FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Park City, Kansas – June 18, 2011 - Travis Johnson took the lead from the pole position and never looked back as he wired the field as the Bob Howard P.D.C and Mopar National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley’s Racing Products southern sport modified division made their second appearance of the season at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas on Saturday night.
Johnson, aboard the #86J HRT Service Company sponsored/Carroll’s Racing Engines powered Big Chief chassis got the jump on outside front row starter Jim Pearcy at the start of the twenty-five lap feature and quickly built a ten car length lead. Third starting Robert Elliott disposed of Pearcy one lap later for the runner up position and looked to chase down the leader as Johnson had built up a half stretch lead.
Inaugural series champion Chad McNamara of Pond Creek, Oklahoma moved his #327 machine around Pearcy for the third position on lap five and set sail on the leaders.
The first of two caution flags would wave on lap eight when Kip Hughes of Enid, Oklahoma spun to a stop at the top of turns three and four.
While the double file restart bunched up the field, Johnson was quick on the start and would hold on to his lead, opening up to a five car length at the races midway point. That’s when the final caution of the race fell when Triple B Oil Field Services of Elk City rookie of the year contender J.D. Choate of Ponca City, Oklahoma came to a stop at the top of turn three.
The final restart saw Johnson still out front followed by McNamara. Tenth starting Jeremy Chambers worked his way up into the third position with Landon Maddox close behind.
With the race staying green the final laps, Johnson encountered lapped traffic on lap twenty-one allowing Elliott to close the distance. But with the top groove the fast way around the three-eighths mile oval, Elliott wasn‘t able to set the leader up for the pass and Johnson went on to post his sixth career NCRA southern sport modified victory and second of the season to become the first repeat winner for the year.
“The car really worked good tonight,” said Johnson in victory lane. “I knew the fast way was around the top so I just took my time and held my line. Lapped traffic gave me a little bit of a problem there at the end but I just stayed patient.”
Elliott finished two car lengths back in the runner up position for the second night in a row with McNamara coming home third. Chambers settled for fourth while Triple B Oil Field Services rookie contender Brandon Smith of Amarillo, Texas rounded out the top five.
Elliott, Hughes and Johnson took home victories in their respective eight lap heat races.
Two touring regulars who were notably absent from the event, Triple B Oil Field Services rookie of the year contenders Kinzer Edwards and Devin Gerrior, suffered mechanical problems on their tow vehicle coming from Friday nights event in Caney, Kansas and could not make the trip.
The next event for the Bob Howard P.D.C. and Mopar NCRA of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley’s Racing Products will be held on Saturday night, July16th at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas as the tour will once again be part of the annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals.
The National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their partnership with the series southern sport modified division for the 2011 race season:
Bob Howard P.D.C, Mopar, Park City, Kansas, Smiley’s Racing Products, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Triple B Oil Field Services of Elk City, Oklahoma
NCRA Southern Sport Modifieds
81 Speedway/Park City, Kansas
June 18, 2011
20 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Robert Elliott 2) Chad McNamara 3) Jeremy Chambers 4) Johnie Rauschenberg 5) J.D. Choate 6) Zachery Tippett 7) Steve Blunk
2nd Heat 1) Kip Hughes 2) Jim Pearcy 3) Landon Maddox 4) Bobby McGehee 5) Bobby Fiest 6) Dusty Robbins 7) Ray Fiest
3rd Heat: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Brandon Smith 3) Todd Decker 4) Ross McCartney 5) Damon Sieger 6) Chris Lyons
A Feature: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Robert Elliott 3) Chad McNamara 4) Jeremy Chambers 5) Brandon Smith 6) Todd Decker 7) Landon Maddox 8) Jim Pearcy 9) Ross McCartney 10) Johnie Rauschenberg 11) Dusty Robbins 12) Bobby McGehee 13) Zachery Tippett 14) Bobby Fiest 15) Steve Blunk 16) Ray Fiest 17) Damon Sieger 18) J.D. Choate 19) Kip Hughes DNS: Chris Lyons
Johnson, aboard the #86J HRT Service Company sponsored/Carroll’s Racing Engines powered Big Chief chassis got the jump on outside front row starter Jim Pearcy at the start of the twenty-five lap feature and quickly built a ten car length lead. Third starting Robert Elliott disposed of Pearcy one lap later for the runner up position and looked to chase down the leader as Johnson had built up a half stretch lead.
