By Kalida Landis
HANOVER, Pa.: It’s hard to believe that Steve Owings entered last Friday night with only one victory at Trail-Way Speedway.
See, Owings already had 26 wins at the Hanover Facility and is considered the driver to beat on a weekly basis. But bad luck doesn’t discriminate, and he’s had his share in 2020.
That changed Friday night. Owings stalked Dylan Norris and took advantage of the leader’s mistake and sped away to victory in the 25-lap 358 Sprint Car main event.
“I think this place owed me a little bit,” said Owings after his 27th win at the speedway, which is two behind Jeff Rohrbaugh for second on the all-time win list. “The other week, we were leading and got a flat tire with 10 to go. It’s nice to get this one done.
“Dylan ran a hell of a race. That big wing, I think, just gobbled him up running high. If you hit it too hard, it’s going to make it push. We’re running the little one, and I think it’s just better as far as movability.”
Continued Owings, “I think the other one is maybe faster out by yourself, but that little wing is, definitely, better here for moving wherever we have to go.”
Norris started on the outside pole and ripped past Nat Tuckey at the start. Owings advanced from fourth to second on the opening lap, and the chase was on at the front.
Owings stayed in Norris’ tracks throughout the first half of the event. The pace was slowed on Lap 12 when Kyle Rohrbaugh collected the outside wall in Turns 3 and 4 and suffered front end damage.
After another caution on the restart, this time for Brett Rose who spun in Turn 4, Owings started to harass the leader. Norris hopped the cushion in the third and fourth corner on Lap 18, which allowed Owings to get by.
“He’s just running a heck of a pace,” Owings said of Norris. “It would’ve been really hard to pass him if it hadn’t been lapped traffic. When you start to hit that lapped traffic, you start to get that air.
“It started to take the air off of his car. He’s got that big old wing up there, and all you have to do is start touching [the curb] too much with it, and as soon as it hits, it’s going to push.
“The 410 won’t push like that because you’ve got throttle to keep it going, but these things … if it hits too hard, it’s just going to push the front over. That’s what happened to him. It’s a shame, but we came here to win. We didn’t come here to run second.”
Norris settled for second, with David Holbrook finishing third and Tuckey fourth. Jeff Rohrbaugh completed the top five.
Jayden Wolf paced the field in the 600 cc Micro Sprint A-Main for the entire 20-lap distance to take the victory.
The only hiccup for Wolfe came on Lap 14, when Rodney Westhafer, Randy Kunkle, and Ryan Meekins got together in the third corner to bring out the caution. The only other stoppage came on the restart when Mike Rynard came to rest on the speedway.
At the finish, it was all Wolf. Brad Weber, Steven Bull, Travis Keiser, and Eric Paxson completed the top five.
Jimmy Combs started on the pole and led every lap of the Street Stock feature to take the win. He was followed by Chris Transeau, Dalton Myers, Russ Shoop, and Sammy Rial.
In Limited Stock action, Chad Weaver took the lead on the second circuit and drove away to the win in the 15-lap event.
Cody Klinedinst started on the pole and led the opening lap. Weaver, who started fourth, got to the front on Lap 2 and never looked back.
Klinedinst hung on for second, with Matt Chronister, Nick McDaniel, and Terry Hartlaub completing the top five.
Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, Pa.
Friday, August 21, 2020
For Immediate Release
HOOSIER TIRE MID ATLANTIC 358 SPRINT CARS
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 35-Steve Owings[4]; 2. 44-Dylan Norris[2]; 3. 77-David Holbrook[5]; 4. 48-Nat Tuckey[1]; 5. 00-Jeff Rohrbaugh[6]; 6. 6-Tim McClelland[9]; 7. 12-Mike Bittinger[8]; 8. 99-Joe Trone Jr[7]; 9. 66A-Cody Fletcher[11]; 10. 59S-Chris Priar[3]; 11. 1-Cody Phillips[13]; 12. 8CR-Mason Chaney[14]; 13. 34-Mark Van Vorst[16]; 14. U2-Billy Heltzel Jr[10]; 15. 45R-Brett Rose[15]; 16. (DNF) 12K-Kyle Rohrbaugh[12]; 17. (DNF) 17-Andrew Hake[17].
Lap Leaders: Dylan Norris (1-17), Steve Owings (18-25)
358 Sprint Heat 1 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify): 1. 77-David Holbrook[2]; 2. 59S-Chris Priar[1]; 3. 00-Jeff Rohrbaugh[6]; 4. U2-Billy Heltzel Jr[3]; 5. 1-Cody Phillips[5]; 6. 34-Mark Van Vorst[4].
358 Sprint Heat 2 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify): 1. 6-Tim McClelland[1]; 2. 44-Dylan Norris[2]; 3. 99-Joe Trone Jr[4]; 4. 66A-Cody Fletcher[3]; 5. 8CR-Mason Chaney[5]; 6. 17-Andrew Hake[6].
358 Sprint Heat 3 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify): 1. 35-Steve Owings[4]; 2. 48-Nat Tuckey[2]; 3. 12-Mike Bittinger[3]; 4. 12K-Kyle Rohrbaugh[1]; 5. 45R-Brett Rose[5].