Story By: BEN SHELTON / DRAKE TROUTMAN RACING – HYNDMAN, PA – Drake Troutman notched his fifth win of the season on Friday night. His latest voyage to Victory Lane with his Wheeler Fleet Solutions / CertainTeed No. 7 RFI Resources / Shoe’s Diesel Performance / Longhorn Race Car / Jay Dickens Racing Engine Super Late Model was achieved at McKean County Raceway in Jay’s Automotive United Late Model Series (ULMS) competition.
Troutman hoped to carry his momentum into the rest of the weekend’s action, but unfortunately he’d be plagued by mechanical woes on both Saturday and Sunday.
“After Portsmouth (Raceway Park) rained out on Friday we decided to head to McKean County (Raceway) and it proved to be a great night for our team and we got the win. We had high hopes for both Saturday and Sunday’s races, but mechanical gremlins plagued us both nights,” Troutman said. “Hopefully we got all the bad luck out of the way so that we can hit the ground running in Lucas Oil (Late Model Dirt Series) action this week.”
With the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series weekend opener at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park rained out, Drake Troutman made the haul to McKean County Raceway (East Smethport, Pa.) on Friday afternoon.
With 19 United Late Model Series entries on hand, Troutman laid down the quickest lap in qualifying before dominating his heat race. Starting fourth in the 30-lap feature after the redraw, Drake quickly moved into the top spot and led the rest of the evening’s A-Main to collect a $4,000 payday. In his second-career triumph with the series, Troutman outran Michael Lake and Ryan Montgomery to the checkered flag.
Returning to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on Saturday, Drake Troutman was one of 35 Super Late Models checked in at Muskingum County Speedway (Dresden, Ohio) for the Freedom 60.
Earning his spot in the $20,000-to-win feature with a third-place run in his heat race, Troutman was slated to start from the fifth-row until mechanical issues prevented him from starting the event. He was scored 25th with a DNF.
Wrapping up the extended weekend at Brushcreek Motorsports Complex (Peebles, Ohio), Drake Troutman attempted to defend his title of the 4B4EVER 40.
Leading the first 19 laps of the $10,000-to-win event, Troutman once again suffered a mechanical issue that relegated him to a DNF.
Drake now looks to return to the road with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) this week with three events in three nights. Action opens with the $15,555-to-win Slocum 50 on Thursday evening at 34 Raceway (West Burlington, Iowa). On Friday evening he’ll roll into the Gundaker family’s Tri-City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Ill.) for the $12,000-to-win NAPA Know How 50 before visiting Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, Mo.) on Saturday for the 18th annual CMH Diamond Nationals which posts a $20,000 winner’s check.
He currently sits second in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year battle with the tour, just 15 points removed from the lead and is 14th in the overall standings.