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David Smith Jr
MAYETTA, Kans. (October 17) - Jesse Stovall of West Branson, Missouri started on the pole and led every lap to win the opening night of the tracks "Thunder on the Hill II" as the O'Reilly/NCRA late model division presented by ICM/Ethanol visited the high-banked Thunderhill Speedway in Mayhetta, Kansas Friday night. The race was co-sanctioned with the Topless Outlaw Racing Association (TORA).
Stovall led the field to the opening green with third starting Kelly Boen jumping past outside front row starter John Anderson. One lap was in the books before the first of four caution flags fell when Jason Friesen came to a stop at the top of turn four.
Once racing resumed, Stovall again jumped out front, opening a quick five car length Boen. The three time and defending series champion Boen would be pressured by Anderson for the runner up position on lap five. One lap later Anderson would drive underneath Boen exitingturn two to take over the position and set his sights on the leader.
Anderson would close to within one car length of Stovall as the leaders approached lapped traffic on lap nine. One lap later, at the races midway point, Bryant Goldsmith come to a stop at the bottom of turns three and four with a flat tire.
The restart would see Stovall open a comfortable eight car length lead while behind him, Anderson and Boen would battle for the third position.
Back behind the front runners, all eyes were on current series points leader Kyle Berck as he entered the top five from his 22nd starting position. He would gain one more position on a lap fourteen restart for debree in turn one when he got around then running Al Purkey. The features final caution flag fell on lap fifteen when Ryan McAnich came to a stop on the bottom of turn four.
The final restart with five laps to go saw Stovall again jump out front with Anderson on his rear bumper. Anderson made several attempts for the lead, each time thwarted off by the leader.
While the battle for the lead was a two car battle, Boen, Berck and Goldsmith, who restarted at the tail of the field after his earlier caution, began their battle for the third position.
Back up front, Anderson would try one final attempt for the lead in turns three and four on the final lap. But he would slide a little high allowing Stovall to hand on by six car lengths to take his first career NCRA victory and $1500 first place prize aboard his Moyer Victory Circle Race Cars/New Vision Graphics/Performance Bodies sponsorship. Boen would settle for third with Berck holding off Goldsmith for the fourth position. It was a rough night for the current series points leader as Berck would blow the motor during the "B" feature. The 2002 late model series champion would then turn to his backup car, not being allowed to receive points for his feature efforts. He would escape the night with a slim 10 point advantage over Boen for the season championship.
The ten lap heat races for the forty car field were won by Stovall, Anderson, Boen and Jimmy Seagraves while Goldsmith and Mike Collins took home honors in the twin, ten lap "B" features.
Heat 1: 1, Jessie Stovall. 2, Al Purkey. 3, Mike Wiarda. 4, Jack Simmons. 5, Steve Foster. 6, Robert Garst. 7, Marty Doner. 8, Jack Simmons. 9, Shawn Harker. 10, Wylan Petrie.
Heat 2: 1, John Anderson. 2, Jay Stewart. 3, Ryan McAnich. 4, Travis Roth. 5, Kyle Berck. 6, David Brack. 7, Dustin Mooneyham. 8, Earl Kinderknecht. 9, Mollie Collins. 10, Ted Martin.
Heat 3: 1, Kelly Boen. 2, Delbert Smith. 3, Jason Friesen. 4, Mike Collins. 5, Bryant Goldsmith. 6, Jerry Warner. 7, Scott Koskovich. 8, Jake Williams. 9, Justin Huehl. DNS: Mike Danburg.
Heat 4: 1, Jimmy Seagraves. 2, Paul Mueller. 3, Al Humphrey. 4, Gary Gorby. 5, Chris Kratzer. 6, Chris Morgan. 7, Cory Zeitner. 8, Justin Kinderknecht. 9, Jason Bodenhamer. 10, Mike Conkwright.
B Feature: 1, Bryant Goldsmith. 2, Travis Roth. 3, Gary Gorby. 4, David Brack. 5, Marty Doner. 6, Earl Kinderknecht. 7, Shawn Harker. 8, Waylan Petrie. 9, Mollie Collins. 10, Chris Morgan. 11, Scott Koskovich. 12, Mike Conkwright. 14, Justin Huehl.
B Feature: 1, Mike Collins. 2, Jerry Warner. 3, Steve Foster. 4, Dustin Mooneyham. 5, Jake Williams. 6, Jason Bodenhamer. 7, Justin Kinderknecht. 8, Robert Garst. 9, Kyle Berck. 10, Corey Zeitner. 11, Mike Danburg. 12, Jack Simmons. 13, Ted Martin.
A Feature: 1, Jesse Stovall. 2, John Anderson. 3, Kelly Boen. 4, Kyle Berck (NP). 5, Bryant Goldsmith. 6, Al Purkey. 7, Delbert Smith. 8, Mike Collins. 9, Mike Wiarda. 10, Jay Stewart. 11, Steve foster. 12, Shawn Harker. 13, Ryan McAninch. 14, Jimmy Segraves. 15, David Brack. 16, Wylan Petrie. 17, Jerry Warner. 18, Al Humphrey. 19, Jason Freisen. 20, Travis Roth. 21, Chris Kratzer. 22, Paul Mueller. 23, Jack Simmons. 24, Gary Gorby.
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