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David Smith Jr
ENID, Okla. (October 26) - John Anderson of Omaha, Nebraska started on the pole and led every lap in winning the season ending O'Reilly/NCRA late model division presented by ICM/Ethanol feature Sunday afternoon during the running of the 43rd Annual Enid Winter Nationals at Enid Speedway Park in Enid, Oklahoma. Also, in the race within the race, Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colorado successfully wrapped up his fourth consecutive series championship.
Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kansas started on the outside of Anderson for the twenty-five lap feature but it was Anderson taking the lead entering turn one as the green flag fell. Third starting Shawn Harker, Boen and Jimmy Seagraves gave chase as the driver of the Shop Quik Convenience Stores/Stucky Enterprises Masterbuilt Chassis quickly opened ten eight car length lead.
Boen got around Harker to settle in for the third position on lap two while the leader maintained his lead over the rest of the field, entering lapped traffic for the first time on lap eight.
The first of two caution flags fell on lap eleven when Delbert "The Ice Man" Smith slowed to a stop at the top of turn four.
When racing resumed, Anderson again pulled away from the rest of the field and built a half stretch advantage before the final caution of the day fell on fifteen when Abiline, Kansas veteran Steve Foster stopped on the front stretch with a flat tire. Steve retired to the pits with a sixteenth place finish. In the earlier drivers meeting, Foster announced that he was retiring from racing following this event. He would end his career tenth in the 2008 NCRA season point standings.
On the final restart, Anderson again had the field covered, going the final ten laps unchallenged to earn his third feature victory of the season.
Purkey would go on to finish a half stretch behind at the end to finish second while Boen took home third. Kyle Berck, who came into the event trailing Boen by five points in the championship chase, started seventh and passed Harker and Seagraves late to come home fourth while Seagraves rounded out the top five.
For Anderson, who also moved into fourth in the final point standings, it was his second Enid Winter Nationals victory in a row, also taking home last years twenty-five lap feature. "The track was perfect for a day time show," said John afterwards. "It was the best track I have been on for a day time feature and was that way last year also. We basically used the same setup as we did last year and it worked."
Boen's fourth consecutive series championship was tougher this year than previous years, having battled all season with Berck. "We got another one. Kyle (Berck) and his family and crew are very classy people and I want to congratulate them on a great season."
While Berck fell just thirty point shy of his second series championship, he is disappointed but has more pending matters at hand. "My wife is due with our first child just any day now so I can focus all my attention on my family this winter. We will be back next year though, somebody's got to beat that guy (Boen)."
Coming into the event, Shawn Harker of Plattsmouth, Nebraska clinched rookie of the year honors over Soloman, Nebraska's Wylan Petrie.
This event wraps up the 25th Anniversary season for the NCRA late models and one of the closest battles for not only the championship but the top ten in final point standings. Officials and staff with the NCRA late model series would like to thank all the drivers and their crews, series sponsors, track promoters and most of all you race fans for making this one of the most successful season's in years for the series.
Plans are already underway for the 2009 race season. If you are interested in becoming a series sponsor, contingency sponsor or hosting an NCRA late model event, please contact NCRA steward Chris Smith (918) 625-6200 or the NCRA office (316) 755-1781.
The O'Reilly/NCRA presented by ICM/Ethanol would like to thank the following contingency sponsors in the late model division for the 2008 race season: ICM/Ethanol, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Weld Racing Wheels, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Holley Performance Products, INCE Race Cars, GRT Race Cars, Winters Performance Products, Taylor Vertex, Schoenfeld Headers, Auto Meter, Taylor Cable Products, BSB Race Parts, Hatfield Racing Engines, QA1 Motorsports, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Ultra-Shield Race Products, AFCO Racing Shocks, Pro Shocks, Racing Optics and Design 500. (David Smith, Jr./oklahomatidbits@aol.com)
A Feature: 1) John Anderson 2) Al Purkey 3) Kelly Boen 4) Kyle Berck 5) Jimmy Seagraves 6) Jason Friesen 7) Mike Wiarda 8) Bob Ewell 9) Kelly Dunn 10) Steve Johnson 11) Dewaine Hottinger 12) Wylan Petrie 13) John Ewell 14) Shawn Harker 15) Bill Koons 16) Steve Foster 17) Delbert Smith 18) Gary Gorby 19) Ted Martin 20) Aubrey Swan
Lap leaders: Anderson 1-25
1st Heat: 1) Al Purkey 2) John Anderson 3) Jason Friesen 4) Kelly Dunn 5) Bill Koons 6) Ted Martin 7) John Ewell
2nd Heat: 1) Kelly Boen 2) Bob Ewell 3) Mike Wiarda 4) Dewaine Hottinger 5) Steve Foster 6) Gary Gorby 7) Aubrey Swan
3rd Heat: 1) Shawn Harker 2) Jimmy Seagraves 3) Kelly Boen 4) Delbert Smith 5) Steve Johnson 6) Gary Gorby
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