By John Rittenoure (Meeker, OK) -- It never hurts to have a little help now and then, and Sean McClelland got the help he needed in the nick of time to win the Ameri-Flex OCRS Sprint Car season opener Saturday at Red Dirt Raceway in the inaugural running of the Oklahoma Sprint Cup.
McClelland led the final 16 laps in his DSO Engines and D&E Supply sponsored sprinter for his 13th OCRS career victory.
PHOTO CREDIT: Mike howard
Mickey Walker was leading the race just ahead of Alex Sewell and McClelland, who was running in the high groove, when he saw Danny Smith out of the corner of his eye. McClelland knew he had to do something.
"There was about five laps there I kept seeing Danny's (Smith) nose below me and I thought he was going to pass me, so I decided to get down there real quick," explained McClelland. "As soon as I got down there I felt the rubber.
"I do thank Danny for being there on the bottom and that I could get down in front before he got me."
The move paid off. McClelland drove pass Sewell then took the lead away from Walker on lap 14 and raced on to victory by a margin of .339 thousands of a second over Smith.
It was the second time that McClelland tried the low groove. And the first time was not that great.
Walker raced into the early lead over Sewell while McClelland, who started seventh, quickly moved into third. On lap three McClelland took over second from Sewell back fell back to third behind Sewell on lap nine.
On lap 12 the yellow waved forcing a restart.
"On the restart I was a little mad because I got to second at the start of the race and stayed on the bottom a little too long and let Alex (Sewell) back by me and let Danny (Smith) by me," McClelland said. "I had to pass him (Smith) back before that restart.
I was a little mad at myself for staying down on the bottom a little too long.
"On that restart I thought I was going to have to get my elbows up if I really want to win this race. I battled it out a little with Alex then Mickey."
At the finish Smith finished second behind McClelland with Layne Himebaugh climbing to third, B main winner Jamie Passmore advanced to fourth from his 13th place starting position earning him the York Plumbing Hard Charger award and Sewell fell to fifth at the finish.
The win gave McClelland a fast start to the 2018 season.
"It's a good feeling to get a win right at the first of the year and get your year started right," McClelland said. "Makes you want to go racing.
"David (Stephenson of DSO Engines) did a good job of freshening it up and I can't thank him enough."
Ameri-Flex / OCRS Results
Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, Okla.
March 17, 2018
Car Count: 33
(Pos-Car-Driver-Start)
Drive Shafts, Inc. Heat 1 (8 laps)
1, 8-Alex Sewell[2]. 2, 20H-Noah Harris[3]. 3, 31-Casey Wills[5]. 4, 4J-Jamie Passmore[4]. 5, 5L-Joe Bob Lee[8]. 6, 2W-Whit Gastineau[6]. 7, 18J-Cody Jarvis[9]. 8, 23-Jimmy Taylor[1]. 9, 30J-Larry Bratti[7].
A1 Machine Shop Heat 2 (8 laps)
1, 94L-Layne Himebaugh[1]. 2, 53-Brett Wilson[2]. 3, 50Z-Zach Chappell[4]. 4, 28-Joe Wood Jr.[5]. 5, 22T-Frank Taft[6]. 6, 51-Ryan Dean[7]. 7, 22X-Matt Cash[3]. 8, 4-Shane Sellers[8].
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 3 (8 laps)
1, 1-Sean McClelland[1]. 2, 5$-Danny Smith[2]. 3, 22-David Stephenson[3]. 4, 65L-Nick Lucito[4]. DNS: 55-Johnny Kent[8], 62-James Shoun[6], 94F-Morgan Fletcher[5], 2A-Alison Staton[7].
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 4 (8 laps)
1, 76S-Shayla Waddell[1]. 2, 2-Mickey Walker[3]. 3, 20G-Noah Gass[6]. 4, 9$-Kyle Clark[4]. 5, 30-Joseph Miller[5]. 6, 23X-Donovan Wise[7]. 7, 94-Dan Schnackenberg[8]. 8, P78-Perry Pickard[2].
