Late Model Series

McCool Junction, Nebraska ( August 8, 2009) - Four time defending series champion Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colorado kept his dominance of the season in tact, but this time had to earn it the hard way as he won the final night of the "King of the Hill Late Model Nationals" as the O'Reilly/NCRA late model division made their final appearance of the season at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska Saturday night. The $3000 to win Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature was also run with the Missouri based O'Reilly/MLRA presented by Lucas Oil Products.

Chris Smyser and Jason Bodenhamer started on the pole for the thirty-five lap Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature finale with Smyser jumping out into the lead on the original start. However, the green quickly turned yellow when Dave Conkwright went for a spin in turn one.

The attempted restart wasn't much better as this time, Smyser once again jumped out into the lead, only to loop his car in turn four.

Once racing action resumed it was Bodenhamer who took the lead at the drop of the green flag. John Anderson, Jeep Berry gave chase as Bodenhamer would open up a four car length advantage around the big three-eighths mile oval by lap four.

Anderson began to close the distance and by lap six was on the leaders bumper. A couple of slide jobs in turn four didn't work for the driver of the Shop Quik sponsored late model with Bodenhamer continuing to hold the lead.

Lap eight saw the slide job finally work for Anderson as he pulled it off in turns three and four and came down the front stretch to take the lead. Anderson would quickly open a ten car length lead but behind him things were heating up quick as Boen, aboard the Jay Dickens powered Rocket Chassis entered the third spot from his sixteenth starting position and picked off Bodenhamer for the runner up position on lap twelve.

Boen then set sail on the leader and by lap fourteen began putting pressure on Anderson. Boen tried several attempts to get underneath the leader but Anderson would continue to hold the top position as they began entering heavy lapped traffic on lap sixteen.

The front runners began stretching out their distance from the rest of the field and at the halfway point it was still Anderson, followed by Boen, Bodenhamer, Mike Johnson and Alan Mondus. But Boen would pick up the pace two laps later and on lap twenty-one drove around Anderson coming out of turn two to apparently take the lead heading down the backstretch. However, the caution would quickly wave as Jason O'Brien came to a stop at the top of turn four.

On the restart Boen made his move as he got around Anderson in turns one and two and took the lead heading down the backstretch. The field would compete one lap when the caution would again fall, this time for a Jason Friesen spin in turn three.

After a short delay and the race went back to green it was Boen, followed Anderson and current series points leader Kyle Berck, who used a provisional and started twenty-fourth and worked his way up into the third position. Berck would quickly dispose of Anderson for the runner up position and began challenging for the lead before the final caution waved on lap twenty-six.

On the final restart Anderson worked his way around Berck for second and pulled even with Boen entering turns three and four. Both drivers battled each other hard and heavy for the next couple of laps before Anderson would retake the lead heading down the backstretch on lap twenty-eight. One lap later Boen was not to be denied as he got around the Omaha resident down the backstretch to take the lead for good.

From there it was all Boen as he held on the final laps to take his eighth Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature victory of the season, the most by any late model driver in the series 26 year history.

Berck would take advantage of Andersons broken left front shock late to take the runner up position while Bodenhamer held on for fourth. Johnson's solid run brought him home fifth while twenty-third starting Bryant Goldsmith took home the sixth position.

Berry, Bo Egge, Bodenhamer, Anderson and Steve Kempt took home the five, ten lap heat races while Bill Koons and Mike Collins won the two "B" features.

Next up for the O'Reilly/NCRA late model division will be next Saturday night as the series makes their first appearance in several years to the beautiful Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas. They then head east to the home of NCRA and 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas.