By Kalida Landis
HANOVER, PA – Cody Phillips has flirted with earning his first career 358 Sprint Car win at Trail-Way Speedway over the last couple of weeks.
It’s not like Victory Lane at the Hanover, Pa., facility is foreign territory. He’s won twice before in the 270 Micro Sprint division, but it’s been a little more difficult beating the likes of Steve Owings and the rest of the 358 Sprint field.
That all changed Friday night. Phillips made it look easy, blasting out front and building big leads over Owings and the rest of the competitors to capture the 25-Lap main event on a sweltering night at the speedway.
The first 11 laps were pretty easy. Phillips started on the pole and beat Riley Emig into the first corner. Despite an early caution for Cody Fletcher and Kyle Rohrbaugh, Phillips built a 3.360-second lead.
But Phillips knew Owings was coming. The Trail-Way kingpin started ninth on the grid and was running third on a Lap 12 restart. He took the runner-up spot when the race went back to gree and was running in the leader’s tracks.
“It was good clean air,” Phillips said. “I was pretty tight there and made some mistakes, and I saw Steve back there.
“I figured he would be coming like a nightmare, but I never heard him or seen the shadows, so I thought we were pretty good.”
Phillips, of Hanover, Pa., was better than good. He was masterful, not only driving the car but knowing what to do to get his car to perform.
He maneuvered his wing to set the car up to run on the high side of the speedway. That allowed him to pull away over the second half of the event.
“I had to move the wing forward again,” Phillips said. “I got a little tight up against the cushion. If I ran it in there too hard, I got really tight and had to get it back to the gas sooner.
“All and all, we’ve been struggling with motor problems. Last week, we had a stud break on the front end leading, so this is awesome for my guys. It’s my Dad’s birthday, so that is a good one for him.”
Owings made one last attempt on the final lap, but Phillips was too good and took the win by 1.462 seconds. Cameron Smith, Emig, and Nat Tuckey completed the top five.
“I have to thank Steve Rucker, Rucker Racing Engines,” Phillips said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to do this. He gives me a shop, gives me a motor, and he puts a lot of trust in me and has a lot of faith in me.
“Thanks to Maryland Performance Coatings. I have to send a huge thank you to Brad McClelland, Tim McClelland, and the whole McClelland family. We talk racing non-stop, and he helps me a ton. Momentum Racing Suspensions, my guys, my Dad, everybody who has a hand in this.”
Cory Myers led all 20 laps to record his 50th 270 Micro Sprint victory, the majority of which have come at Path Valley Speedway. It was his 11th Trail-Way score.
Myers started on the outside pole and beat Tyler Brown into Turn 1. There were five caution periods over the racing distance, but each time Myers had an answer and took the checker by 1.190 seconds at the finish.
Brent Shearer finished second, with Craig Myers, Brown, and Wyatt Rotz completing the top five in the main event.
Wesley Miller needed a little luck in the closing stages of the 15-Lap Limited Stock main, but he had just enough at the finish to claim the victory.
Rob Rudisill had the race won after starting fourth and leading the first 14 circuits. As he was coming to the finish, he slowed with mechanical issues, which allowed Miller to win a side-by-side battle with Ricky Weaver Jr. by a mere .064 seconds.
Weaver settled for second, with Rudisill having enough to cross the line in third. Terry Hartlaub and Justin Mong completed the top five.
In the 20-Lap Street Stock affair, Russell Shoop took the lead on Lap 12 and pulled away to a 2.951-second win at the finish.
Jacob Toney led the first 11 laps from his outside front-row starting spot. Shoop, who started fifth on the grid, took his time getting to the front, surging into second on Lap 11 before bursting into the lead on the backstretch one lap later.
Jamie Zentmyer was a distant second, with Tony nailing down third. Aaron Beard, and Kody Sites completed the top five.
Carl Davis Jr. capped the night with a victory in the 60-Lap Enduro event. He took the checker by 5.732 seconds over the field.
After giving up the lead on Lap 41, he retook it eight laps later and led the final 13 circuits to claim the victory. Ricky Weaver was second, followed by Marlyn Runk and Carl Cassell. Boomer Teague completed the top five. Weaver was later disqualified after failing post-race inspection. a
Trail-Way Speedway
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Friday, August 27, 2021
Winged 358 Sprint Cars
Heat Race #1
1. 66A-Cody Fletcher[1]
2. 22B-Nat Tuckey[2]
3. 7W-Jayden Wolf[6]
4. 69-Cameron Smith[3]
5. 11H-Hayden Miller[9]
6. 33-Riley Emig[5]
7. 12-Mike Bittinger[7]
8. 69X-Justice Forbes[4]
9. 80M-Dan Richcreek[8]
Heat Race #2
1. 35-Steve Owings[7]
2. 77-David Holbrook[1]
3. 12K-Kyle Rohrbaugh[3]
4. 6-Tim McClelland[5]
5. 1-Cody Phillips[6]
6. 8CR-Mason Chaney[8]
7. 44-Steven Cox[4]
8. 14K-Hannah Riser[2]
A-Main
1. 1-Cody Phillips[1]
2. 35-Steve Owings[9]
3. 69-Cameron Smith[6]
4. 33-Riley Emig[2]
5. 22B-Nat Tuckey[3]
6. 6-Tim McClelland[10]
7. 77-David Holbrook[5]
8. 12-Mike Bittinger[13]
9. 8CR-Mason Chaney[12]
10. 44-Steven Cox[14]
11. 7W-Jayden Wolf[11]
12. 69X-Justice Forbes[15]
13. 80M-Dan Richcreek[17]
14. 14K-Hannah Riser[16]
15. 11H-Hayden Miller[4]
16. 12K-Kyle Rohrbaugh[8]
17. 66A-Cody Fletcher[7]