McClelland wins at Trail-Way

Trail-Way Speedway Top Story

From Kalida Landis

Hanover, PA — (Friday July 3, 2015) — Brad McClelland drove around Dwight Leppo on the next-to-last lap to claim his division-leading 45th career win in the 358 sprint car feature at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night.

“I got the s**ts of finishing second,” said McClelland upon exiting his Littlestown Auto Care Center/Rucker Computer Solutions #6R in victory lane, “They weren’t going to beat me again tonight!”

McClelland scored the win after driving around Leppo’s #4 in turns three and four as the leaders came down to take the white flag.

The win came after three straight second-place finishes behind three first-time winners over the past three TW races.

“Last time Dwight beat me, he said I’d have to go around him to win. So that’s what I did,” said McClelland, who was also the event’s hard charger, “After that last caution, I sat up in the seat and pushed the wing forward. Steve Rucker builds our motors and the guys in the shop make all the difference.”

An eight-car inversion put McClelland seventh for the start. He entered top five on lap five, and stayed there until lap 14, when he caught Cody Fletcher. Two laps later, he passed Mike Bittinger for third, and he drove under Isaac Sneeringer to move up the second during a three-car battle for the lead.

The final caution came out on lap 21 for Fletcher, who spun in turn two and collected Jeff Halligan.

McClelland hounded Leppo in a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle that lasted until the checkered, with McClelland crossing a scant .68 seconds ahead at the end.

Sneeringer settled for third, with Bittinger fourth and Seth Kearchner fifth.

Qualifiers for the 15 sprint cars were won by McClelland and Kearchner.

Hampstead, Maryland’s Michael Boer started third and led every lap of the 20-lap Mason-Dixon 270cc micro-sprint feature. He crossed 1.72 seconds ahead of polesitter Jim Still, wity Bill Laughman, Cory Myers, and Levi Peck rounding out the top five.

Heats for the 25 micros were won by Cory Myers, Laughman, and Steven Cox.

Dan Furman is Trail-Way’s all-time winningest street stock driver, but Friday night he had one literally fall into his lap, assumed the lead from fourth-place when two leaders got together during the feature and a third car was sent to the rear for roughriding and went to the pits.

It was on lap 12 of the 20-lap feature that leaders Aaron Beard and Matt Wampler got together in turns three and four, giving the lead to the 89 of Classic Car Joe Brown. But during the caution, Brown was penalized for rough riding, and went to the pits, handing the lead over to Furman.

But the race for the lead wasn’t over. Jim Jacobs wrestled the lead from Furman on lap 14 and led until lap 18, when Furman reclaimed the lead. Though he led the last three laps, his margin of victory was only .28 seconds at the finish. Third through fifth were Cory Weishaar, Dalton Myers, and Kelly Seal III.

Heats for the 14 street stocks were won by Furman and Michael Goodwin, who crashed while leading in the feature.

In an experimental move, Trail-Way promoters invited two Classic Cars to compete with the street stocks. With Brown in the lead before his penalty, the Classic Cars proved they can run competitively with the street stocks.

Matt Chronister came from 11th starting spot to win the 15-lap limited stock feature. Michael Kolodiej, Jr. started on the pole and led until Chronister got by on lap 8. Kolodiej faded to sixth at the end, with 12th-starting Kyle Rohrbaugh, Robert Nicklow, Kenny Startzman, and Jason Chronister completing the top five.

Heats for the 20 limited stocks were won by Jason Chronister and Kolodiej.

Brian Gagliardo dominated the 15-lap Pen-Mar Vintage Car Les Coghill Memorial, crossing a half-lap in front of runner-up Glenn Pobletts. Third through fifth were Randy Minich, Mark Rickrode, Jr., and Rick Pastor. Gagliardo’s non-stop 15-lap time shattered the previous record by nearly 15 seconds, with a time of 4 minutes, 39.69 seconds.

The lone qualifier for the nine vintage cars was also won by Gagliardo.

