Exciting End to Nationals Feature Finds Franz Hutch Modified Champion&

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Exciting End to Nationals Feature Finds Franz Hutch Modified Champion!

Hutchinson, Kansas – July 16, 2016 - In more twists and turns than your favorite day-time soap, Brian Franz and his veteran prowess was at the right place at the right time as the veteran Halstad, Kansas modified veteran claimed his third Hutchinson Grand Nationals championship victory as the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products modified division wrapped up two nights atop the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson this past Friday and Saturday night.

Scott Green and Dan Powers started on the front row for the 60th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Hutchinson Grand Nationals Presented by Midwest Superstore Ford / Toyota of Hutchinson modified championship feature in what will be talked about as one of the most eventful features in recent memory.

Green would set the pace for the twenty-five lap feature as he took the lead as the green flag fell. Powers, Josh Lanterman, Kyler Kemp and Joe Adams were the top five running order for much of the first half of the race with the leaders approaching the back of the field on lap twelve as Green would stretch out to a half stretch lead.

The first caution of the feature fell for a Clint McSpadden spin in turn two. On the restart, Green chose the bottom with Powers starting up top on the double-file restart with Powers edging Green into turn one to take the lead. Only one lap was complete before the caution waved again and on the next double-file restart, Powers chose down low and made his move into turn one work again over Green who restarted up top.

Lanterman would take over the runner-up position from Green on lap sixteen and saw his brother, Powers, had opened a commanding half stretch lead. The tire situation then began to play its hand as Jason McGehee, who was running sixth, brought out the caution on lap eighteen with a blown right rear tire.

The restart got exciting with Powers electing to start on the bottom and Lanterman up top with Powers jumping into the lead. Green would dispose of Lanterman to retake the runner up position while, behind them Cole Traugott, who started 21st, had moved all the way into the top five and on lap twenty-one would pass Green for the runner-up position.

It was two laps to go when Powers had a half stretch lead over Traugott but the caution would quickly wave when fourth running Lanterman had his right rear tire blow and stopped in turns three and four. On that restart the top five it was Powers, Traugott, Green, ninth starting Tyler Davis and Andy Wilkerson with top the three getting together down the backstretch. This would cause Davis to spin in turns three and four to bring out the caution and on the attempted restart, Powers had his right rear blow to bring out yet another caution.

And we weren’t done yet.

Traugott would inherit the lead and be credited with leading lap twenty-four, only to have his motor expire on the last lap. Franz would take over the lead heading down the backstretch and at the end, would claim his third career Hutch Nationals championship before a huge round of applause from the near 3500 people in attendance.

Johnny Whitmore starting 20th and worked his way through all the madness to finish a career best second with the series while thirteenth starting Greg Burt came home third. On the strength of changing that blown right rear with two laps to go and before the array of cautions, Lanterman would battle back to claim fourth with Davis also working his way back up through the field to round out the top five.

Friday night’s qualifying heat race results are unavailable at this time while Green would take home the night’s A Dash Qualifier. Powers came home second, followed by Kemp, Lanterman, Adams and McGehee. Those six drivers would set up the first three rows in Saturday night’s championship feature finale.

On Saturday night, Ryan McAninch would take home the eight lap “B” feature with the finishing order of that event making up the twenty-four car modified championship feature.

Next up for the NCRA modified division will be a Labor Day weekend double-header, Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4, at 81 Speedway in Park City. Format and official purse for this two-day show will be announced later
this week.

NCRA Modifieds

Kansas State Fairgrounds/Hutchinson, Kansas

July 15-16, 2016

24 Cars

B Feature (8 Laps): 1) Ryan McAninch, 2) Andy Wilkinson, 3) Tyler Davis, 4) Brian Franz, 5) Clint McFadden, 6) Kyle
Schmidt, 7) Grgeg Burt, 8) Jeremey Massey, 9) Tommy Carter, 10) Cuyler Calkin, 11) Marlin Farr, 12) Ross Shipman, 13) Brandon Massey, 14) Johnny Whitmore, 15) Cole Traugott, 16) Shawn Bretchauer, 17) Heath Meyers, 18) Heath Steffen

A Feature (25 Laps): 1) (10) Brian Franz, 2) (20) Johnny Whitmore, 3) (13) Greg Burt, 4) (4) Josh Lanterman, 5) (9) Tyler Davis, 6) (18) Ross Shipman, 7) (1) Scott Green, 8) (2) Dan Powers, 9) (8) Andy Wilkinson, 10) (3) Kyler Kemp, 11) (23) Heath Meyers, 12) (6) Jason McGehee, 13) (17) Marlin Farr, 14) (21) Cole Traugott, 15) (11) Clinton McFadden, 16) (12) Kyle Schmidt, 17) (7) Ryan McAninch, 18) (5) Joe Adams, 19) (16) Cuyler Calkin, 20) (15) Tommy Carter, 21) (15) Brandon Massey, 22) (22) Shawn Bretchauer, 23) (14) Jeremy Massey, 24) (24) Heath Steffen
Lap leaders: Green 1-14; Powers 15-23; Traugott 24; Franz 25