| July 3, 2017
2017 Steel Shoe Nationals Hagerstown Flat Track Results – The Steel Shoe Nationals opened its 2017 season at the Hagerstown Speedway outside of Hagerstown, Maryland, July 1. The half-mile speedway has hosted motorcycle races since the 1940s and is known as one of the best tracks on the East Coast.
2017 Steel Shoe Nationals Hagerstown Flat Track Results
It was the very first event for the brand new dirt track series and Christy Cottrell and her crew have had to weather several storms getting off the ground.
With a purse of over $44,000, spread over three classes, someone was going to have a big payday. As it turned out, that someone was Sammy Halbert, as he topped the Pro Super Twins Main and Dash, on a XR750 Harley-Davidson. Coupled with a fourth-place finish in the 450-505cc Framers main, Halbert collected over $8500.
The 25- lap, 18-rider Twins main saw Halbert take a high line into turn one and lead Jarod Vanderkooi (Kawasaki) and Jeffrey Carver (H-D) off turn two. Jake Shoemaker (Kawasaki) has done well in the past on the smooth wide groove of the Hagerstown Speedway, but he was mired in the pack, well behind Halbert.
Methodically Shoemaker passed riders until just before the halfway mark when he made a pass for the lead. Unfortunately for Shoemaker, Ryan Varnes crashed heavily off turn four, bringing out the red flag. Varnes was unable to make the restart.
Halbert took command of the restart, but this also was red flagged when Parker Norris (Kawasaki) and Davis Fisher (H-D) both crashed in turn one. Halbert, once again, nailed the start and left Ryan Wells (H-D), Bronson Bauman (Kawasaki) and Shoemaker behind.
2017 Steel Shoe Nationals Hagerstown Flat Track Results
Shoemaker, once again, put on a show, slicing his way to the front and passing for the lead again. With the big dollar signs at the end of the rainbow, Halbert retook the lead on the last lap and held on. Shoemaker picked up over $3000 for second, while JR Addison (Kawasaki) slipped into third and a $,000 pay day.
Vanderkooi, Wells and Bronson Bauman held off a fast closing Fisher (after Fisher was forced to restart last after his crash). Henry Wiles, Chad Cose and Jay Maloney filled out the top 10.
Chad Cose topped the unique 450-505cc Framers class (a nod to the history of dirt track). Cose and his Honda were the class of the field all night as he easily won the 15-lap, 18-rider main and the four-lap Dash for Cash. For this portion of the program Cose made $3200.
Cose finished the main over five seconds ahead of a great race for second. Jeffrey Carver (Yamaha), Sammy Halbert (Honda) and Davis Fisher (Honda) were locked into a tight battle that eventually went to Fisher, with Carver and Halbert close behind. Kevin Stollings (Honda) filled out the top five.
The 450cc DTX class was the smallest of the night with 19 entries and was just dominated by Cameron Smith (Honda). Shane O’Banion (Honda) worked his way around Kyle Vanconant (Honda) and Oliver Brindley (Kawasaki) for second. John Vanderlaan edged out Jordan Harris for fifth.
Dave Hoenig
2017 Steel Shoe Nationals Hagerstown Flat Track Results
RESULTS
TWINS
- Sammy Halbert (H-D)
- Jake Shoemaker (Kaw)
- JR Addison (Kaw)
- Jarod Vanderkooi (Kaw)
- Ryan Wells (H-D)