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David Smith, Jr.
NCRA Press and Contingencies
(405) 740-4769
[email protected]
Autry Sports Last Lap Laurels
McNamara Inaugural NCRA Champ
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 18, 2009 - Jeff Autry made his first appearance of the season with the O'Reilly/NCRA sport modified division a memorable one as he took the lead on the last lap to win the division's season finale at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas on Saturday night. But while Autry would become the sixth different Hard Rock Hotel – Casino feature winner in as many races, Chad McNamara of Blackwell, Oklahoma put his name in the statistic records as he became the divisions inaugural season champion.
McNamara and Frank Graven started on the front row for the twenty lap event but it was fourth starting Robert Elliott of Clinton, Oklahoma jumping out into the lead as the green flag fell. McNamara settled into the runner up position while Todd Decker, Graven and Autry rounded out the top five after the first lap was completed.
Elliott, driving the preferred lower portion of the three-eighths mile oval, kept the pace but McNamara found the top to his liking and kept pressure on the two-time Hard Rock Hotel – Casino feature winner for several laps before the first caution flag fell on lap six when Bobby Fiest came to a stop in turn four.
After a couple of cautions delayed the restart, once racing action resumed, Autry began making his move toward the front, passing McNamara for the runner up position with sixth starting Travis Johnson trailing close behind and into the third position pass McNamara.
Johnson would get a run on Autry on lap eight and take over the runner up position before the races final caution of the night fell on lap nine when Kevin Snow came to a stop on the backstretch.
On the final restart, Autry disposed of Johnson for second and then set his sights on the leader. Autry, aboard the Smiley's Racing Products/Tri-City Sandblasting/Jeff's Performance powered Emerson chassis had a lot of track to make up as race leader Elliott had opened up to a ten car length lead. But Autry kept reeling in the leader and coming down for the white flag lap, closed to Elliott's rear bumper. Heading down the backstretch with Elliott still running down low, Autry got a bite coming out of turn two and out ran the leader down the backstretch. Autry made the middle of the track stick in turns three and four and would out run Elliott down the front straightaway to take the one car length victory.
"Nothing like waiting until the last lap," explained Autry in victory lane. "We were content to just ride around and finish where we were but we kept gaining and gaining and finally had a chance there at the end and it worked."
McNamara would finish in the third position and lock up the division championship. "I am glad that's over," he said later. "I hate running like that and trying to point's race but glad we won it. I kept looking at the board to see where he (Donny) was running and I felt pretty comfortable where we were at."
Johnson's strong run would earn him a fourth at the line while Nick Shenberger rounded out the top five.
The eight lap heat races for the nineteen car field for the final O'Reilly/NCRA sport modified event for the 2009 race season were won by Raney, McNamara and Decker. Jim Stromme would finish in the C&E Performance twelfth place position.
Officials with the O'Reilly/National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following sponsors for the season finale at 81 Speedway in adding extra money to the purse: Hoosier Tire Great Plains, Pro Motor Sports, Dirt Performance, Smiley's of OKC, D&M Race Cars, Billsbuilt Race Cars and Dunsworth Machine.
Officials are currently contacting potential series partners, contingency sponsors and tracks In preparation for the 2010 race season. If you're interested in any of the above for the NCRA sport modified division, please contact Chris Smith (918) 625-6200 or David Smith, Jr. (405) 740-4769 or [email protected].
The O'Reilly/NCRA would like to thank the following series sponsors and contingency sponsors on the NCRA modified trail for the 2009 race season:
Official 2009 NCRA Modified/sport modified Series Sponsors: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hard Rock Casino-Hotel.
NCRA sport modified event sponsors: D&M Race Cars, Billsbuilt Race Cars, Dunsworth Machine, Dirt Performance, Smiley's of OKC, Pro Motorsports and Hoosier Great Plains.
CONTINGENCY: Design 500, Hoffman Race Cars, Billsbuilt Chassis, 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, Rod End Supply, Keizer Wheels, C&E Performance and Arizona Sport Shirts.
Hard Rock Hotel – Casino Feature: 1) Jeff Autry 2) Robert Elliott 3) Chad McNamara 4) Travis Johnson 5) Nick Shenberger 6) Todd Decker 7) Donny Raney 8) Randy Thomas 9) Landon Maddox 10) Craig Ridgway 11) Frank Graven 12) Jim Stromme 13) Bob Mock 14) J.D. Choate 15) Kevin Snow 16) Randy Sallee 17) Mike Shenberger 18) Bobby Fiest 19) Walter O'Dell
1st Heat: 1) Randy Thomas 2) Frank Graven 3) Walter O'Dell 4) Mike Shenberger 5) Bobby Fiest 6) Randy Sallee 7) Donny Raney
2nd Heat: 1) Chad McNamara 2) Robert Elliott 3) Jeff Autry 4) Jim Stromme 5) J.D. Choate 6) Landon Maddox
3rd Heat: 1) Todd Decker 2) Travis Johnson 3) Nick Shenberger 4) Craig Ridgway 5) Kevin Snow 6) Bob Mock
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
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