Next Friday, July 10th the Precise Racing Limited Late Models return to TW along with the Limited Stocks, Street Stocks and Central PA Legends. It will also be A.R.C.H. (Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown) Night at Trail-Way. All card-holding members will receive $2 off admission. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., with heats beginning at 7:45 p.m.

Friday July 3, 2015
Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, PA
For Immediate Release

HOOSIER TIRE MID-ATLANTIC 358 SPRINT CARS

FEATURE (25 Laps) – 1. 6R-Brad McClelland (Big Mike’s Crabhouse Hard Charger); 2. 4-Dwight Leppo; 3. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 4. 12-Mike Bittinger; 5. 30-Seth Kearchner; 6. 10-Zach Euculano; 7. 77-David Holbrook; 8. 64-Randy Whisler; 9. 2-Dennis Gross; 10. 14C-Dave Carlberg; 11. 66A-Cody Fletcher (DNF); 12. 45H-Jeff Halligan (DNF); 13. 81B-Bob Anderson (DNF); 14. 10T-Brody Treaster (DNF); 15. 17-George Streaker, Jr. (DNF). No time.

Lap Leaders: Dwight Leppo (1-23), Brad McClelland (24-25)

358 Sprint Heat 1 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 6R-Brad McClelland; 2. 45H-Jeff Halligan; 3. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 4. 12-Mike Bittinger; 5. 2-Dennis Gross; 6. 81B-Bob Anderson; 7. 10T-Brody Treaster; 8. 17-George Streaker, Jr. (DNF). Time – 2:23.28

358 Sprint Heat 2 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 30-Seth Kearchner; 2. 77-David Holbrook; 3. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 4. 4-Dwight Leppo; 5. 10-Zach Euculano; 6. 14C-Dave Carlberg; 7. 64-Randy Whisler (DNS). Time – 2:24.37

LIMITED STOCKS

FEATURE (15 Laps) – 1. 81-Matt Chronister; 2. 12-Kyle Rohrbaugh; 3. 18-Robert Nicklow; 4. 94-Kenny Startzman; 5. 38-Jason Chronister; 6. 11-Michael Kolodiej, Jr.; 7. 72-Donald Hopkins, Jr.; 8. 1-Sarah Redmond; 9. 80-Lee Redman; 10. 69-Robbie Carroll; 11. 16-Julio Perez; 12. 99-Cody Klinedinst; 13. 25-Keith Dorsey, II; 14. 20-Ricky Weaver, Jr.; 15. 01-Chelsea Weaver; 16. 61-Johnny Sibirtzeff; 17. 39-Shane Miller (DNF); 18. 32-Jeff Foster (DNF); 19. 41-Robert Wellman (DNF); 20. 29-Mike Wolf (DNS). No time.

Lap Leaders: Michael Kolodiej, Jr. (1-7), Matt Chronister (8-15)

Limited Stock Heat 1 Finish (6 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 38-Jason Chronister; 2. 81-Matt Chronister; 3. 39-Shane Miller; 4. 32-Jeff Foster; 5. 99-Cody Klinedinst; 6. 25-Keith Dorsey II; 7. 01-Chelsea Weaver; 8. 29-Mike Wolf (DNF); 9. 20-Ricky Weaver, Jr. (DNF); 10. 69-Robbie Carroll (DNF). No time.

Limited Stock Heat 2 Finish (6 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 11-Michael Kolodiej, Jr.; 2. 18-Robert Nicklow; 3. 94-Kenny Startzman; 4. 12-Kyle Rohrbaugh; 5. 72-Donald Hopkins, Jr.; 6. 41-Robert Wellman; 7. 1-Sarah Redmond; 8. 16-Julio Perez; 9. 80-Lee Redman; 10. 61-Johnny Sibirtzeff. Time – 2:04.72

STREET STOCKS

FEATURE (20 Laps) – 1. 5M-Dan Furman; 2. 4J-Jim Jacobs; 3. 37-Cory Weishaar; 4. 94-Dalton Myers; 5. 28-Kelly Seal III; 6. 60-Aaron Beard; 7. 94M-Zach Myers; 8. 09-Ron Grove; 9. 6M-Cody Souders; 10. 100-Matt Wampler (DNF); 11. 89-Joe Brown (DNF); 12. 17-Brian Blank, Jr. (DNF); 13. 33-Michael Goodwin (DNF); 14. 51-Jeremy Stremmel (DNF). No time.

