From David Smith, Jr.
Park City, KS — (October 14, 2012) — Sprint car veteran Mike Peters of Wichita, Kansas became the first repeat winner in the inaugural season for the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products 305 sprint car division Sunday night as the tour closed out their season at 81 Speedway in Park City.
And while Peters took home $1000 for his victory, Brian Herbert narrowly walked away as the tour champion for the 2012 race season.
Herbert, who came into the night with a slim fifteen point lead over Raymond Seeman, started on the pole for the twenty lap feature finale and quickly jumped out into the lead over fourth starting Seeman as the green flag fell.
After cutting Herbert’s point lead down to ten points after heat race action, all Seeman had to do was finish ahead of Herbert to take home the tour championship. However, Herbert had other ideas as the second generation Dodge City driver kept out front the first half of the event.
Outside front row starter Peters began making his move to the front just before the races midway point, getting around Seeman for the runner up position on lap nine and setting his sights on the leader. Lap thirteen saw Peters make his move as he moved his family owned #51 sprinter underneath Herbert entering turns one and two to take the lead, one which he would never relinquish.
While Peters went the final seven laps uncontested, the battle for the championship became very intriguing as both Herbert and Seeman contested each other for the runner up position.
Herbert kept the position until just a hand full of laps to go when Seeman took over the runner up position. However, this would only put him five points behind in the point chase and needed Herbert to finish two positions behind him just to claim the series only second tie for the points lead in their 42 year history. This almost occurred as third starting J.D. Johnson began pressuring Herbert for the third position and closed to within a bumper with three laps to go.
However, Johnson would be unable to make the pass for position allowing Herbert to hang on for the third position behind Seeman and lock up the inaugural championship. Jeremy Campbell worked his way up from his eighth position to round out the top five.
The two, eight lap heat races for the twelve car field were won by Seeman and Johnson.
Herbert will pick up his championship trophy along with the other four touring champions with the series at the yearend banquet in late January.
NCRA 305 Sprint Cars
81 Speedway/Park City, Kansas
10/14/12
12 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Raymond Seeman (Jetmore, Ks), 2) Brian Herbert (Dodge City, Ks), 3) Justin Schwien (Russell, Ks), 4) Zach Blurton (Jetmore, Ks), 5) Darren Bowman (Kinsley, Ks), 6) Gavin Stout (Haysville, Ks)
2nd Heat: 1) J.D. Johnson (Wichita, Ks), 2) Mike Peters (Wichita, Ks), 3) Mike Woodruff (Satanta, Ks), 4) Jeremy Campbell (Wichita, Ks), 5) Kasey Beckham (Andover, Ks), 6) Kris Miller (Woodward, Ok)
A Feature: 1) Mike Peters (Wichita, Ks), 2) Raymond Seeman (Jetmore, Ks), 3) Brian Herbert (Dodge City, Ks), 4) J.D. Johnson (Wichita, Ks), 5) Jeremy Campbell (Wichita, Ks), 6) Mike Woodruff (Satanta, Ks), 7) Zach Blurton (Jetmore, Ks), 8) Darren Bowman (Kinsley, Ks), 9) Kasey Beckham (Andover, Ks), 10) Gavin Stout (Haysville, Ks), 11) Kris Miller (Woodward, Ok), 12) Justin Schwien (Russell, Ks)