|
David Smith, Jr.
NCRA Press and Contingencies
(405) 740-4769
[email protected]
Four time series champion Garry Lee Maier of Cimmaron, Kansas took the lead on lap eleven, worked lapped traffic to perfection and went on to win the O'Reilly/NCRA 360 sprint car Cherokee Casino-Resort feature at the Jetmore Motorplex in Jetmore, Kansas on Friday night and became the series fourth different Cherokee Casino-Resort feature winner in as many events.
Zach Chappell, driving the Danny King owned, Ethanol sponsored #E85 sprinter came into the evening as points leader and started on the pole for the twenty-five lap feature. After a couple of delayed starts due to caution, Chappell quickly took the lead as the green flag fell on the twenty-one car field. J.D. Johnson, Maier, Mike Peters and C.J. Johnson quickly gave chase before the first and only caution after the start of the feature fell when Patrick Stasa came to a stop on the backstretch.
Once racing resumed, Chappell again motored out front and quickly opened up a six car length lead by lap two. The Talala, Oklahoma resident stretched that to a half stretch advantage by lap eight while behind him, Meier began making his move towards the front, passing J.D. Johnson for the runner up position on lap eight.
As the leaders began approaching lapped traffic on lap nine, Maier quickly closed in on the leader and two laps later drove underneath Chappell to take the lead down the front stretch.
Maier, aboard the Ochs Brothers owned #1x Maxim chassis sprinter, quickly pulled away from the rest of the field but still working lapped traffic. This would allow Chappell to close the deficit to six car lengths with five laps to go.
Maier looked to cruise the rest of the distance but going down the back straightaway on the last lap, Chappell looked to have a strong run coming out of turn two, but lapped traffic hesitated the former national champion allowing Maier to go on to take the six car length victory at the end.
"Lapped traffic hurt him (Zach) but helped me out alot," said an exhausted Maier. "I kinda had to run where they weren't and the car was working real good down in turns three and four. I want to thank my sponsors Mid State Hay, Midwest Ag Professionals Inc., Millard Managament and Harmony Ranch. They mean alot to this team.
Peters finished a strong third followed by C.J. Johnson and J,D, Johnson. Jake Martens started eleventh due to his "B" feature win and came home to finish in the sixth position.
The three, eight lap heat races for the twenty-one car field were won by Patrick Stasa, J.D. Johnson and Chappell while Jake Martens led flag to flag the ten lap "B" feature.
Next up for the O'Reilly/NCRA 360 sprinters will be Saturday night at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas for their third appearance of the season. The O'Reilly/NCRA modified division will also be competing.
1st Heat: 1) Patrick Stasa 2) Mike Peters 3) Garry Lee Maier 4) Sherman Davis 5) Luke Cranston 6) Tyler Knight 7) Jeff Stasa
2nd Heat: 1) J.D. Johnson 2) A.J. Selenke 3) Jason Martin 4) Jake Martens 5) Steven Richardson 6) Jason Schroeder 7) Mark Walinder
3rd Heat: 1) Zach Chappell 2) Mike Chadd 3) Kris Miller 4) C.J. Johnson 5) Scott Cochran 6) Ray Seaman 7) Jon Freeman
B Feature: 1) Jake Martens 2) Sherman Davis 3) Luke Cranston 4) Scott Cochran 5) Steve Richardson 6) Jeff Stasa 7) Jon Freeman 8) Tyler Knight 9) Mark Walinder 10) Jason Schroeder 11) Ray Seaman
Cherokee Casino-Resort A Feature: 1) Garry Lee Maier 2) Zach Chappell 3) Mike Peters 4) C.J. Johnson 5) J.D. Johnson 6) Jake Martens 7) Jason Martin 8) Luke Cranston 9) Sherman Davis 10) Patrick Stasa 11) Mike Chadd 12) Kris Miller 13) Jon Freeman 14) Jeff Stasa 15) Tyler Knight 16) Steven Richardson 17) Ray Seaman 18) Scott Cochran 19) Mark Walinder 20) A.J. Selenke 21) Jason Schroeder
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
|
