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McClelland Goes Wire-Wire At The

"Sprint Car Fall Nationals”

Oktaha Oklahoma (September 30^th – 2011) Oil Capital Racing Series point leader Sean McClelland captured the 2011 running of the “Sprint Car Fall Nationals” over a 27 car field of competitors at the Outlaw Motor Speedway and in doing so, McClelland also set a season high with his seventh triumph of the year. Add the fact the Tulsa Oklahoma driver extended his point lead ever so slightly over Moore Oklahoma’s Whit “The Gasman” Gastineau, then it was even a better night for the team that sports the “Black Widow” number one XXX chassis machine.

These two title challengers were glued together all night having been together in their heat race where Gastineau led a one–two finish. Next, they found themselves together in the “Pole Dash” where McClelland led another one-two run. They started side by side in the 25-lap A Feature where McClelland shot into the lead at the drop of the green flag in his Finishline Machine / Lawton Auto Parts / Maxwell Oil sprinter with Gastineau lurking in his Exterior Specialties / Shell Rapid Lube / Larry Allen Racing Engines / Goodyear / Eagle chassis.

Before a lap could be completed, a multi car pile up in turn one involved Glen Passmore, Shayla “The Princess” Waddell, Danny Smith and Matt Sherrell. Smith would turn over to bring out the red flag. He was uninjured but done for the race. All the others were either towed in or pushed in the infield for racing to resume. Sherrell would fall from third to fourth in the standings with his early exit. Stilwell’s Rafe Essary would be the benefactor of Sherrill’s demise. As the field pushed off for a complete restart, OCRS officials were keeping a close eye on the left rear tire of Dean Drake Jr. as it appeared to be very low. The tire never went flat and Drake was allowed to restart. McClelland would lead the field on the restart with the Gasman once again in pursuit. Jamie Passmore tucked in behind the pair with Josh Toho, Drake, Andrew Deal and Mike Goodman next in line.

To begin lap four, Goodman would overtake Deal at the start/finish line and Deal would return the move in the exact same spot a lap later. At this point, McClelland was already putting distance between himself and the field. “I really have to thank Shane tonight (Crew Chief Shane Vandervliet)” McClelland would later say in his interview. “He really did everything to the car. I didn’t even have to ask him what he was doing. It drove like a dream tonight.”

McClelland would enter heavy lapped traffic on the twelfth lap but he would work it to perfection. Goodman would pass Deal for sixth on the front straight to start the next circuit. Drake would begin to put enormous pressure on Toho for the fourth position but Toho would hold his ground. McClelland would have a half a straight-a-way advantage by the 18^th lap but that cushion would be erased two laps later.

In an attempt to pass the lapped car of Fred Mattox in turn one, Drake would get loose and make contact with the youngster from Drumright causing Mattox to collect the wall and flip his mount. Not only was Mattox uninjured, he proceed to jog the entire back straight in search of Drake for an impromptu drivers meeting. OCRS officials would have no such meeting take place and escorted Mattox back into the pit area. On the restart, Toho made a full run slide job going into turn one as he passed both Passmore then Gastineau to take the second spot by the time the cars hit the center of turn two. However, Toho had too much momentum for the slickest part of the track, spun his tires, and he was back to his fourth before the field would hit turn three. Although the move failed to hold, the fans loved it.

The race would finish without extra stoppages and McClelland would go on to win by eight car lengths to complete his wire-wire triumph over Gastineau with Passmore, Toho and Drake in the top five. Rounding out the top ten were, Goodman, Brian McClelland, Andrew Deal, Tim Kent and Kyle Clark. However, in post race inspection, OCRS officials disqualified Toho for failing to pass a fuel test and the rest of the finishing order were all moved up a position from fourth on back.

As for holding on to the top spot over the last two races on the OCRS schedule McClelland stated: “We just have to keep doing what we have been doing and not do anything foolish. I really don’t want to know I’m in the lead, I just want to go out, have fun and try to win races.” said McClelland. When asked if he really needs to change his mindset to protect his points lead because there are only two races left on the schedule, McClelland responded: “I’ve tried to do that in the past and it’s got me into trouble. We just need to keep focused and keep moving forward and not worry about what anyone else is doing. I do want to be a three-time OCRS champion (McClelland was the champion in 2002-2003), that’s important to me.” When asked why it’s important to him McClelland replied: “ Mike Goodman and Passmore have three (titles) and I want to be included with those guys. Jamie Passmore is probably the best driver in the state of Oklahoma and it would mean a lot if I could get three titles also. There is a lot of really good talent in this series and there is a lot of hidden talent in this series but a lot of people don’t see it because some teams just don’t have the funding. It’s a good series and these cars are so close (to being competitive) that you have to mind your P’s and Q’s to stay ahead. It all just means a lot. (to be successful)”

In B Feature action earlier in the program, Shayla Waddell tracked down early leader Travis Jenkins to win the 12-lap affair to become the first of four cars to transfer to the A Feature. Rafe Essary would take the second spot with Jenkins third and Fred Mattox collecting the final free pass. The next event for the Oil Capital Racing Series sprint cars will be back at Outlaw Motor Speedway on Friday October 14^th.

Outlaw Motor Speedway

Race date: September 30, 2011 - Event 18

Car Count: 27