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Boen Recovers, Hangs On for NCRA Late Model Victory
at 81 Speedway
By David Smith, Jr.
By David Smith, Jr.
PARK CITY, Kans. (Sept. 1,
2007) - Kelly Boen took a step closer to his third
consecutive series championship as he retook the lead with
six laps to go and manhandled his damaged car to win the
thirty lap O'Reilly NCRA Late Model presented by ICM/Ethanol
feature as the series made their first and only appearance
Saturday night at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas. The race
was co-sanctioned with the Topless Outlaw Racing Association
(TORA) late models.
Boen and Kyle Berck started on the front row and paced
the field to green with Boen taking the lead entering turns
one and two as the green flag fell. Berck, Steve Foster,
Chris Hawkins and Gary Gorby fell into position as Boen and
his Rocket Chassis would open a half stretch lead by lap
three. It stayed that way for two laps before the first of
two caution flags fell on lap five when John Kuchar and
Gorby, aboard the Earl Kinderknecht ride, got together in
turns one and two.
On the restart, Boen throttled out to the front at the
top of the three-eighths mile oval and began to pull
away from the rest of the field. Behind him, all eyes were
on "B" feature winner Jerry Warner as the LaVista, Nebraska
driver had moved up to fifth from his eleventh starting
position, passing Foster. On lap ten, Berck dropped to the
bottom side of the track and began to reel in the leader and
as the front runners began approaching lapped traffic, moved
to within one car length of the lead.
The fourteenth lap saw a change for the lead as Boen
continued to work the high side while Berck found the bottom
to his liking and entering turn one, drove underneath to
take the lead and quickly open an eight car length
advantage.
At the races midway point it was Berck, followed by Boen,
Foster, rookie contender Jimmy Seagraves and Warner as the
front runners began entering heavy lapped traffic. Lap
eighteen saw Boen's chances for victory take an apparent hit
as he made contact with an infield tractor tire entering
turn three. Despite a broke tie rod on the left front, he
kept the pressure on the leader as the leaders continued
working lapped traffic.
Lap twenty-three saw yet a new twist to the race as Berck
bobbled and drifted high in turn three allowing Boen to
sneak underneath and retake the lead. Berck would recover
and stay within four car lengths of the leader before the
second and final caution fell on lap twenty-six when Justin
Kinderknecht spun in turns three and four, which was then
followed by a Gorby spin in turn one on the restart.
The final restart saw Boen continue to nurse his
ill-handling car out front and held on the final four laps
to take his sixth series feature of the season and move one
step closer to yet another series championship. "My crew
didn't tell me to move to the bottom of the track so when
Kyle got under me, it took me by surprise," said Boen, who
was icing his left hand after jamming his wrist when contact
was made with the tractor tire. "We just kept pace with him
(Berck) and when he made that little mistake we took
advantage of it." Following Boen and his AFCO shock and
Peterson Fluid Systems sponsored Rocket Chassis was Berck,
followed by a strong and consistent run by Abiliene, Kansas
race veteran Foster. Seagraves finished fourth while
thirteenth started Bryant Goldsmith rounded out the top
five.
The three, eight lap heat races for the thirty car field
were won by Warman, Berck and Boen while Warner took the
lead from early race leader Chris Kratzer on lap four and
went the rest of the way unchallenged to win the twelve lap
"B" feature.
O'Reilly
Finish Line
Heat #1: 1, Ronnie Warman. 2, Chris Hawkins. 3, Mike Wiarda. 4, Steve Foster. 5, Camron Winter. 6, Jim Beaman. 7, Michael Furthmyer. 8, Zeck Hanger. 9, John Kuchar. 10, Ted Martin.
Heat #2: 1, Kyle Berck. 2, Gary Gorby. 3, Andy Gerstenkorn. 4, Chris Kratzer. 5, Delbert Smith. 6, Justin Hoepker. 7, Jason Schobinger. 8, Justin Kinderknecht. 9, Greg Larsen. 10, Ryan McAninch.
Heat #3:
B-feature: 1, Jerry Warner. 2, Chris Kratzer. 3, Bryant Goldsmith. 4, Delbert Smith. 5, John Kuchar. 6, Ryan Rairden. 7, Camron Winter. 8, Jason Schobinger. 9, David Brack. 10, Justin Kinderknecht. 11, Wylan Petrie. 12, Jim Beaman. 13, Kelly Dunn. 14, Greg Larsen. 15, Justin Hoepker. 16, Shaun Buckley. 17, Michael Furthmyer.