Wesmar Racing Engines B Feature #1 (12 laps, top 4 transfer)
1, 4J-Jamie Passmore[2]. 2, 2W-Whit Gastineau[6]. 3, 4-Shane Sellers[8]. 4, 22-David Stephenson[1]. 5, 9$-Kyle Clark[3]. 6, 18J-Cody Jarvis[4]. 7, 51-Ryan Dean[5]. 8, 2A-Alison Staton[10]. 9, 30J-Larry Bratti[9]. 10, 22X-Matt Cash[7]. DNS: 62-James Shoun[11].
Wesmar Racing Engines B Feature #2 (12 laps, top 4 transfer)
1, 65L-Nick Lucito[2]. 2, 28-Joe Wood Jr.[1]. 3, 55-Johnny Kent[9]. 4, 23-Jimmy Taylor[7]. 5, 22T-Frank Taft[3]. 6, 30-Joseph Miller[4]. 7, 23X-Donovan Wise[5]. DNS: 94-Dan Schnackenberg[6], P78-Perry Pickard[8], 94F-Morgan Fletcher.
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories A Feature (30 laps)
1, 1-Sean McClelland[7]. 2, 5$-Danny Smith[9]. 3, 94L-Layne Himebaugh[8]. 4, 4J-Jamie Passmore[13]. 5, 8-Alex Sewell[1]. 6, 31-Casey Wills[10]. 7, 5L-Joe Bob Lee[11]. 8, 76S-Shayla Waddell[6]. 9, 2-Mickey Walker[3]. 10, 65L-Nick Lucito[14]. 11, 53-Brett Wilson[5]. 12, 28-Joe Wood Jr.[16]. 13, 4-Shane Sellers[17]. 14, 20H-Noah Harris[4]. 15, 20G-Noah Gass[2]. 16, 50Z-Zach Chappell[12]. 17, 2W-Whit Gastineau[15]. 18, 23-Jimmy Taylor[20]. 19, 22-David Stephenson[19]. DQ: Johnny Kent.
Lap Leaders: Mickey Walker 1-13, Sean McClelland 14-30.
Contingency Awards
Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories A Feature 1st Place: Sean McClelland
Drive Shafts, Inc, Heat 1: Alex Sewell, Noah Harris, Casey Wills
A1 Machine Shop Heat 2: Layne Himebaugh, Brett Wilson, Zach Chappell
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 3: Sean McClelland, Danny Smith, David Stephenson
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 4: Shayla Waddell, Mickey Walker, Noah Gass, Kyle Clark
M&W Aluminum Hard Luck: Dan Schackenberg
Wesmar B Feature Winners: Jamie Passmore, Nick Lucito
Rod Ends Supply Recipients: Brett Wilson, Joe Wood, Jr., Shane Sellers
Amsoil High Point Driver: Alex Sewell
York Plumbing Hard Charger: Jamie Passmore +9
About the Ameri-Flex / OCRS Series -
Established in 2002, the Tulsa OK based Ameri-Flex / OCRS series sanctions dirt track sprint car racing in the southern region of the central plains. Fan appeal and quality race teams, combined with our solid core of supporting sponsors are the nucleus of the series. Thrilling competition providing the ultimate quality family entertainment is the essence of what the Ameri-Flex / OCRS series is all about.
Website: http;//www.ocrsracing.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oil.series
About Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories -
Located in Tulsa OK, Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories is a family owned and operated company. From food grade hose to hoses for the petroleum industry, Ameri-Flex will strive to fill your needs. Ameri-Flex can build a hose to your specifications or we will assist you in creating what you have designed while you wait. Ameri-Flex has several hard to find items that some vendors can’t get or find. Product can be shipped quickly and efficiently. If we do not have what you are looking for, we will direct you on where to find it. Give us a try, after all…………..
Ameri-Flex Has The Stuff That Keeps You Going!
?Website: http://www.ameriflexhose.com