strausbaugh; 6. 81-Mike Zielonis; 7. 95-Jonathan Hynes(DNF); 8. 14-Rohan Beasley(DNF); 9. 75-Zach Overmiller; 10. 23M-Adam Meier; 11. 4T-Brandon Yarlett(DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Christian Wright (1-4), Jim Young (5-15).
Classic Cars
Feature (20 Laps)
1. 21A-Pete Neal; 2. 81-Jody Yearick; 3. 7-Neal Reamer; 4. 07-Charlie Summers; 5. 29-Daniel Little; 6. 12-Vincent Crocker; 7. 09-Ron Grove; 8. 87-Buddy Naill; 9. 578-Matt Wallace(DNF); 10. 88-Bill Brown, Jr.(DNF); 11. 91-Ryan Arnold(DNF); 12. 20-Steve Cantwell(DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Charlie Summers (1-13), Pete Neal (14-20).
Heat 1 (8 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 578-Matt Wallace; 2. 21A-Pete Neal; 3. 20-Steve Cantwell; 4. 07-Charlie Summers; 5. 81-Jody Yearick; 6. 7-Neal Reamer. Time 2:40.97.
Heat 2 (8 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 88-Bill Brown, Jr.; 2. 91-Ryan Arnold; 3. 09-Ron Grove; 4. 29-Daniel Little; 5. 12-Vincent Crocker; 6. 87-Buddy Naill. Time 2:36.18.