IN
THE
WIND
P32
HALBERT
CAPTURES
INAUGURAL
STEEL SHOE
NATIONAL
T
he Steel Shoe Nationals
opened its 2017 season at
the Hagerstown Speedway out-
side 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.
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 in getting the event off the
ground.
With a purse of over $44,000
spread over three classes, some-
one was going to have a big pay-
day. As it turned out, that some-
one was Sammy Halbert, as he
topped the Pro Super Twins Main
and Dash on an 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 Jef-
frey Carver (H-D) off turn two.
Jake Shoemaker (Kawasaki)
has done well in the past on the
smooth wide groove of the Hag-
erstown Speedway, but he was
mired in the pack, well behind
Halbert.
Sammy Halbert (69) and
Jake Shoemaker (5) had
a great race for the win at
the inaugural Steel Shoe
Flat Track at Hagerstown
Speedway.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
DAVE
HOENIG
Cameron Smith topped
the DTX class.
