Kalida Landis
HANOVER, PA (9/11/2015) – In what might have been his last Trail-Way race, Brad McClelland started on the pole and held off 2015 track champ Isaac Sneeringer to score his seventh win of the year and 49th career Trail-Way “358” sprint car win in the 30-lap Trone Outdoor Advertising Championship on Friday night.
For the second straight week, a redraw for the feature landed McClelland on the pole. But this time, he didn’t lead every lap. Outside front row starter Rick Horn, making his first start of the season in the last Trail-Way 358 sprint event of the year, outran McClelland to the first turn and led the first three laps.
McClelland drove under Horn for the race lead exiting turn four of lap four, and led the rest of the way to claim the $2,000 top prize.
“Luck plays a part in it,” said McClelland of his recent starting spots, “It makes it easy starting on the pole. Zeek was coming up through and showed me his nose once. What a way to end the season!”
Then McClelland dropped the bombshell, hinting at retirement.
“This might be my last race at Trail-Way,” he said, “I have some thinking to do over the next few weeks. I think I might hang it up.”
Thought he settled for second, Sneeringer (who started seventh) entered the final race having already claimed his first track title.
“This is awesome!” he said in victory lane, “I wrecked myself a few times this year, but my crew made the difference with no DNF’s. A track title was one of my goals this year, and I love racing at this place. I don’t know if we’ll be racing full time next year, but we’ll celebrate this one for now.”
Two-time 2015 TW winner Cody Fletcher started fourth and was scored third every lap, with Dwight Leppo and 2015 rookie of-the-year David Holbrook completing the top five.
Chris Frank was the hard charger, coming from 12th starting spot to finish sixth.
Qualifiers for the 14 sprint cars were won by Fletcher and Leppo.
Friday September 11, 2015
Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, PA
HOOSIER TIRE MID-ATLANTIC 358 SPRINTS (TRONE OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP)
FEATURE (30 Laps) – 1. 6R-Brad McClelland ($2,000); 2. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 3. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 4. 4-Dwight Leppo; 5. 77-David Holbrook; 6. 00X-Chris Frank; 7. 13-Ryan Higgins; 8. 19-Troy Wagaman, Jr.; 9. 10B-Brandon Noel; 10. 10-Zach Euculano (DNF); 11. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle (DNF); 12. 01-Rick Horn (DNF); 13. 15-Lucas Montgomery (DNF); 14. 17-George Streaker, Jr. (DNS). No time.
Lap Leaders: Rick Horn (1-3), Brad McClelland (4-30)
358 Sprint Heat 1 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 2. 15-Lucas Montgomery; 3. 6R-Brad McClelland; 4. 10-Zach Euculano; 5. 01-Rick Horn; 6. 13-Ryan Higgins; 7. 17-George Streaker, Jr. (DNF). Time – 2:23.69
358 Sprint Heat 2 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 4-Dwight Leppo; 2. 10B-Brandon Noel; 3. 77-David Holbrook; 4. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 5. 19-Troy Wagaman, Jr.; 6. 00X-Chris Frank; 7. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle. No time.