PARK CITY, Kan. (Aug. 16, 2008) -- Sometimes Lady Luck plays a big part in winning races. Just ask Mike Peters and Chad Humston.  

They experienced the highs and the lows tonight as the O’Reilly NCRA Sprint Car Series, presented by ICM/Ethanol, thrilled a Steve King Foundation Night crowd at 81 Speedway. 

Humston got around Peters, who led from the drop of the green, on lap 20 of the 25-lap feature and began to pull away. But Humston, who had been running the high groove all night, got too far up in turn 2 on lap 22 and slipped off the top.  

Peters took advantage and moved on by into the lead. From there, he cruised to the checker for his second win of the season, padding his series point lead. 

“(Humston) got by me and looked like he was going to check out,” said Peters, a man of few words. “There’s no way I can run the top that hard without slipping off. I guess he couldn’t either.” 

The two had built such a large lead over the field that Humston was able to pull back on the track in second. That’s where he finished but he felt it should have been higher. 

“I tell you what, we had the win. I had to be on the edge to get up there and I pushed it too hard one time,” he said. “We were lucky to get back out there and finish second.” 

Peters started on the pole and got the jump at the green. Outside pole sitter Jon Freeman ducked into second, but lost that spot to Marc Robe on lap two. 

As Peters began to pull away, Robe and Freeman were fighting for second behind him. Koby Barksdale, Mike Chadd and Humston, were in the next pack of drivers. 

Barksdale, who entered the night as the point leader in the rookie-of-the-year standings, was third after the fifth lap, with Humston right behind him. They each moved up a spot on the next lap and began to chase down the leader.  

Peters, Barksdale and Humston were was running nose-to-tail eight laps into the contest. The following lap, Humston went high to pass Barksdale for second.  

As Peters and Humston roared out of turn 4 and down the front straight to complete lap 10, Barksdale slid too high trying to keep pace. He smacked the grandstand wall at the exit of the turn, flipped and landed on all fours, bringing out the red flag. He was OK. 

On the lap 10 restart, Peters and Humston pulled away from Freeman, who separated himself a bit from the others. Behind him, in no particular order, A.J. Selenke, Robe, C.J. Johnson, J.D. Johnson, Chadd and Don Droud Jr. took turns running anywhere from fourth to ninth. 

It was on lap 20 when Humston took the lead coming off turn 4 and quickly pulled away. He looked to be in position to win until getting too high in turn 2 just two laps later.  

Peters was a distant second but close enough to move back into the lead.  

“I don’t know if we had the fastest car, but we took the checker first,” he said,  “He (Peters) was there to take the win after I screwed up, and that’s what you have to do when you’re in second,” Humston said.  

He stayed under power and pulled back on the track in second, which is where he finished. 

“I’m super disappointed with myself. That was a mental error that never should have happened,” Humston said. “I don’t think we could have done anything different besides stay on the track.” 

Rounding out the top five were C.J. Johnson, Freeman and Robe.  

Johnson won the B feature and started 13th in the A feature.  

“We had a real good car,” he said. “Wish we could have started up front and maybe given Mike a little run.” 

For Peters, it was his 15th career NCRA 360 sprint car win. He moved into a third-place tie for career 360 wins with two-time series champion Jon Johnson. 

With only three races to go, Peters is looking for his initial 360 series championship. The veteran has raced in every NCRA open-wheel division and picked up 46 victories. His only NCRA title came in 1987 when he won the last crown in the old Championship Dirt Car Series.

O'Reilly Finish Line 

Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. (51) Mike Peters, Wichita, Kan.; 2. (10R) David Wheeler, Valley Center, Kan.; 3. (38) Logan Walker, Andover, Kan.; 4. (17c) Corey Moore, Wichita, Kan.; 5. (15) Patrick Stasa, Kingman, Kan.; 6. (7) Roger Sundquist, Holdridge, Neb.; DNF (42) John O’Neal, E85 Derek Drown.

Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. (23c) Chad Humston, Giltner, Neb.; 2. (22) Koby Barksdale, Norman, Okla.; 3. (43) A.J. Selenke, Wichita, Kan.; 4. (81AU) Gavin Punch, Collinsville, Okla.; 5. (20) Luke Cranston, Ness City, Kan.; 6. (9) Scott Lehman, Hutchinson, Kan.; 7. (5) Jason Schroeder, Gardner, Kan.

B feature (12 laps, top 8 transfer): 1. C.J. Johnson, 2. Patrick Stasa, 3. J.D. Johnson, 4. Cody Forshee, 5. Scott Lehman, 6. Luke Cranston, 7. Dwight Schroeder, 8. Derek Drown, 9. Jason Schroeder, 10. Roger Lundquist, DNS John O’Neal.