Southern Modified Series

Timms Holds On for NCRA Southern Modified Thriller

By David Smith, Jr.

MEEKER, Oklahoma (April 24, 2010) - In a race that saw no less than seven lead changes amongst three drivers, it was Wheatland, Oklahoma’s Randy Timms who last took the lead with four laps to go to win the thrilling O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature Saturday night at Brill Motor Speedway in Meeker, Oklahoma.

Steve Robinson, who earned the most passing points in his earlier heat race, started on the pole for the twenty lap Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature but it was outside front row started Justin Allen taking the lead as the green flag fell. Robinson settled into second with fourth starting Robert Elliott third, Dustin Buntin fourth and Jeff Autry fifth as the first lap was completed.

Allen, aboard the Wells Racing Engines powered Big Chief racing chassis, found the top of the track to his liking and that helped him stay in contention all race long. By lap three, Buntin would move around Robinson and Elliott to take over the third position and set his sights on the leader. This would set the stage for a battle for the lead that would continue the rest of the distance as both drivers waged a side by side battle for the top spot.

With Allen continuing up top and Buntin staying down low, both drivers began swapping positions on lap five with Buntin getting an edge underneath the leader in turns three and four to take the lead. Next time by Allen returned the favor by driving around Buntin coming out of turn four to lead lap six. Buntin would not be denied as he was credited with leading lap seven by inches before Allen retook the lead down the backstretch a half lap later.

On lap eight the first of three consecutive cautions fell with Chase Walker going for a spin in turn four. The attempted restart was none better with three cars tangling in turn one. But the real action came on the last attempted restart coming out of turn four saw a seven car pileup involving Autry (who was running third), Elliott (running fourth), Mark Robinson, Mike Little, Tad Swietzer, Jake Hilbern, and Donny McConnell to bring out the red flag.

Once racing action resumed it was Allen still your leader, followed by Buntin, S. Robinson, seventh starting Timms and Randy Sallee. Back to racing action meant back to a battle up front with Buntin continuing to make the bottom of the track work as he pulled even with the leader entering turns one and two.

Still side by side with Allen credited leading lap nine, Buntin made his move into the lead coming out of turn four to take the lead on lap ten. By this time Timms, his first night aboard the Jeff Jackson built Western Flyer sport mod chassis, decided it was his time to join the fun as he caught both drivers and on lap fifteen made it a three wide battle for the lead heading down the backstretch. Timms kept to the bottom of the track and took the lead entering turn three with Buntin, who was running the middle, having to back off allowing Allen to take over the runner up position.

While Timms and his Dunnsworth powered machine looked to have things under control with just four laps remaining, such was not the case as Allen kept to within three car lengths in the final laps.

Entering turn three on the final lap, Allen tried one last ditch effort to drive underneath Timms but would fall just short as Timms would go on to take his first career O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified feature by two car lengths.

“I have raced against the best of the best in racing but these cars take some getting used to,“ said Timms afterwards. “I was just trying to find the right place on the track to run there for awhile and learn how to drive the car. This was our first night out with this Western Flyer Express sport mod chassis and it takes some getting use to. These things aren’t as easy to get use to as it looks. My hats off to Jeff Jackson as he builds one heck of a car.”

Buntin tried getting underneath Allen for the runner up position coming out of four and even though he got turned sideways, the current points leader in the division held on to finish third. Steve Robinson finished a strong fourth while Kevin Snow picked up the DIRT Performance Parts and Tires hard charger of the race award by coming home fifth from his thirteenth starting position.

Autry, Sweitzer, S. Robinson and Sallee all won the eight lap heat races for the thirty-two car field while Joey Buntin and Glen Wiley picked up the two, ten lap “B” features.

Todd Decker from Edmond, who came into the event tied for the division points lead after his victory In the season opener one month ago in Elk City, suffered a broken transmission and was only able to make three laps during his “B” feature and would fail to qualify for the feature finale.

The next event for the O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified division will be on Saturday night, May 15^th, back at Brill Motor Speedway.

The 2010 race season is the 40^th anniversary year for the O’Reilly Auto Parts National Championship Racing Association, sanctioning races for the late model, sprint car, modified north, modified south and southern modified divisions. For more information on the southern modifieds, contact steward Chris Smith (918) 625-6200. For information on the series including schedules, point standings, driver profiles and stats on the history of the series, check them out on the world wide web at www.ncraracing.org.

The National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their contribution and involvement with the southern modifieds for 2010: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hard Rock Hotel-Casino.

The series would like to thank the following contingency partners with the southern mods for the 2010 race season. Arizona Sports Shirts, Bassett Wheels, Billsbuilt Race Cars, DIRT Performance Parts and Tires, Hooker Harness, Pro Shocks, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Taylor Cable Products, The Joie of Seating and Ultra Shield.