Allen Wins NCRA Modified Opener
by: Randy Fisher

PARK CITY, Kan. (May 19, 2007) – Fifty-three drivers were on hand as the O’Reilly NCRA Modified Series, presented by ICM/Ethanol, finally opened their 10th season. After two rainouts at 81 Speedway, it was former series champion John Allen showing the way around the 3/8ths-mile oval flag-to-flag for the win.

Allen, a three-time series champion, started on the pole and never looked back. He stayed low at the green as the outside pole sitter Jason Teague, slid down right behind him. Teague, last year’s series rookie of the year, lost that spot to Kenny Sweet on a restart for lap two.

Sweet, the 2006 81 Speedway modified division track champion, often dove low when Allen came out of turn four on the high side but could never pull in front. Although Sweet stayed with Allen most of the race, he sometimes lagged a considerable distance behind the leader.

Allen, Sweet and Brian Powers gradually pulled away from the field but Powers could never mount a run for the lead. Allen encountered lapped traffic midway through the race and was able to put some distance between himself and Sweet, with Powers holding on to third.

By lap 18 Allen, a three-time series champion, had pulled away from Sweet, who suddenly had his hands full holding second from Powers. The two of them spent several laps dicing for position but Powers never got around.

Charging through the field to provide a late-race challenge was Brian Franz, the four-time defending series champion. Franz won the B-feature and started 11th in the A, moving to fifth by the sixth circuit.

Franz continued to move toward the front as he pulled into a three-way battle for third place with Powers and Teague that lasted several laps. With Teague and Franz dicing behind him, Powers was able to pull away a bit from them. Franz moved around Teague into fourth place on the ninth lap and continued toward the front.

While Allen had pulled away to a seemingly comfortable lead, Powers had crept up on Sweet’s nerf bar on lap 18 challenging for second. Two laps later, Franz moved up into the melee to make it a three-car battle for position.

The four leaders closed up somewhat on lap 20 before Allen and Sweet paired up a couple of laps later to battle for first, while Powers and Franz did the same in their tussle for third.

Behind them, Teague was trying to hold off another hard-charger, Greg Stephens. Last year’s runner-up in points, Stephens started the feature way back in 15th and was up to sixth, looking for a top five finish.

With seven laps to go, the pairings were still Allen and Sweet running first and second, with Powers and Franz in third and fourth. Then Franz went high coming off turn four to complete lap 24 and took third from Powers.

Two laps later, Allen again moved away from Sweet a bit while Franz pulled Powers with him to the back of Sweet’s machine. They stayed in that order until the final lap when Franz was able to get around Sweet for second, who finish third. Powers took the checker in fourth, while Stephens was fifth, having passed Teague on lap 25.

Rounding out the top 10 were Jeremy Massey, Travis Govern, Brian McGowen, and Casey McClaskey.

It was Allen’s ninth career NCRA modified series win. He moved into a tie for second on the all-time list with the late David Lahey. Franz is far and above at the top with 21 victories.

Brandon Gemmill, a third-generation driver from Ponca City, Okla., won the D-feature; Stephens won the C-feature and Franz took the B.

Heat race winners were Sweet, Powers, Travis Govern, Casey Jesseph, Franz, and Allen.

Results

Heat #1:

1. Kenny Sweet, Wichita, Kan.; 2. Jason Teague, Tahlequah, Okla.; 3. Jason Yager, El Dorado, Kan.; 4. Jeremy Massey, Park City, Kan.; 5. Mike Miller, Wichita, Kan.; 6. Jason Schniepp, Wichita, Kan.; 7. Brad Johnston, Peck, Kan.; 8. Jon Thompson, Superior, Neb.; 9. Shawn Govern, Wichita, Kan.

Heat #2:

1. Brian Powers, Wichita, Kan. 2. Casey McClaskey, Ponca City, Okla.; 3. Ryan McAninch, Wichita, Kan.; 4. Greg Stephens, Wichita, Kan.; 5. Ryan Whitworth, Humboldt, Kan.; 6. Kirk Coleman, Wichita, Kan.; 7. Marlin Farr, Nickerson, Kan.; 8. Ron Dauer, Lindsborg, Kan.; 9. Bo Key, Colwich.

