Dodge City, Kansas – May 3, 2014 – Ryan Gustin started on the pole and was never seriously challenged as he claimed victory in night one of the “Border War” between the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products late model tour took on the MARS DIRTcar series Saturday night at Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas.
Justin Asplin started on the pole for the thirty-five lap feature but it was outside front row starter Gustin who took the lead as the green flag fell. Jesse Stovall, Terry Phillips and Jeremy Payne were your top five after the first lap was complete with Gustin using the bottom portion of the three-eighths mile track to open up a five car length lead.
Phillips would get past Asplin on lap three and would get to within one car length of the leader as lapped traffic was encountered on lap ten. Gustin worked his Mullins Race Engines powered Rocket chassis through lapped traffic with ease and had built up a half track advantage before the first and only caution of the race fell on lap 26 when David Dietz spun on the back stretch.
On the single file restart there was no catching Gustin as he cruised the final nine laps to claim his second career NCRA victory and his fourth with the MARS DIRTcar series. Phillips came home second, one full straightaway behind while seventh starting Payne came home third. Bill Leighton, Jr. had a strong run to finish fourth while Stovall rounded out the top five.
The three, eight lap heat race winners for the nineteen car field were won by Asplin, Gustin and Phillips.
The next event for the NCRA and MARS late model tours will be tomorrow (Sunday) night at 81 Speedway in Park City and night two of the “Border War.”
NCRA/MARS Late Models
Dodge City Raceway/Dodge City, Kansas
05/03/14
19 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Justin Asplin, 2) Garrett Alberson, 3) Bill Leighton, Jr., 4) Tommy Weder, Jr., 5) David Dietz, 6) Leroy Johnson, 7) Jeremy Petty
2nd Heat: 1) Ryan Gustin, 2) Jesse Stovall, 3) Kyle Berck, 4) Brandon McCormick, 5) Damian Potuska, 6) Bill Leighton, Sr.
3rd Heat: 1) Terry Phillips, 2) Tony Jackson, Jr., 3) Jeremy Payne, 4) Chris Kratzer, 5) Travis Dickes, 6) Wylan Petrie
A Feature: 1) Ryan Gustin, 2) Terry Phillips, 3) Jeremy Payne, 4) Bill Leighton, Jr., 5) Jesse Stovall, 6) Tommy Weder, Jr., 7) Kyle Berck, 8) Tony Jackson, Jr., 9) Justin Asplin, 10) Chris Kratzer, 11) Brandon McCormick, 12) Garrett Alberson, 13) Travis Dickes, 14) Leroy Johnson, 15) David Dietz, 16) Jeremy Petty, 17) Damian Patuska, 18) Wylan Petrie, 19) Bill Leighton, Sr.
Lap Leaders: Gustin 1-35
Cautions: 1