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Matt Felten
CUMBERLAND, Md. (May 2) - Except for running low on fuel near the finish, D.J. Troutman otherwise dominated the 30-lap feature on the first night of The Rock-Winchester Challenge on Friday at The Rock, Allegany County Speedway.
Troutman led 26 laps and averted his only roadblock to the checkered flag--fuel mileage. He had to be pushed into victory lane after running low on fuel. He earned $1,000 for the win between The Rock's Allegany Scrap Limited Late Models and the Semi-Lates from the Winchester (Va.) Speedway.
The Rock's drivers fared well against their Winchester counterparts by taking the top seven spots. Dan Zechman, Jamey Swank, Travis Stickley and Matt Sponaugle completed the top five. Matt Cosner and Jimmy Iser finished sixth and seventh. Winchester drivers Allen Brannon and C.J. Brown were eighth and ninth. Matt Emerick completed the top 10.
Sponaugle, the pole-sitter, led until lap three over Troutman. Troutman took the lead in turn two underneath Sponaugle. From that point, Troutman built a steady lead over Sponaugle, Brannon and Emerick through the halfway point.
A series of cautions between laps 15-19 slowed the pace and knocked Emerick out early. As the finish approached, Sponaugle began to lose ground. Brannon briefly claimed second but broke three laps short of the finish. Zechman, Swank and Stickley eventually got by Sponaugle in the top five.
The other four feature events were competitive until the final laps. John Whitfield took the win in the Sunoco Street Stock race on the final lap. Marcius VanMeter and Jimmy Moreland won their second straight in the TC Race Cars Hobby Stocks and Factory Stock 8-Cylinders, respectively. Jason Thompson won his first-ever feature in the Factory Stock 4-Cylinders.
Whitfield chased Mike Warrenfeltz for 15 of the 16 laps, claimed the lead when Warrenfeltz had a problem on the right rear and held off Randy Zechman to the final corner.
Warrenfeltz could never get away from Whitfield and Zechman made it a three-car race at the halfway point. When Warrenfeltz was forced out of the race coming to the white flag, Zechman went side by side with Whitfield into the final turn.
Whitfield prevailed by half of a car length and Rick Wright, Ray Sheetz and Roy Whitfield completed the top five.
VanMeter won the 15-lap TC Race Cars Hobby Stock feature again by taking over the lead from Steve Fadley. Fadley lost a tire with three laps remaining. The two drivers had been locked in a three-way battle for much of the race along with David Puckett.
VanMeter, who started sixth, went on to win by a straightaway over Puckett, R.T. Troutman, Scott Jones and Fadley.
Thompson started second and assumed the lead after a first-lap, multi-car crash in turn two reset the field of the 12-lap 4-Cylinder feature.
He led by as many as 12 car lengths until a late caution allowed the competition to arrive once again. When the race resumed, Thompson stayed ahead of Jason Riggleman and Rick Jenkins to win by five car lengths. Nick Iski and Jim Kennell rounded out the top five.
Moreland won his second straight 8-Cylinder feature by taking to the high side of the speedway against Wade Peer following a restart on lap four. Moreland went on to win by five car lengths over Peer.
Matt Stickley finished third after overcoming a flat tire. Todd House survived a brush with the backstretch wall to finish fourth and Rel Breedlove ended up fifth.
Racing continues Friday, May 9 at The Rock with Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, 4-Cylinders and 6-Cylinders. Kids' bike races will also be held. Racing begins at 7 p.m.
For more information about The Rock, visit the speedway's web site at www.therockspeedway.com.
The Rock - Allegany Co. Speedway
Order of Finish
Friday, May 2, 2008
THE ROCK-WINCHESTER CHALLENGE RACE 1
ALLEGANY SCRAP LIMITED LATE MODELS/SEMI-LATE MODELS (30 laps) 1. D.J. Troutman, 2. Dan Zechman, 3. Jamey Swank, 4. Travis Stickley, 5. Matt Sponaugle, 6. Matt Cosner, 7. Jimmy Iser, 8. Allen Brannon, 9. C.J. Brown, 10. Matt Emerick, 11. Kris Holliday, 12. Jimmy Richards, 13. Bubby Tharp Jr., 14. Brian Buckler, 15. Daniel Cornman, 16. Don Woodruff, 17. Todd Lewis.
SUNOCO STREET STOCKS (16 laps): 1. John Whitfield, 2. Randy Zechman, 3. Rick Wright, 4. Ray Sheetz, 5. Roy Whitfield, 6. Mike Warrenfeltz, 7. Justin Bonnett, 8. Jerry Robinson.
TC RACE CARS HOBBY STOCKS (15 laps): 1. Marcius VanMeter, 2. David Puckett, 3. R.T. Troutman, 4. Scott Jones, 5. Steve Fadley, 6. Mike Wolfe, DNS: Ralph Wolfe.
FACTORY STOCK 4-CYLINDERS (12 laps): 1. Jason Thompson, 2. Jason Riggleman, 3. Rick Jenkins, 4. Nick Iski, 5. Jim Kennell, 6. Brandon Inglish, 7. Chris Shoemaker, 8. Danny Rhodes Jr., 9. Ryan Peer, 10. Daniel Wratchford, 11. Jim Wratchford, 12. Derek Iser, 13. Brandon Powell, 14. David Green, 15. Steve Riggleman, 16. Tyler Alkire, 17. Dwain Rhodes, DNS: Danny Rhodes Sr.
FACTORY STOCK 8-CYLINDERS (12 laps): 1. Jimmy Moreland, 2. Wade Peer, 3. Matt Stickley, 4. Todd House, 5. Rel Breedlove, 6. Brian Ringer, 7. Joe Read, 8. James Mongan, 9. Matt Kinnamon, 10. Alan Lowery II, DNS: Bob Imes, Harmon Crites.
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