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It's Hutch Nationals Time for NCRA Modifieds/Sprint Cars FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 21, 2008 - Park City, Kansas - The weather is the hottest it has been all year long, it is late July and that only means one thing for the O'Reilly/NCRA presented by ICM/Ethanol series teams and fans - "It's National's Time!" For the 52nd consecutive year, the 38th year sanctioned by NCRA, the Hutchinson Nationals takes place this coming Friday and Saturday night, July 25-26, as the series modifieds and sprint car divisions will be in competition for one last time on the big fairgrounds half-mile oval, located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. It has been recently announced that the famed Hutchinson Fairgrounds half mile will be shortened to a 3/8 mile before next year. Beginning at 7:30 p.m.on Friday night, the NCRA modifieds will compete in qualifying heat races while Saturday nights action will consist of a top "10" dash, followed by consolation features and the Hutchinson Grand Nationals feature finale. Second generation driver Troy Gemmill is the reigning modified Nationals winner and will look to be the first repeat winner since 2001. Despite not a single victory on the tour in 2008, Marc Hurd comes into the weekend as points leader with a 25 point advantage over Dan Daniels. So far, twelve drivers have competed in all five races held while four drivers have only missed one event. Five-time and defending NCRA modified champion Brian Franz is the only repeat feature winner with two while Daniels, John Allen and Jeremy Massey also visiting victory lane. Also on Saturday night, the "Thunder and Lightning" of the NCRA sprint car series will take to the track with a full program of heat races, consolation features and Grand Nationals feature finale. Last year, Jon Freeman of Salina, Kansas picked up his first ever Hutch Nationals victory. Veteran Mike Peters of Wichita, a 1981 and 1987 Hutch Nationals champion, will go into the night as points leader. Last Saturday night, series rookie of the year contender Koby Barksdale of Norman, Oklahoma picked up his first career series victory and became the seventh different feature winner in seven races held this season. The Kansas State Fairgrounds is located West of SR 61 on 17th Ave., then north on Poplar. For more Hutch Nationals information, call (316) 755-1781. An added incentive for sprint car drivers in 2008 comes from three year series presenting sponsor ICM/Ethanol. All drivers competing with a 360 cu. inch motor, finishing in positions 16-20, will earn $400 to start the sprint car feature finale, up from $350 from last season. All 360 drivers not making the "A" feature will earn $150, up from $100 in previous seasons. The extra money provided through the incentive package presented by ICM / Ethanol will not be paid out at each race track, but will be mailed out from the NCRA offices in Park City, Kansas once official results are posted on the O'Reilly/NCRA web site. The National Championship Racing Association is entering it's 38th season of sanctioning dirt track races, this year in five different states in its sprint car, modified and late model divisions combined. The 2008 race season will see the series' sprint car division compete for the 19th consecutive year. To learn more on the history of NCRA, rules, schedules and more, log on to their official website http://www.ncraracing.org/. To schedule an NCRA event, climb aboard as contingency partner or for any questions concerning the series, contact the office (316) 755-1781.(David Smith Jr/[email protected])
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
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