TravisJohnson Sweeps NCRA Southern Modified Weekend

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Johnson Sweeps NCRA Southern Modified Weekend; Decker Claims 2010 Season Championship

 

Enid, Oklahoma (October 24, 2010) - Travis Johnson continued his dominance of southern sport modified racing at Enid Speedway as he picked up his fourth straight O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified feature victory Sunday evening during the running of the 45th annual Enid Speedway Winter Nationals in Enid, Oklahoma. Earlier in the afternoon, Travis picked up the curfew ppd. victory with both feature wins coming in convincing style.

 

But the story of the evening was the drama for the battle for the 2010 series championship between Dustin Buntin and Todd Decker.

 

After Buntin expanded his lead to 80 points after a strong fourth place finish in the afternoon makeup “A” feature, the Wheatland driver was slated to start on the pole for the third heat race. However, just after the green flag fell, the motor expired on Buntins car causing him to exit into the pit area. This, coupled with Deckers heat race win in the first heat, dropped Buntins point advantage to just 35 points heading into the nights feature finale. After a quick motor change, with the help of several competing teams, Buntin was slated to start 26th in the feature finale. However, radiator problems forced him pit side, ending his night even earlier with his only hope of maintaining his season long points lead that Decker at least 19th or better.

 

For the finale O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified feature of the season, Decker would start on the pole for the fifteen lap event but it was Johnson who would take the lead as the green flag fell. Despite a caution on lap three that bunched up the field, Johnson set a torrid pace, opening up a half stretch lead over Decker near the races midway point.

 

On lap eight, Robert Elliott, up from his sixth starting position, over took Decker for the runner up position and despite closing to the leaders rear bumper with four laps to go, could not get any closer as Johnson went the rest of the way unchallenged to take his series leading fourth series victory of the season.

 

Just as he did in the makeup feature earlier, which also saw Johnson lead wire to wire that fifteen lap affair, Elliott came home with a runner up finish. Decker held on to finish third and wrap up the 2010 series championship with Jeffery Kaup finishing fourth and Johnny Rauchenberg rounding out the top five.

 

Eight lap heat races for the twenty-eight car field were won by Decker, Johnson and Rauchenberg.

 

This event concludes the 2010 season for the O’Reilly/NCRA southern modified division. Decker, along with the rest of the top ten in final point standings, will be awarded at the series banquet on Saturday night, January 29th, 2011 in Wichita, Kansas. More details will be released at a later date.

 

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

 

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

 

1st Heat: 1) Todd Decker 2) Daylon Bergman 3) Frank Graven 4) Chris Linares 5) Landon Maddox 6) Randy Sallee 7) Vickie Cummings 8) Greg Deterding 9) Ross McCartney

 

2nd Heat: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Robert Elliott 3) Craig Ridgeway 4) Kevin Dickson 5) Kevin Snow 6) Courtney McCartney 7) James Goldman 8) Kelly Melvin DNS) Jeff Autry

 

3rd Heat: 1) Johnny Rauchenberg 2) Jeff Kaup 3) Donny McConnell 4) Jared Lawson 5) Don Reed 6) Steve Blunk 7) Cole Traugott 8) J.D. Choate 9) Tim Ford 10) Dustin Buntin

 

A Feature: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Robert Elliott 3) Todd Decker 4) Jeff Kaup 5) Johnny Rauchenberg 6) Greg Deterding 7) Frank Graven 8) Craig Ridgeway 9) Chris Linares 10) Daylon Bergman 11) Don Reed 12) Randy Sallee 13) Jared Lawson 14) James Goldman 15) Landon Maddox 16) Vickie Cummings 17) Steve Blunk 18) Courtney McCartney 19) Cole Traugott 20) Kevin Dickson 21) Kevin Snow 22) J.D. Choate 23) Ross McCartney 24) Dustin Buntin DNS: Jeff Melvin, Tim Ford

 

Make-up from Saturday Night

 

A Feature: 1) Travis Johnson 2) Robert Elliott 3) Brandon Smith 4) Dustin Buntin 5) Jeff Autry 6) James Blaylock 7) Todd Decker 8) Chris Linares 9) Frank Graven 10) Donny McConnell 11) Kevin Snow 12) Jeffery Kaup 13) Greg Deterding 14) Tim Ford 15) Steve Blunk 16) Tim Linares 17) Cole Traugott 18) Ross McCartney 19) Richard O’Neal 20) Danny Long 21) Randy Sallee 22) Landon Maddox 23) Hesston Shaw 24) Fred Ramer