Modified North Series

Hurd Takes NCRA Modified North Opener

By David Smith, Jr. 

PARK CITY, Kans (April 3, 2010) - After a slow to kick off last years season, 2009 division champion Marc Hurd started this season off right taking the O’Reilly/NCRA modified north Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature win at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas after apparent winner Brad Johnston came up light at the scales. This after a midrace tangle with a lapped car took out the two front runners giving Johnston the lead.

Defending division champion Dan Daniels earned the most passing points out of the 44 car field to start on the front row for the 30 lap Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature finale with five-time series champion Brian Franz starting along side.

Both drivers raced side by side entering turns one and two and were virtually even heading down the back stretch before the original start was nullified when Dan Powers and Ken Sweet got together in turn two.

On the complete restart it was Daniels taking control of the top spot and led the first lap with Franz, Nic Baalman, Johnston and Hurd giving chase. Daniels would open up and keep a five car length lead throughout the early stages of the event and by the races midway point began to approach lapped traffic, allowing Franz to close the deficit to one car length. Lap seventeen saw Franz try to move around the leader at the top of turn two but lost ground, only to see the Halstead, Kansas veteran gain back the distance lost as the leader got caught behind lapped traffic one lap later.

With eleven laps remaining the complexion of the race changed as Daniels and Franz began approaching a slower car entering turns three and four. The leaders made contact with the lapped car causing all three drivers to come to a halt and bring out the caution, sending both leaders to the back on the restart.

The caution came out one final time one lap later for a Sweet spin and when racing resumed, Johnston, who was battling Hurd all race long for the third position, inherited the lead on the restart. The Haysville, Kansas driver kept out front and led the final ten laps to take the apparent victory, his first career with the series. However, post race weigh in found him light at the scales giving Hurd his sixth career O’Reilly/NCRA modified north victory. “I want to thank my crew and Tommy who has worked very hard for me,” said Hurd, aboard the Alternative Pest Management/Parker Oil Company/Briley Race Engine powered Billsbuilt Race Car chassis. “This is a lot better way to start of the season than last year, hopefully this will lead to more wins.”

Brian Powers finished second with tenth starting Jason Schniepp coming home third. Brian Casey, who worked his way out of the “C” and “B” features started fifteenth and came home fourth with Ryan McAninch rounding out the top five. Daniels came back from his earlier tangle while leading to come home sixth.

The ten lap heat races were won by Powers, Franz, Baalman, Casey McClaskey and Niel Dossie. Darrick Kilma won the twelve lap “C” feature with Grant Junghans taking home the fifteen lap “B” feature honors.

The next stop for the O’Reilly/NCRA modified north division will be held on Saturday night, May 29^th at 81 Speedway in Park City.

Joie of Seating 2^nd Place= Powers

Rod End Supply 3^rd Place=Schniepp

BMS 4^th Place= Casey

Hooker Harness 8^th Place=Echevarria

C&E Performance 12^th Place= Smith

The O’Reilly Auto Parts National Championship Racing Association, celebrating their 40^th year, would like to thank the following for their involvement with the modified north during their 13^th season:

2010 NCRA Official Sponsors: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hard Rock Hotel-Casino

2010 NCRA modified north contingency partners: Arizona Sports Shirts, Bassett Wheels, Belleville Motor Sports, Billsbuilt Race Cars, C&E Performance, Hooker Harness, M&M Custom Graphics, On Another Level Designs, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Taylor Cable Products, The Joie of Seating, Ultra-Shield.