McClelland Captures Trail-Way Win

McClelland Captures Trail-Way Win

By Brad Vores April 26, 2008

A week ago, Brad McClelland watch the 358 sprint car feature from the grandstands at Trail-Way Speedway after suffering mechanical trouble during his heat race.

Friday night, the Westminster, Maryland driver started on the front row of the Insinger Performance 30-lap 358 Sprint car Spring Championship and parked his sprinter in victory lane.

McClelland was racing in the second spot when leader Dale Hammaker had his steering wheel pop loose from his car on lap seven. Once in front, McClelland never looked back in driving to his 11th career win at the Hanover track.

The win was worth $1,200 to the former micro sprint standout. His son Tim won his first career 270 micro sprint main at the track a week prior.

Last week’s winner Billy Dietrich raced home in the runner-up spot ahead of Steve Owings, Tim Wagaman and Danny Dietrich with Mike Duncan, Brian Eichelberger, Hammaker, Nathan Berwager and Nicole Bower completed the top 10 finishers.

Rain forced postponement of the thundercar and limited stock features. The limited stocks make up their show next Friday while the thundercars will have a makeup event on May 9.

Trail-Way’s Saturday night program was rained out following the completion of the starlite stock feature which was won by Brent Eckert.

Makeup dates for the micro sprint events will be announced soon.

LINCOLN ALMOST MAKES IT
Lincoln Speedway nearly defied Mother Nature Saturday night but storms hit the track just as the 410 Sprints were taking to the speedway for their 25-lap feature event.

Prior to the rain, Fred Putney had the surface in top shape as Doug Dodson set a new 10 lap track record in the first sprint car heat race. Dodson’s new time of 2:13.72 erasing the old mark of 2:14.85 set by Cody Darrah last October.

Alan Krimes also broke Darrah’s old track record during the second heat while a third non-stop sprint car heat was won by Dillsburg’s John Westbrook.

The feature lineup is set for a possible makeup date on Saturday, May 10.

Dodson and Cory Haas will lead the field to the green flag in the feature with the remainder of the 23 car lineup will be filled out by John Rudisill, Pat Cooper, Mike Bittinger, Westbrook, Jim Siegel, Brian Leppo, Josh Wells, Cody Darrah, Alan Krimes, Fred Rahmer, Niki Young, Jeff Busby, Chad Layton, Brian Montieth, Michael Carber, Cris Eash, Nick Schlauch, Jr., Doug Esh, Aaron Ott, TJ Stutts and Ryan Taylor.

Twenty-one PA 305 Sprints were on hand with Mark Watkins and Cowboy Jim Kennedy winning heats. Their feature will be made up August 30, the next time the division is in competition at the speedway.

Thundercar heats were won by Duane Watson, Ronnie Thomas and Brad Shank. The feature makeup will be announced.

RAINED OUT
Friday night racing at Path Valley Speedway and Bedford Speedway was both rained out while Saturday night racing at Port Royal, Susquehanna, Selinsgrove and Hagerstown Speedway was all washed out.

Williams Grove Speedway completed three 358 late model heats before rains canceled the remainder of the program. Heats were won by Bobby Beard, Gene Knaub and Tyler Hershey.

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
The World of Outlaws Sprints had both weekend events canceled in the Midwest due to bad weather.

Friday night’s event at Huset’s Speedway and Saturday’s Knoxville Raceway events were the seventh and eighth cancellations on the WoO tour this season. The Outlaws have raced six times in 2008.

John Moser, Jr.’s first career 358 late model win last week at Susquehanna Speedway Park was revoked after post race inspection found unapproved heads under the hood of his race car. SSP officials did research before disqualifying him from the win, which was awarded to Carl Graves.