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(September 23, 2011) Greenwood, NE – Kyle Berck passed Jason Rauen on lap 9 and never looked back, as he cruised to his first Lucas Oil MLRA win of the season Friday night, in the Cornhusker Classic, at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE. “We have won several races with the SLMR Series and in the modified, but hadn’t picked off a win in the open series. It’s nice to do that, even thought it’s the end of the year,” stated Berck in AAA Missouri Victory Lane. Berck had several solid runs in previous Lucas Oil MLRA competition this year, scoring two 2nd place finishes and also a 5th place run. “This track’s been good to me this year, and it certainly feels like home here. The car was really good on the bottom and the top.”
The initial restart was waved off when Kelly Boen and Al Humphrey made contact while coming to the green flag. Racing was intense through the field over the opening 10 laps with several drivers swapping spots and others coming through the field. Joe Kosiski brought out the only other caution on lap 10, when he broke a tie rod. The cushion built in each corner as the race progressed. Berck found it and set an unbelievable pace in the final 15 laps. Denny Eckrich finished 2nd, and John Anderson was 3rd.
The night’s five heat races were really good as Jason Rauen, Charlie McKenna and Kyle Berck all won from the 5th starting position. Kelly Boen won from 6th, and Al Humphrey went from 10th to 2nd. His efforts earned him the pole for the Lucas Cattle Company A Feature. Denny Eckrich also won his heat race.
Action continues Saturday with the final night of competition for the Lucas Oil MLRA and Dart Corn Belt Clash. In other racing action, Kyle Berck won his modified heat race and dash placing him on the pole for Sunday’s $4,000 to win modified feature. Berck was on the track in four separate races Friday, winning each. Jason O’Brien was running 4th in his heat race and hit the wall going in to turn 1. His car flipped, but fortunately he was able to climb out of it and walk away from the accident.
September 23rd Contingency Awards
Performance Bodies – Al Humphrey
KRC Hard Charger – John Anderson
KRC Hard Luck – Jason O’Brien
Weld Wheels – Chad Simpson
BSB Manufacturing – Bill Koons
R2C Performance Filters – Jase Kaser
Keizer Wheels – Mike Wiarda
SafeRacer.com – Kyle Berck
Racing Optics – Scott Koskovich
Rod End Supply – Bill Leighton and Craig Preble
Lucas Oil Products Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. Jason Rauen 2. Al Humphrey 3. Justin Mitchell 4. Leon Zeitner 5. John Hampel 6. Robbie Anderson 7. Andrew Kosiski 8. Mike Wallace 9. Troy Daly 10 Dustin Reeh
Schoenfeld Headers Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. Charlie McKenna 2. Steve Kempt 3. Jill George 4. Jase Kaser 5. Bill Koons 6. Dustin Walker 7. Jeff Kroger 8. Justin Zeitner 9. Joe Walkenhorst 10. Corey Zeitner
Racing Optics Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. Kelly Boen 2. John Anderson 3. Jason Utter 4. Chris Simpson 5. Dave Eckrich 6. Joe Kosiski 7. Bo Egge 8. Brian Kenkel 9. Bill Leighton 10. Mike Collins
Peterson Fluid Systems Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. Denny Eckrich 2. Travis Dickes 3. Chad Simpson 4. Dylan Smith 5. Jay Stewart 6. Rob Moss 7. Ron Tex 8. Mike Wiarda 9. Scott Koskovich
Hatfield Racing Engines Heat 5 (10 Laps): 1. Kyle Berck 2. Tim Isenberg 3. Al Purkey 4. Craig Preble 5. Scott Daly 6. Jesse Kroger 7. Ross Evans 8. Jason O’Brien 9. Kevin Sather
Hoosier Racing Tire B Main 1 (12 Laps): 1. Dave Eckrich 2. Mike Collins 3. Dylan Smith 4. Rob Moss 5. Jase Kaser 6. Bill Leighton 7. Scott Daly 8. Brian Kenkel 9. Bill Koons 10. Mike Wallace 11. Dustin Walker 12. Andrew Kosiski 13. Troy Daly 14. Jesse Kroger 15. Ron Tex 16. Jason O’Brien
Sunoco Racing Fuels B Main 2 (12 Laps): 1. Chris Simpson 2. Joe Kosiski 3. John Hampel 4. Craig Preble 5. Justin Zeitner 6. Jay Stewart 7. Mike Wiarda 8. Robbie Anderson 9. Bo Egge 10. Scott Koskovich 11. Dustin Reeh 12. Joe Walkenhorst 13. Jeff Kroger 14. Ross Evans 15. Kevin Sather 16. Corey Zeitner
Lucas Cattle Company A Feature (25 Laps): 1. Kyle Berck 2. Denny Eckrich 3. John Anderson 4. Jason Rauen 5. Chad Simpson 6. Tim Isenberg 7. Al Humphrey 8. Dave Eckrich 9. Travis Dickes 10. Leon Zeitner 11. Kelly Boen 12. Al Purkey 13. Chris Simpson 14. Jason Utter 15. Rob Moss 16. John Hampel 17. Jill George 18. Mike Wiarda 19. Justin Zeitner 20. Dustin Walker 21. Charlie McKenna 22. Joe Walkenhorst 23. Steve Kempt 24. Dylan Smith 25. Joe Kosiski 26. Mike Collins 27. Justin Mitchell 28. Kevin Sather
The Lucas Oil MLRA (Midwest Latemodel Racing Association) sanctions regional Super Dirt Late Model touring series events in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.
Series officials recently announced a schedule addition. Thursday October 6th and Friday October 7th, the Lucas Oil MLRA will battle it out in two separate shows at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS. A-Modifieds will also be in action, racing for added money.
For all the latest news and information on the Lucas Oil MLRA please visit us on the web at www.MLRAracing.com or by calling the series office at (816) 650-5063 or (816) 305-6572.
The Lucas Oil MLRA would like to thank the sponsors of the 2011 Tour including Lucas Oil Products, AAA Missouri, Hoosier Race Tires, Lucas Cattle Company, Hatfield Racing Engines, Larry Shaw Race Cars, AFCO Racing Products, GRT Race Cars, Powertrain Industries, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bodee’s Race Bodies, Outpace Racing Products,Fast Track Photos, Weld Racing Wheels, Impact Signs and Lighting, Rod End Supply, Racing Optics, Schoenfeld Headers, Kluhsman Racing Components, Performance Bodies, RacinDirt.com, ATL Fuel Cells, Bilstein Shocks, BSB Manufacturing , Keizer Wheels, MasterSbilt,
R2C Performance Products