By Randy Fisher

WAKEENEY, Kans. (May 27, 2007) – Saturday at Lincoln County Raceway, Stu Snyder started the feature to the outside of pole sitter Garry Lee Maier, who took the early lead and held it for all 25 laps to the checker. Sunday at WaKeeney Speedway, they reversed their starting positions, which Snyder hoped was a good sign.

 “I thought we might have had something tonight,” he said. “Last night we started on the outside of the front row and we didn’t have anything for him. Then tonight we started on the inside of him and we still couldn’t get him.”

 It was Maier again leading all 25 laps for the feature win in the O’Reilly NCRA Sprint Car Series, presented by ICM/Ethanol as he swept all three shows over the weekend.

 “(Promoter) Rod (Bencken) did a good job with the race track,” Maier said. “It was a real racy joint. You could run about anywhere you wanted and run well.”

 At the green it was Maier and Snyder running 1-2, followed by season point leader Don Droud Jr., Jon Freeman and J.D. Johnson.

 By the end of the second lap, Johnson had moved from fifth to third by passing Freeman on the first lap and Droud on the second. On lap five, Mike Chadd moved up to challenge Droud for fourth place. Chadd took the position from Droud on lap six.

 Maier, who had broken away from Snyder and Johnson, encountered lapped traffic on the eighth circuit. He maneuvered through the slower cars and maintained a comfortable margin over Snyder as the top five remained the same for most of the race.

Snyder was able to pull up behind Maier on a restart for lap 18 but could get no closer. Chadd also pulled up to challenge Johnson for third on the restart. By lap 19, Droud made it a three-way tussle for third place.

Unfortunately for Droud, his night ended prematurely on lap 22 as he blew his engine and rolled to a stop on the front straight. Derek Drown took advantage of Droud’s misfortune and inherited the fifth spot in the running order.

On the restart, something happened to Johnson’s machine that caused the engine and power steering to both quit at the same time. He rolled to a stop at the top of turn 2.

 As the pack came onto the front straight under caution, Derek Drown pulled to a stop at the entrance to turn 1. Apparently when Johnson’s racecar quit running, it hit a rut and jumped down the track in front of Chadd and Drown.

 Chadd was able to swerve to miss him, but Drown wasn’t as lucky. He hit Johnson’s racecar, which caused the left front brake to lock up and quit working.

 With four laps remaining, the pack bunched for one final shot at the leader. But Maier was not to be denied as he got the jump on the restart. From there he easily took the checker for his 59th career NCRA 360 sprint car victory.

 “Things are going well right now and we’ve been running good,” Maier said. “We just seem to be hitting everything; everything’s clicking real good right now.”

 The bridesmaid the past two nights, Snyder had another good run but not good enough.

 “I tried to run a different line - I tried the bottom, I tried the middle, I tried where he was,” he said. “That guy’s just that good. We didn’t have anything for him.”

 Rounding out the top five were Chadd, Freeman, and Mike Peters.

O'Reilly Finish Line 

Heat #1: 1. (2D) Stu Snyder, Waverly, Neb.; 2. (71) Keith Rauch, Thornton, Colo.; 3. (51) Mike Peters, Peck, Kan.; 4. (43) A.J. Selenke, Wichita, Kan.; 5. (4P) Todd Plemons, Arvada, Colo.; 6. (7) Roger Sundquist, Holdrege, Neb.; DNF: (45x) C.J. Johnson, Quinter, Kan.; DNS: (71x) Bob Schaeffer, Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Heat #2: 1. (11x) Garry Lee Maier, Cimarron, Kan.; 2. (1x) Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, Neb.; 3. (98) J.D. Johnson, Goddard, Kan.; 4. (27) Patrick Bourke, Edwards, Colo.; 5. (11) Chad Corken, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; DNF: (83) Mike Woodruff, Wichita, Kan.; (92) Paul Flynn, Abilene, Kan.

Heat #3: 1. (81) Jon Freeman, Salina, Kan.; 2. (31RB) Derek Drown, Amarillo, Texas; 3. (4) Mike Chadd, Lincoln, Neb.; 4. (31x) Josh Flood, Arvada, Colo.; 5. (77) Mark Sweet, Rock Springs, Wyo.; 6. (76J) Justin Schewien, Russell, Kan.; 7. DNF: (9J) Mark Schmidt, Lincoln, Neb.

Heat #4: 1. (82) Jason Danley, Lincoln, Neb.; 2. (1) Nick Haygood, Centennial, Colo.; 3. (6) Mark Walinder, Wheatridge, Colo.; 4. (7J) Jace Pennetta, Arvada, Colo.; 5. (16) Scott Cochran, Denver; 6. (20) Luke Cranston, Ness City, Kan.; (DNF) (8c) Greg Frazier.

B feature: 1. (45x) C.J. Johnson, 2. (4P) Todd Plemons, 3. (16) Scott Cochran, 4. (9J) Mark Schmidt, 5. (76J) Justin Schewien, 6. (83) Mike Woodruff, 7. (77) Mark Sweet, 8. (7) Roger Sundquist, DNF: (8c) Greg Frazier, (20) Luke Cranston, (92) Paul Flynn, DNS: (11) Chad Corken, (71x) Bob Schaeffer, (12x) Ricky Montgomery. 

A feature (25 laps): 1. (11x) Garry Lee Maier, 2. (2D) Stu Snyder, 3. (4) Mike Chadd, 4. (81) Jon Freeman, 5. (51) Mike Peters, 6. (45x) C.J. Johnson, 7. (27) Patrick Bourke, 8. (1) Nick Haygood, 9. (82) Jason Danley, 10. (71) Keith Rauch, 11. (6) Mark Walinder, 12. (160 Scott Cochran, 13. (7J) Jace Pennetta, 14. (4P) Todd Plemons, 15. (9J) Mark Schmidt, DNF: (98) J.D. Johnson, (31RD) Derek Drown, (1x) Don Droud, Jr., (43) A.J. Selenke, (31x) Josh Flood.