Lap Leaders: Michael Goodwin (1-10), Aaron Beard (11-12), Dan Furman (13), Jim Jacobs (14-18), Dan Furman (19-20)

Street Stocks Heat 1 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 5M-Dan Furman; 2. 60-Aaron Beard; 3. 4J-Jim Jacobs; 4. 28-Kelly Seal III; 5. 09-Ron Grove; 6. 17-Brian Blank, Jr.; 7. 6M-Cody Souders. Time – 2:43.25

Street Stocks Heat 2 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 33-Michael Goodwin; 2. 51-Jeremy Stremmel; 3. 89-Joe Brown; 4. 94-Dalton Myers; 5. 37-Cory Weishaar; 6. 100-Matt Wampler; 7. 94M-Zach Myers. No time.

MASON DIXON 270 MICRO SPRINTS

FEATURE (20 Laps) – 1. 22-Michael Boer; 2. 8-Jim Still; 3. 2-Bill Laughman; 4. 20-Cory Myers; 5. 64-Levi Peck; 6. 58-Steven Cox; 7. 10-Tim Smith; 8. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 9. 4T4-Joe Long, Jr.; 10. 84-Zachary Glass; 11. 10H-Dave Holler; 12. 4-Jim Myers; 13. 32-Chad Myers; 14. 44-Richard Crunkilton; 15. 29C-Jeff Arigo; 16. 46-Cody Stutting; 17. 16-Keera Dupler; 18. 18-Brian Marriott (DNF); 19. 10X-Nik Gower (DNF); 20. 13X-Jason Stutting (DNF); 21. 20H-Eric Heath (DNF); 22. 43-Brandon McMillion (DNF); 23. 23-Tyler Cool (DNF); 24. 17-Karl Wheeler, Jr. (DNF).; 25. 6C-Tim McClelland (DNS). No time.

Lap Leaders: Michael Boer (1-20)

270 Micro Heat 1 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 20-Cory Myers; 2. 22-Michael Boer; 3. 10H-Dave Holler; 4. 4T4-Joe Long, Jr.; 5. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 6. 32-Chad Myers; 7. 46-Cody Stutting; 8. 6C-Tim McClelland (DNF); 9. 4-Jim Myers (DNF). Time – 2:12.16

270 Micro Heat 2 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 2-Bill Laughman; 2. 64-Levi Peck; 3. 84-Zachary Glass; 4. 20H-Eric Heath; 5. 29C-Jeff Arigo; 6. 13X-Jason Stutting; 7. 44-Richard Crunkilton; 8. 43-Brandon McMillion (DNF). Time – 2:11.65

270 Micro Heat 3 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 58-Steven Cox; 2. 8-Jim Still; 3. 10X-Nik Gower; 4. 10-Tim Smith; 5. 23-Tyler Cool; 6. 17-Karl Wheeler, Jr.; 7. 16-Keera Dupler; 8. 18-Brian Marriott (DNF) No time.

PENN-MAR VINTAGE CARS – LES COGHILL MEMORIAL

FEATURE (15 Laps) – 1. 07-Brian Gagliardo; 2. 0-Glenn Pobletts; 3. 707-Randy Minich; 4. 29-Mark Rickrode, Jr.; 5. 13-Rick Pastor; 6. U2-Stew Wenrich; 7. 34-John Marks; 8. 4-Scott Rickrode; 9. 00-Gary Becker. No time.

Lap Leaders: Brian Gagliardo (1-15)

Vintage Car Heat 1 Finish (8 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 97-Brian Gagliardo; 2. 29-Mark Rickrode, Jr.; 3. 0-Glenn Pobletts; 4. 707-Randy Minich; 5. 13-Rick Pastor; 6. 34-John Marks; 7. 4-Scott Rickrode; 8. U2-Stew Wenrich; 9. 00-Gary Becker. No time.