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2014 NCRA Late Model season review; Berck on top


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2014 NCRA Late Model Season Review; Berck on Top

Park City, Kansas November 16, 2014 - Kyle Berck of Marquette, Nebraska made his full-time return to the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products late model division a profitable one as he claimed four feature victories on his way to his third career series championship.

The 2014 race season opened on April 19th when the tour made their first appearance since 2007 at the famed Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas where it was Berck picking up the $2000 victory. Travis Dickes, Eric Main, Mike Wiarda and Tad Pospisil were the top five finishers in an event which saw fourteen cars compete.

Next up for the tour was Border Wars, a special two day, two-track event co-sanctioned with the MARS DIRTcar series. The first night was held at the beautiful Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas on Friday night, May 3, where Ryan Gustin got the best of Terry Phillips, Jeremy Payne, Bill Leighton, Jr. and Jesse Stovall as well as a nineteen car field in the series first appearance at the track since 2010. The following night at 81 Speedway in Park City it was once again Gustin taking home the victory, this time over Brandon McCormick, Jesse Stovall, Bill Leighton, Jr. and Tony Jackson, Jr.

Independence Day weekend once again saw a two race weekend, starting out on the Fourth of July at 81 Speedway where Berck would claim his second feature victory of the season over a sixteen car field. Chris Kratzer, Chase Junghans, Leighton, Jr. and Corey Zeitner rounded out the top five with a field of sixteen cars. From there it was north on Hwy 81 to the famed Belleville High Banks in Belleville, Kansas where it was Junghans taking his first and only series checkered flag of the season over Berck, Wiarda, Jeremy Petty and Scott Phillips.

Next up on July 12, it was the first of three stops at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska where a strong field of 22 late models were on hand. That didnt detour Berck as he would pass pole-sitter and race long leader Andrew Kosiski on lap 21 to take the victory. Kosiski, Justin Gregg, Jace Kaser and Brian Kosiski rounded out the top five.

One week later it was the first Hutchinson Grand Nationals for the tour since the 2007 race season and this 58th annual event atop the Kansas State Fairgrounds saw Berck start from his outside front row starting position and dominated the event to claim his first ever Hutch Nationals championship.

The final weekend for the tour came on August 8 during the annual King of the Hill Late Model Nationals at Junction Motor Speedway where the series was joined by the MARS DIRTcar and Lucas Oil MLRA late model series. This event is generally a two-day affair and heavy rains cancelled Saturday nights championship finale. Friday nights action saw 28 drivers do battle with Gustin picking up his third tour victory of the season. He was followed to the line by Terry Phillips, Chad Simpson, Mike Wiarda and Travis Dickes.

Bercks chassis of choice for his 2014 championship season was his own Missile chassis. Sponsors included; Aurora Agronomy, Bossleman Oil, BSB Manufacturing, Five Star Truck Center, Kaser Blasting and Coatings, Stevens Buffalo Meats and Hunts, Strobel Manufacturing and Wegner Automotive Research.

Berck claimed his third championship by 430 points over Jeremy Petty, Chris Kratzer, Wylan Petrie and Bill Leighton rounded out the top five in the final standings. He also solidified his spot in career series late model victories with 30, 29 behind career late model feature winner Kelly Boen.

In all, 64 different drivers from nine states competed in at least one of the eight races completed with three drivers making all eight races.

Berck will officially be crowned 2014 NCRA late model champion at the series banquet on Saturday night, January 31, 2015.

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