SAPULPA, Okla. — Often victorious in American Sprint Car Series Regional action over the years, ASCS National Tour victory lane has proven elusive for Sean McClelland.
The Tulsa racer changed that on Thursday night though, putting his expertise of Creek County Speedway to good use by tracking down race-long leader Chance Morton on the 20th round en route to a $4,000 payday aboard the D&E Supply/DSO Racing Engines No. 1 sprint car.
It was McClelland’s second career ASCS National Tour triumph after his first win came at the now non-existent Houston Raceway Park on March 11, 2006.
A half-dozen of McClelland’s 20-plus regional wins have come atop the quarter-mile Creek County clay oval. And when the rubber began to come into play on the low side, McClelland battled past Jordon Mallett for second on the 13th lap and began chopping away at Morton’s half straightaway advantage.
With Morton still working the top side of turns three and four, McClelland closed in lap after lap before pouncing into the lead exiting turn four on the 20th round.
“I waited a lap to make that move, I didn’t want to get too far under him the lap before and let him know I was there,” McClelland explained. “I knew if he saw me that he would duck down to the bottom and it would be over.”
While Morton gunned into the lead from the front row outside at the outset, fourth-starter McClelland spent the early rounds pressuring pole starter Mallett for second.
With Mallett hindered by a flat left front tire after a lap-10 restart, McClelland fought off Seth Bergman for third while also making the move past Mallett for second as Bergman lost several positions running the high side with others followed McClelland’s lead on the bottom.
A final caution flew after McClelland made the winning move, but it was too late for Morton to mount a challenge as McClelland raced on to the checkered flag unabated in the closing circuits.
Morton settled for runner-up honors with Mallett filling out the podium in third despite the flattened left front.
Howard Moore climbed from ninth to fourth with sprint car rookie shoe Jace Park rallying from 14th to round out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 1-Sean McClelland[4]; 2. 7M-Chance Morton[2]; 3. 14-Jordon Mallett[1]; 4. 3-Howard Moore[9]; 5. 87J-Jace Park[14]; 6. 55B-Brandon Anderson[11]; 7. 8M-Kade Morton[10]; 8. 29-Lane Goodman[22]; 9. 23-Seth Bergman[3]; 10. 3X-Tanner Conn[8]; 11. 31-Casey Wills[17]; 12. 45X-Kyler Johnson[15]; 13. 95-Matt Covington[6]; 14. 6-Christopher Townsend[13]; 15. 10-Landon Britt[23]; 16. 938-Bradley Fezard[12]; 17. 91-Michael Day[7]; 18. 15D-Andrew Deal[21]; 19. 7F-Noah Harris[16]; 20. 26M-Fred Mattox[18]; 21. 36-Jason Martin[5]; 22. (DNS) 25-Kyle Admire; 23. (DNS) 1H-Hank Davis