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Caney Kansas (October 15, 2011) – Veteran sprint car pilot Sean McClelland returned to full time action in the Oil Capital Racing Series in 2011 to accomplish one very specific task. The objective was to win his third OCRS championship and earn the lion’s share of the $25,000 point fund as offered up with the support backing of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. In the 2011 season finale at Kerry Gorby’s quarter mile Caney Valley Speedway, McClelland completed his objective with a thrilling victory in tonight’s A-Feature event besting field of 28 entrants for the night.

With a 77-point cushion coming into the night over Whit “The Gasman” Gastineau, McClelland only needed 19 points to secure the title he also conquered in 2002-2003. McClelland simply had to qualify for (and start) the main event and the 2011 title would be his. He was victorious in the evenings first heat race and that alone earned himself 16 of the 19 needed markers towards title town.

El Reno Oklahoma’s Josh “The Hammer” Toho, who has been running strong in the latter half of the season, would start the A-Feature on the pole by virtue of his victory in the “Pole Dash” race contested earlier in the night. Toho would lead the field into turn one in the Bob Martin owned BnK Automotive / Mobil Mart / Braswell Carburetors / Hinton Body Shop / XXX chassis mount. Owasso Oklahoma’s Matt “The Mongoose” Sherrell, Sapulpa’s Danny Smith and McClelland would follow suit.

McClelland would push the Lawton Auto Parts / Maxwell Oil/ Finishline Machining / XXX Chassis “Black Widow” past Smith a lap later. Soon thereafter, a yellow would ensue for a spin by Darien Roberts in turn one. Local favorite Andrew Deal from nearby Dewey Oklahoma would pull into the pits with mechanical woes prior to the field returning to speed. Once back underway, McClelland would race past Sherrell in his Pat and Don Carrens owned Sherrell Paint & Body Shop special for the second spot and the chase to reel in Toho was on.

One lap later, yellow number two would fall when Billy Frazier spun to a stop trying to avoid cars that had checked up ahead of him in turn one. Yellow number three would fly a few laps later when Kirby Bedford spun at the entry of turn number one. At this point, Stillwell’s Rafe Essary, who came into the night holding a slim three point advantage over Sherrell for third place in the standings, had moved his way up to third from his fourth row starting spot with precision passing on his peers.

On the eighth lap, Sherrell would overtake Essary on the backstretch only to have Essary earn that position back at the line. In the meantime, McClelland was giving Toho all he wanted as Toho was working feverishly to earn his first career OCRS main event win. The lead had collapsed so much, McClelland was only half a car length behind when the duo sped past the starting stand on lap thirteen. Traffic was just about to enter into the equation when flagman J.D. Etter waved the next yellow for Essary who had stopped with front end damage to his XXX sprinter in turn two. Unfortunately for Essary, this would seal his fate in the fight with Sherrell for the third spot in the 2011 points chase.

The restart would see Toho on the point followed by McClelland, Sherrell, Smith, Jamie Passmore, Brady Demeree, Whit Gastineau, Glen Passmore, Tim Kent and Frank Sudduth as your top ten runners. McClelland would make a rare mistake when he almost spun in turn one on the restart allowing for Sherrell and J. Passmore to speed past as Smith had to check-up to avoid a collision. Smith would race down the backstretch in fifth behind McClelland.McClelland would overtake J. Passmore in turn one of the 17^th lap and was looking at the chrome bumper of Sherrell when the next yellow befell when Frazier had contact with another car knocking his front end down in turn one.

On the next restart, with Toho and Sherrell charging into turn one on the low side of the track, McClelland would charge to the top in an effort to improve his position. That move when for naught. He then tried slinging the ‘Black Widow’ beneath Sherrell going into turn three of the same lap. That moved failed also as Sherrell had a car that was dialed in well. With five laps to go, the events final yellow would appear when the cars of Bedford and Casey Wills would get together and come to a rest in turn four.

McClelland made another try on the high side of turn one on the restart and this time he found just the right spot for forward bite to maneuver past Sherrell but not to be out done, Sherrell inched his way ahead again before the pair would head down the backstretch. When they came back around to the front, McClelland would make the pass for keeps. At this point, McClelland was “radar locked” onto Toho and in his mind, second wasn’t an option to be settled for. The next time by the flagstand, McClelland made the pass for the lead. Toho, who would be the 2011 OCRS “Rookie of the Year”; flat refused to surrender and pushed McClelland to the bitter end often running up his backside in hopes to get back by. McClelland would cross the line first for his series leading eighth A-Feature victory followed by Toho, Sherrell, Smith and Jamie Passmore completing the top five. Glen Passmore, Gastineau, Brian McClelland, Tim Kent and Darien Roberts would round out the top ten.

