From Kalida Landis
Hanover, PA (08/08/14) – All-time winner Brad McClelland started on the pole and led every lap for his fifth win of the year in the 25-lap “358” sprint car feature at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night.
“We’ll take it. We got a good pill draw and the track was slick tonight,” said the Trail-Way and Central PA 358 sprint car points leader upon exiting the Steve Rucker-owned Baird Heating & Cooling/Littlestown Auto Care/Stuffle Construction/Rucker Computer #6R in victory lane, “Isaac (Sneeringer) and I are taking turns starting at the front and back.”
As for Sneeringer, last week’s winner started at the back, spun when his car jumped out of gear in turns three and four of the original start, and came back through to finish fourth.
McClelland dominated throughout, crossing 4.88 seconds ahead of Seth Kearchner at the checkered flag.
Invader Mark Bitner was third, with Cody Fletcher finishing fifth.
Heats for the 11 “358” sprinters were won by McClelland and Zach Euculano, who brought out the red flag when he flipped in turn four of the second attempt to start the race.
Shawn Seifert also led every lap from the pole in the 20-lap 600cc micro-sprint feature. Though he was never seriously challenged, Seifert did have to withstand several cautions and one red flag, which came out for a double-flip by Hannah Riser and Travis Scott in turn four of lap six.
Bo Gordon, Jr., Brad Weber, Jim Young, and Bret Cronrath completed the top five.
Qualifiers for the 18 micros were won by Weber and Jim Radney.
Twin 1000cc “Sidewinder” micro-sprint features were won by Jim Young and Keith Ford.
Young, celebrating his 55th birthday, also led every lap from the pole in the first 15-lapper.
Mike Zielonis, Rohan Beasley, Austin Quick, and Brandon Yarett completed the top five in the first feature.
Keith Ford, who suffered a flat tire and dropped from the first feature, took the lead from his outside front row starting spot and led every lap of the second feature. His win in the non-stop event established a new Trail-Way “Sidewinder” track record of 4 minutes, 5 seconds.
Hannah Riser (doing double duty in the two micro-sprint divisions), Quick, Jerry Strausbaugh, and Young finished second through fifth.
Shane Miller started fourth and became the third different leader on lap six in scoring his first win of the year in the 15-lap limited stock feature.
Outside front row starter Mike Wolf led the first three laps before fifth-starting Terry Hartlaub took the lead. He led laps four and five before Miller took the lead. He led the rest of the way, with Shannon Weaver coming from eighth to finish second. Third through fifth were ninth-starting Kyle Rohrbaugh, 11th-starting Matt Chronister, and Jason Chronister.
Heats for the 18 limited stocks were won by Miller and Rohrbaugh.
Jeremy Stremmel claimed his third win of the year in a wild 20-lap street stock feature that saw him lead the first 12 laps and the last four laps.
Stremmel got out of shape in turns three and four and handed the lead to fifth-starting Eric Johnson on lap 13. Johnson led the next three laps before a charging Dan Furman (now in second) bumped Johnson and got both drivers out of shape in turns one and two of lap 16. Third-place Chad Stine took to the low side and Stremmel went around the outside to take first and second, with Stine scored the leader of lap 16.
One lap later, Stremmel reclaimed the lead for good, with Johnson settling for second in his first Trail-Way appearance. Stine, Cory Weishaar, and David Johnson completed the top five.
Furman dropped from the field with a flat right front tire on lap 17.
The lone qualifier for the 11 street stocks was won by Stine.
Next Friday (8/15), Trail-Way will host the 358 Sprint Cars, Limited Stocks, Central PA Legends, and Street Stocks. It is also “Sign Night,” with fans encouraged to make a sign of their favorite driver for a chance to win prizes. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 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 August 8, 2014
RACE RESULTS
358 Sprint Cars
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 6R-Brad McClelland; 2. 30-Seth Kearchner; 3. 15-Mark Bitner; 4. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer(HC); 5. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 6. 4-Dwight Leppo; 7. 64-Randy Whisler; 8. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle; 9. 7M-Tyler Buchenauer(DNF); 10. 83-Cody Fairchok(DNF); 11. 10-Zach Euculano(DNF). No Time.
Lap Leaders- Brad McClelland (1-25).
Heat 1 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 6R-Brad McClelland; 2. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 3. 30-Seth Kearchner; 4. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 5. 64-Randy Whisler; 6. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle. Time 2:24.12.
Heat 2 (10 Laps/All to Qualify)
1. 10-Zach Euculano; 2. 83-Cody Fairchok; 3. 15-Mark Bitner; 4. 4-Dwight Leppo; 5.7M-Tyler Buchenauer(DNF). No Time.