PARK CITY, Kan. (April 28, 2008) - The 2008 race season for the O'Reilly NCRA presented by ICM/Ethanol sprint car series gets set to kick off their nineteenth consecutive season next Saturday night, May 3, at the beautiful three-eighths mile dirt oval of Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas.

 

The event will mark the second night of the tracks season opening Rebein-Bangarter Spring Nationals which will also see IMCA stock cars and Thunder Cars in competition. Pit gates open at 5:00 PM with racing scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM. 

 

 Last year saw Cimarron, Kansas sprint car veteran Garry Lee Maier pick up his third consecutive (fourth overall) NCRA sprint car championship and continue to add to his career victory totals as he reached victory lane five times in twelve starts. As we go to press, it is unclear if Garry will attempt a fourth consecutive championship run but rumors abound he will make the short twenty minute drive from his home to compete.

 

 Drivers expected to compete in the series season opener include Kansas veterans Mike Peters, JD Johnson, Stu Snyder, Jon Freeman, A.J. Selenke, C.J. Johnson Marc Robe and Roger Sundquist. Nebraska's Mike Chadd is also expected to compete full-time with the series in 2008 as is Amarillo, Texas driver Derek Drown, who will be piloting the famed Danny King owned sprinter the whole season on the tour. Over thirty cars are expected from at least four states.

 

 An added incentive for sprint car drivers in 2008 comes from three year series presenting sponsor ICM/Ethanol. All drivers competing with a 360 cu. inch motor will earn $400 to start the sprint car feature finale, up from $350 from last season. All 360 drivers not making the "A" feature will earn $150, up from $100 in previous seasons. The extra money provided through the incentive package presented by ICM / Ethanol will not be paid out at each race track, but will be mailed out from the NCRA offices in Park City, Kansas once official results are posted on the O'Reilly/NCRA web site.