Earlier in the evening in the “Pole Dash” run, in an effort to earn a front row spot for the feature (McClelland started outside row two), McClelland made serious contact with the front stretch wall in an attempt to move forward. When asked about that incident in victory lane McClelland responded: “Just trying to win that deal. I came here to win and that’s what we set out to do.” As for the feature run: “Josh ran an excellent race. He made me work hard for that one. He would have deserved it but I was here to win too.” About the miscue in turn one in the latter stages of the race when he almost spun McClelland responded: “Yea, that made me mad. I was just trying hard and I got mad. I knew I was going to have to work harder for what I done. I tell ya, those Goodyear tires didn’t let me down tonight. They really did their job and it all worked out for us tonight.”

Asked about what made this championship run different than 2002 and 2003, the champ replied: “ This one was a little tougher. Whit (Gastineau) has a strong motor, a good car and his dad (Steve) sets it up really good. He battled me all year and I fought him tooth and nail. He will win one (championship) eventually. He is a little young but he learned what it took to win one this year. I never really looked at the points (during the season), I just came out here to win every race and just let the points take care of themselves.” McClelland added: “ We came out of here with the most wins and that’s a good accomplishment. There is a lot of good talent in this class (OCRS series) and to win this championship makes me proud.”

The champ had few people to acknowledge for his title run as well. “First and foremost, I have to thank my girlfriend Tracy since she puts up a lot with me. I’d like to thank Michael Brown of Lawton Auto Parts, Maxwell Oil, Penske Shocks and so many others. Shane (crew chief Shane Vandervliet), Michael and Calvin help a lot and without them I couldn’t do it. I really appreciate their help. The one person I definitely want to thank is Cliff Anderson. He is a major supporter of what we do and I can’t begin to tell you how much he is appreciated."

Gastineau made a valiant effort and while falling a bit short on the championship, he does acknowledge the success of his season: “ It (championship) was either ours or his to lose and those DNF’s (Did not finish) races cost us. There was the night at Salina (Highbanks Speedway) where we won before and suffered a DNF, then those two weeks in Muskogee (Thunderbird and Outlaw speedway’s) it’s just a part of it. We were good enough all year, just have to get those finishes. We ran strong and had some really good wins. You cant complain about second place and you get a good chunk of change (point fund money) and we will go on an improve for next year.”

Brian McClelland won the B-Feature with Casey Wills, Tim Kent and Kirby Bedford earning the last four remaining positions up for grabs in the main event. Sean McClelland, Brady Demeree, Josh Toho and Danny Smith took the four heat races. “The Princess” Shayla Waddell of Oklahoma City had a night she would like to put behind her. She crossed the line first in the fourth heat but was disqualified for not reporting to the scales per OCRS rules. Then in the B-Feature, Waddell was coming up through the field from her scratch starting position to snare a transfer spot when she went a bit to low in turn four and collected an infield tire marker which ended her night.

The Oil Capital Racing Series would like to thank our sponsors for their support for the 2011 racing season. These sponsors include:

John Boy Racing Components

OCRS also thanks the promoters at each facility for your continued support to the OCRS series and for all the hospitality each and every one of you provided OCRS during the course of the 2011 season. OCRS also wishes to thank the FANS of the OCRS series for your patronage as well. It is a pleasure and an honor to bring our program to a track near you and it is with the utmost acknowledgement that our fans are the most important group of people in our fraternity. If you wish to see more OCRS sprint car action at your track in the future, contact your promoters and let them know as your voice is the most important voice to be heard from. Keep checking in on the OCRS website at www.ocrsracing.com for details on the 2011 OCRS awards luncheon. Thanks to everyone and we look forward to seeing everyone again in 2012!

~~~ CAN YOU HEAR THE THUNDER? ~~~

Car count: 28

HEAT 2: 1, Brady Demeree. 2, Glen Passmore. 3, Frank Sudduth. 4, Kevin Cummings. 5, Kirby Bedford. 6, Len Larkin. 7, Eric Barnes.

HEAT 4: 1, Danny Smith. 2, Billy Frazier. 3, Andrew Deal. 4, Keith Bolton. 5, Dean Drake Jr. 6, Phillip Davis. 7, Shayla Waddell. (DQ).

B FEATURE: (Top 4 transfer into A-Feature) 1, Brian McClelland. 2, Casey Wills. 3, Tim Kent. 4, Kirby Bedford. 5, Phillip Davis. 6, Layne Himebaugh. 7, Beau Gastineau. 8, Len Larkin. 9, Eric Barnes. 10, Shayla Waddell. 11, Derrek Wilson. DNS: Dean Drake Jr.