Inaugural series champion Chad McNamara of Pond Creek, Oklahoma moved his #327 machine around Pearcy for the third position on lap five and set sail on the leaders.
The first of two caution flags would wave on lap eight when Kip Hughes of Enid, Oklahoma spun to a stop at the top of turns three and four.
While the double file restart bunched up the field, Johnson was quick on the start and would hold on to his lead, opening up to a five car length at the races midway point. That’s when the final caution of the race fell when Triple B Oil Field Services of Elk City rookie of the year contender J.D. Choate of Ponca City, Oklahoma came to a stop at the top of turn three.
The final restart saw Johnson still out front followed by McNamara. Tenth starting Jeremy Chambers worked his way up into the third position with Landon Maddox close behind.
With the race staying green the final laps, Johnson encountered lapped traffic on lap twenty-one allowing Elliott to close the distance. But with the top groove the fast way around the three-eighths mile oval, Elliott wasn‘t able to set the leader up for the pass and Johnson went on to post his sixth career NCRA southern sport modified victory and second of the season to become the first repeat winner for the year.
“The car really worked good tonight,” said Johnson in victory lane. “I knew the fast way was around the top so I just took my time and held my line. Lapped traffic gave me a little bit of a problem there at the end but I just stayed patient.”
Elliott finished two car lengths back in the runner up position for the second night in a row with McNamara coming home third. Chambers settled for fourth while Triple B Oil Field Services rookie contender Brandon Smith of Amarillo, Texas rounded out the top five.
Elliott, Hughes and Johnson took home victories in their respective eight lap heat races.
Two touring regulars who were notably absent from the event, Triple B Oil Field Services rookie of the year contenders Kinzer Edwards and Devin Gerrior, suffered mechanical problems on their tow vehicle coming from Friday nights event in Caney, Kansas and could not make the trip.
The next event for the Bob Howard P.D.C. and Mopar NCRA of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley’s Racing Products will be held on Saturday night, July16th at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas as the tour will once again be part of the annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals.
The National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their partnership with the series southern sport modified division for the 2011 race season:
Bob Howard P.D.C, Mopar, Park City, Kansas, Smiley’s Racing Products, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Triple B Oil Field Services of Elk City, Oklahoma
NCRA Southern Sport Modifieds
81 Speedway/Park City, Kansas
June 18, 2011
20 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Robert Elliott 2) Chad McNamara 3) Jeremy Chambers 4) Johnie Rauschenberg 5) J.D. Choate 6) Zachery Tippett 7) Steve Blunk
2nd Heat 1) Kip Hughes 2) Jim Pearcy 3) Landon Maddox 4) Bobby McGehee 5) Bobby Fiest 6) Dusty Robbins 7) Ray Fiest
3rd Heat: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Brandon Smith 3) Todd Decker 4) Ross McCartney 5) Damon Sieger 6) Chris Lyons
A Feature: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Robert Elliott 3) Chad McNamara 4) Jeremy Chambers 5) Brandon Smith 6) Todd Decker 7) Landon Maddox 8) Jim Pearcy 9) Ross McCartney 10) Johnie Rauschenberg 11) Dusty Robbins 12) Bobby McGehee 13) Zachery Tippett 14) Bobby Fiest 15) Steve Blunk 16) Ray Fiest 17) Damon Sieger 18) J.D. Choate 19) Kip Hughes DNS: Chris Lyons