Heat #3:

1. Travis Govern, Wichita, Kan.; 2. Craig Miller, Hutchinson, Kan.; 3. Brian Casey, Hutchinson, Kan.; 4. Troy Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla.; 5. Nic Baalman, Wichita, Kan.; 6. Delbert Smith, Wichita, Kan.; 7. Loren Dauer, Lindsborg, Kan.; 8. Shawn Langhover, Haysville, Kan.; 9. Rodney Dodds, Haysville, Kan.

Heat #4:

1. Casey Jesseph; 2. Ryan Hill; 3. Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb.; 4. Scott Green, Derby, Kan.; 5. Mike Jarvis, Wichita, Kan.; 6. Jason Roe, Wichita, Kan.; 7. Scott Miller, Hutchinson, Kan.; 8. Mark Crough, Hutchinson, Kan.; 9. Terry Malm, Lindsborg,Kan.


Heat #5:

1. Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan.; 2. Brian McGowen, Wichita, Kan.; 3. Shane Gerber, Wichita, Kan.; 4. Marc Hurd, Wichita, Kan.; 5. Don Renfro, Wichita, Kan.; 6. Brandon Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla.; 7. Mike Dymond, Wichita, Kan.; 8. Howard Williams, Wichita, Kan.; 9. Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan.

Heat #6:

1. John Allen, Chanute, Kan.; 2. Jim Johnson, Derby, Kan.; 3. Rick Davis, Mt. Hope, Kan.; 4. Greg Burt, Enid, Okla.; 5. Marty Curry, Haysville, Kan.; 6. Ted Tolan, Wichita, Kan.; 7. Mike Farrell, Cheney, Kan.; 8. Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

D feature (top 10 transfer):

1. Brandon Gemmill, 2. Marlin Farr, 3. Howard Williams, 4. Kirk Coleman, 5. Ron Dauer, 6. Ted Tolan, 7. Rodney Dodds, 8. Scott Miller, 9. Bo Key, 10. Loren Dauer, 11. Mark Crogh, 12. Mike Farrell, 13. Jon Thompson, 14. Terry Malm, 15. Mike Dymond, 16. Delbert Smtih, 17. Marty Curry, 18. Kevin Newell, 19. Shawn Langhover, 20. Shawn Govern, 21. Brad Johnston.

C feature (top 10 transfer):

1. Greg Stephens, 2. Greg Burt, 3. Jeremy Massey, 4. Troy Gemmill, 5. Marlin Farr, 6. Don Renfro, 7. Jason Roe, 8. Nic Baalman, 9. Brandon Gemmill, 10. Loren Dauer, 11. Mike Jarvis, 12. Howard Williams, 13. Mike Miller, 14. Kirk Coleman, 15. Ron Dauer, 16. Ted Tolan, 17. Bo Key, 18. Rodney Dodds, 19. Scott Miller, 20. Ryan Whitworth.

B feature (top 10 transfer):

1. Brian Franz, 2. Jim Johnson, 3. Jason Friesen, 4. Marc Hurd, 5. Greg Stephens, 6. Jeremy Massey, 7. Greg Burt, 8. Marlin Farr, 9. Craig Miller, 10. Jason Roe, 11. Troy Gemmill, 12. Shane Gerber, 13. Ryan Hill, 14. Scott Green, 15. Don Renfro, 16. Brandon Gemmill, 17. Brian Casey, 18. Loren Dauer, 19. Nic Baalman, 20. Rick Davis.

A feature:

1. John Allen, 2. Brian Franz, 3. Kenny Sweet, 4. Brian Powers, 5. Greg Stephens, 6. Jason Teague, 7. Jeremy Massey, 8. Travis Govern, 9. Brian McGowen, 10. Casey McClaskey, 11. Greg Burt, 12. Ryan McAninch, 13. Jim Johnson, 14. Jason Friesen, 15. Marc Hurd, 16. Jason Yager, 17. Jason Roe, 18. Marlin Farr, 19. Casey Jesseph, 20. Craig Miller.