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David Smith, Jr. NCRA Press and Contingencies (405) 740-4769 Raney Rolls to NCRA Sport Modified Hutch Nationals Victory FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Hutchinson, Kansas - July 25, 2009 - It is a year of firsts for the new O'Reilly/NCRA sport modified division and what better way to showcase your talents then at the 53rd Annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals. And for Amarillo, Texas driver Donnie Raney it was a first for several reasons as he became the first ever sport modified Hutchinson Grand Nationals champion as the series made their annual trip to the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas on Saturday night. Todd Decker of Guthrie, Oklahoma and Chad McNamara of Blackwell started on the front row for the twelve lap feature with Decker taking the lead as the green flag fell. Raney fell in to a close third while Robert Elliott held fourth and Nick Shenberger fifth as the top five drivers begun their battle atop the big half mile fairgrounds oval. Decker would hold a slim one car length lead by lap three as the top four drivers battled for position throughout the early stages. Raney looked to make a quick move into the lead in turns one and two on lap four only to see Decker and McNamara return the favor down the backstretch. Deckers strong run would go up in smoke on lap five as his engine expired and would bring up the first caution of the Hard Rock Casino-Resort feature. McNamara would inherit the lead with Raney hot on his tail and Elliott also right there in the mix. Fourth running Shenberger also began to reel in the leaders setting up for a final six lap shootout. On lap eight, Raney used the cushion in turn two to power his way past McNamara and into the lead going down the back straightaway.The Amarillo veteran would stretch his lead to five car lengths and was beginning to approach lapped traffic on lap eleven when the final caution of the race fell when Shenberger's strong run in fourth was cut short as he stopped in turn one with a cut tire. On the final restart there was no getting around Raney as he held on to take the three car length victory, his first ever on a half mile track. "Damn this place is fast," said an exhausted Raney after the race. "We found something up top and I am really surprised nobody else was up there. The car had a little trouble getting in the corners up there so I adjusted, ran in there hard and gassed it coming out. This is really a fun race track." McNamara would hold on to finish second with Elliott coming home third. Tenth starting Randy Thomas, who several times caught the top fours attention in the corners but just didn't have the motor to make it stick, finally settled in for a fifth place finish while Perry Colby came home sixth. Heat races for the eighteen car field were won by Decker and McNamara while Bobby First picked up the C&E Performance thirteenth place finish. Next up for the O'Reilly/NCRA sport modifieds will be this coming Friday night as the series makes their second appearance of the season at Elk Citys I-40 Speedway in Elk City, Oklahoma where race time will begin at 8:00 PM. The O'Reilly/National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their support for the 2009 race season:
SPONSORS: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Race Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hard Rock Casino-Resort
CONTINGENCY: Design 500, Hoffman Race Cars, Billsbuilt Chassis, C&E Performance Parts Racing Optics, BSB Manufacturing, Belleville Motor Sports, Schoenfeld Headers, Hatfield Racing Engines, Taylor Cable Products, Bassett Wheels, Pro Shocks, Ultra Shield, Pro Motor Sports, AFCO Race Products, The Brake Man and Arizona Sport Shirts. Hard Rock Casino-Resort A Feature: (started) 1) Donnie Raney (3) 2) Chad McNamara (2) 3) Robert Elliott (4) 4) Randy Thomas (8) 5) Mike Shenberger (7) 6) Perry Colby (6) 7) Frank Graven (10) 8) Bob Mock (9) 9) Landon Maddox (12) 10) Hesston Shaw (13) 11) David Givins (11) 12) Nick Shenberger (5) 13) Bobby First (14) 14) Kevin Snow (17) 15) Walter O'Dell (15) )16) Todd Decker (1) 17) Don Reed (16) 18) Jack Taylor (18)
1st Heat: 1) Todd Decker 2) Perry Colby 3) Donnie Raney 4) Mike Shenberger 5) Frank Gravens 6) David Givins 7) Bobby First 8) Walter O'Dell 9) Kevin Snow
2nd Heat: 1) Chad McNamara 2) Robert Elliott 3) Nick Shenberger 4) Bob Mock 5) Randy Thomas 6) Landon Maddox 7) Hesston Shaw 8) Don Reed 9) Jack Taylor
David Smith Jr.
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