By David Smith Jr.
McCool Junction, Nebraska – September 7, 2013 – Jack Dover used lapped traffic to his advantage coming down the front stretch on the final lap to win the thrilling National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products 360-ci sprint car feature finale Saturday night at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska in a combined event with the Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region.
Wyatt Burks and Greg Bakker started on the front row for the twenty-five lap feature with Bakker taking the lead as the green flag fell. Burks would take the lead one lap later with a slide job with Bakker pulling off the same move in the corners, only to see Burks get credited with each lap.
The pace of the race slowed on lap three when Jordan Boston came to a stop on the track.
On the restart it was Burks, followed by Bakker, Don Droud, Jr., Jake Martens and C.J. Johnson giving chase. Burks kept the pace out front and kept it there until lap seven when sixth starting Droud dove under him to take the apparent lead. However the pass was all for naught as Billy Alley hit the wall in turns three and four hard and flipped to bring out the red flag. He was uninjured.
With Burks back out front on the restart, Droud kept his pressure on the leader and on lap twelve, would execute a slide job to take the lead. Burks would return the favor to retake the top spot one lap later, only to see Droud take the lead for good on lap fourteen.
Passing was at a premium throughout the field before the caution would wave with eight laps to go when Rocky Klabunde brought out the caution for a spin.
Two lapped cars were placed between Droud and seventh starting Dover, who over took Burks for the runner up position two laps before the final caution.
With four laps to go Droud began approaching lapped traffic with Dover a full straight-a-way behind. Dover, aboard the family owned #53 Certified Transmission/Home Pride Companies/The Oil Medics/Trail Performance sponsored, Roush/Yates powered Eagle chassis, began to close in on the leader and with Droud bottled up by slower cars entering turns three and four for the final time, Droud was forced low as sailed the cushion to victory.
Droud settled for second with early leader Burks taking home third. Seth Brahmer came from his tenth starting spot to finish fourth while eleventh starting Tyler Drueke rounded out the top five.
The four, eight lap heat races for the thirty car field were won by Jake Martens, Gregg Bakker, Jack Dover and Wyatt Burks while Billy Alley claimed the ten lap “B” feature.
Sprint car veteran Mike Peters of Wichita, Kansas, who came into the night second in NCRA sprint car points, suffered a bad flip in his fourth heat race. Peters would later be taken by ambulance to the hospital with back pain.
The tour will roll up to Lincoln, Nebraska tonight (Sunday) with the Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region and Eagle Raceway for the annual running of the “Nebraska Cup” that pays $5000 to win plus lap money.
NCRA Sprints
Junction Motor Speedway/McCool Junction, Nebraska
September 7, 2013
30 Cars
1st Heat: 1) 48 Jake Martens; 2) 1B Robby Wolfgang; 3) 5M Miranda Arnold; 4) 12 Tyler Drueke; 5) 91 Jeff Stasa; 6) 2J-Zach Blurton; 7) 81 Jon Freeman; DNS: 1P Curtis Evans
2nd Heat: 1) 11X Gregg Bakker; 2) 2 Don Droud, Jr.; 3) 18R Ryan Roberts; 4) 3 Billy Alley; 5) 4 Jordan Boston; 6) 77 John Klabunde; 7) 24B Jeremy Campbell; 8) 17 Gage Dorr
3rd Heat: 1) 53 Jack Dover; 2) 28 Rocky Klabunde; 3) 13V Seth Brahmer; 4) 98J J.D. Johnson; 5) 36 Jason Martin; 6) 52 Nick Bryan; 7) 17B Jason Becker
4th Heat: 1) 11W Wyatt Burks; 2) E85 C.J. Johnson; 3) 2F Frank Galusha; 4) 35 Trevor Grossenbacher; 5) 45 Jeff Lowery; DNF: 19 Tadd Holliman. 51 Mike Peters
B Feature: 1) 3 Billy Alley; 2) 35 Trevor Grossenbacher; 3) 36 Jason Martin; 4( 24B Jeremy Campbell; 5) 91 Jeff Stasa; 6) 81 Jon Freeman; 7) 2J Zach Blurton; 8) 52 Nick Bryan; 9) 17B Jason Becker; 10) 17 Gage Dorr; DNS: 77 John Klabunde, 19 Tadd Holliman, 51 Mike Peters, 1P Curtis Evans
A Feature: 1) 53 Jack Dover; 2) 2 Don Droud, Jr.; 3) 11W Wyatt Burks; 4) 13V Seth Brahmer[10]; 5) 12 Tyler Drueke; 6) 1B Robby Wolfgang; 7) 11X Gregg Bakker; 8) E85 C.J. Johnson; 9) 36 Jason Martin; 10) 4 Jordan Boston; 11) 18R Ryan Roberts; 12) 35 Trevor Grossenbacher; 13) 48 Jake Martens; 14) 98J J.D. Johnson; 15) 2F Frank Galusha; 16) 24B Jeremy Campbell; 17) 5M Miranda Arnold; 18) 45 Jeff Lowery; 19) 28 Rocky Klabunde; DNF: 3 Billy Alley
Lap Leaders: Gregg Bakker 1; Wyatt Burks 2-11, 13; Don Droud, Jr. 12, 14-24, Jack Dover 25