And Friday night’s win was a special one for Westminster, MD’s Steve Owings. After 29 career Trail-Way 270cc micro-sprint wins, Owings stood in victory lane for the first time after a "358" sprint car race.

"Starting spot was everything," said Owings upon exiting his Westminster Lawn/CJ Miller/Baugher’s Farm Market/Valentine Motorsports #35 in victory lane, "It took this rusty ole’ guy a couple of laps to get in the groove on those restarts."

Owings didn’t look rusty. He started sixth and was running third when the first caution came out for a spinning Mike Bittinger in turn three of lap three. Lady driver Jessie Morrison led from the outside of the front row until the caution, and then paced the field one more lap under green before giving way to fourth-starting Randy Whisler.

Owings caught Morrison for second on lap eight, and took the lead when Whisler got out of shape and drove into the infield as the leaders were crossing the flag stand to complete lap ten. Also getting by Whisler was a charging Jeff Rohrbaugh, who started 11th.

Owings led the rest of the way, but had heavy pressure from the Trail-Way points leader the entire second half of the race. Owings’ low-side moves through the turns kept Rohrbaugh at bay, while 10th starting Dale Hammaker and DS Diversified Services hard charger Brad McClelland (who started 14th) worked their way through the field into third and fourth. Those four ran virtually nose-to-tail for the last nine green flag laps. Opening night winner Billy Dietrich started ninth and finished fifth.

Sixth through tenth were Whisler, Danny Deitrich, Morrison, Mike Duncan, and Darren Schott.

Heats for the 22 "358" sprint cars were won by Joe Trone, Jr., Danny Dietrich, and Rohrbaugh.

Trail-Way Speedway Race Results Friday – July 25,2008

358 SPRINTS

Feature (40 Laps) - 1. 35-Steve Owings; 2. 7V-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 3. 66-Dale Hammaker; 4. 6-Brad McClelland; 5. 8D-Bill Dietrich; 6. 64-Randy Whisler; 7. 88-Danny Dietrich, III; 8. 18J-Jessie Morrison; 9. 11D-Mike Duncan; 10. 55S-Darren Schott; 11. 99M-Kyle Moody; 12. 10-Zach Shive Euculano; 13. 28-Billy Heltzel, Jr.; 14. 36-Peter Bartley; 15. 2-Paul Hively, III; 16. 45-Colt White; 17. 10W-Brian Bruckner; 18. U1-Billy Heltzel, III; 19. 66H-Doug Hammaker (DNF); 20. 12-Mike Bittinger (DNF); 21. 99-Joe Trone, Jr. (DNF); 22. 51-Nick Palmerino (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders – Jessie Morrison (1-3); Randy Whisler (4-9); Steve Owings (10-25)

1st Heat (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 2. 66-Dale Hammaker; 3. 12-Mike Bittinger; 4. 10-Zach Shive Euculano; 5. 45-Colt White; 6. 28-Billy Heltzel, Jr.; 7. 99-Joe Trone, Jr.; 8. U1-Billy Heltzel, III. Time – 2:22.16

2nd Heat (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 88-Danny Dietrich, III; 2. 18J-Jessie Morrison; 3. 55S-Darren Schott; 4. 11D-Mike Duncan; 5. 6-Brad McClelland; 6. 36-Peter Bartley; 7. 2-Paul Hively, III (DNF). Time – 2:23.59

3rd Heat (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 7V-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 2. 35-Steve Owings; 3. 64-Randy Whisler; 4. 8D-Bill Dietrich; 5. 66H-Doug Hammaker; 6. 10W – Brian Bruckner; 7. 51-Nick Palmerino (DNF). No Time