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David Smith, Jr.
NCRA Public Relations
(405) 740-4769
[email protected]
2014 NCRA Modified Season Review: Powers Up!
FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE – Park City, Kansas – November 16, 2014 - It was another successful season for the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products modified division and after the twelve race schedule was complete, a new, first time champion was declared.
The 2014 race season kicked off on April 11-12 with the third annual “Modified Spring Scramble” at 81 Speedway in Park City. Thomas Tillison, Jr. picked up the Friday night preliminary feature victory while Ryan Gustin claimed the $5000 to win championship feature finale on Saturday night.
Just one week later the tour headed to the famed Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas for an April special event where it was Nebraska veteran Jon Thompson taking home the victory and served notice he would be one of the key players for the championship.
Tillison scored his fourth career series victory the next time the tour was in action, this coming on a Friday night atop the Salina High Banks Speedway in Salina, Oklahoma. The next night it was on to 81 Speedway where former five-time touring champion Brian Franz picked up his first of two feature victories of the season.
It was an Independence Day weekend double header next on the schedule with Franz repeating his winning performance at 81 Speedway on the Fourth of July while former two-time tour champion Marc Hurd claiming victory atop the Belleville High Banks in Belleville, Kansas.
The calendar then turned to the month of July and that generally means one thing on the NCRA schedule, the 58th annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals atop the Kansas State Fairgrounds. It was a sign of things to come as Dan Powers laid claim to his first ever Hutchinson Grand Nationals championship and would become just the second father/son duo to win the NCRA modified portion of the Hutch Nationals as his father, Brian, accomplished the feat back in 2004 – ten years earlier. Buddy and Tanner Mullens were the only other father/son duo to accomplish this feat in that division.
One month later the tour made their third annual trip to West Texas and Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo where Powers brought one home for the touring series and his first victory outside the state of Kansas.
With the series annual Labor Day weekend appearance at the Belleville High Banks Speedway in Belleville, Kansas being nixed by heavy race time rain, two events would remain on the schedule with three drivers all in contention for the championship. And as has been the case the past several seasons, the point battle would not be decided until the final checkered flag fell on the final event for the 2014 race season.
The first of those events took place on Saturday night, October 18, at 81 Speedway where Tanner Mullens spoiled the three-way point battle between Powers, Thompson and Hurd as he claimed his first feature victory of the season.
One week later it was back to the track and time to decide a champion. Powers would come in with a slim 20 point lead over Thompson while Hurd was 35 points out and looking for a three-peat championship. Once heat races and last chance features were complete it was Thompson sitting on the front row for the feature and in prime position for his first ever series championship.
Thompson took the lead at the start of the thirty lap feature and quickly took the lead as the green flag fell. Thompson was dominate and looked to be on his way to the championship when his hopes went up in smoke with just nine laps to go, sending him pit side with a blown motor and a fourteenth place finish. Powers wasn’t in the clear as Hurd worked his way up from his eleventh starting position and looked to gain at least two more positions to claim the championship.
However, Darren Moses would claim his first career NCRA modified victory over a fast closing Jason McGehee with Hurd coming home third. This, coupled with Powers’ sixth place finish was enough for Powers to claim his first ever series championship, just ten points ahead of Hurd.
“The season was, overall, my best ever,” said Powers. “We were consistent all year and things really started clicking for us midseason, winning the Hutch Nationals and in Amarillo – both the highlight of my career. I have a lot of respect for Hurd and Thompson and had a good time battling it out with them.” Not only did he join his father as Hutch Nationals champions, they would also be only the second father/son duo to ever win an NCRA championship. Jon Johnson and C.J. Johnson were the only others to accomplish this feat.
Billsbuilt Race Cars powered by KBS Motors was the combination of choice with race team partners Decker Financial Services, Kaotic Wraps and Farber Construction very instrumental in the team’s success.
The battle for the 2014 NCRA modified rookie of the year was just as close as Chris Pitts edged out Cuyler Calkin for rookie honors.
Powers, Pitts and the rest of the top ten will all be rewarded at the NCRA season banquet on Saturday night, January 31, 2015. More details will be announced at a later date.
Officials with the National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their partnership with the modified division during the 2014 race season: Park City, Kansas, Precise Racing Products, Hoosier Racing Tires, and Sunoco Race Fuels
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
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