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David Smith, Jr.
NCRA Press and Contingencies
(405) 740-4769
[email protected]
Penrod Picks Up First NCRA Modified Feature Victory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Elk City, Oklahoma – August 28, 2009 - Travis Penrod from Davis, Oklahoma showed patience is a virtue as withstood several late race cautions to become the fourth different Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature winner in as many races as the O'Reilly/NCRA Oklahoma modified division made their second and final scheduled appearance of the season Friday night at Elk Citys I-40 Speedway in Elk City, Oklahoma.
Casey McClaskey and Chad Davis started on the front row for the thirty laps Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature with Redmond taking the lead as the green flag waved. Fifth starting Penrod had his Wells powered Billsbuilt chassis working from the start as he quickly pulled into the runner up position and set his sights on the leader.
But lap two the pace of the race would change when Redmond got out of shape and went for a spend in turns one and two putting Penrod into the lead on the restart.
After a couple of cautions delayed the restart but once racing action resumed, so did Penrod as he showed things to come on the restart as he motored out to a quick six car length lead by lap five. Behind him, however, fourth starting Eddie Tidwell began closing the distance and cut the deficit to three car lengths by lap eight. Mechanical gremlins would strike a couple of laps later retiring his night early and moving McClaskey back to the runner up position.
Several cautions for flat tires would slow the pace throughout the mid race stages but on each restart, Penrod and his Elite Shock Services/Pitmon Oil and Gas sponsored Billsbuilt would pull away, stretching his lead to a half straightaway several times.
After the final caution fell with six laps to go, it looked as though Penrod would have all he could handle with Alan Sharpensteen and Bryan Rowland as they would line up on the leaders bumper on the restart. But Penrod was up to the challenges and held on the final six laps to record his first career NCRA series victory by a half straightaway.
"It is about time a series regular picked up one of these victories," exclaimed an excited Penrod in victory lane. "I first want to thank my family because if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be racing. The car was set up perfect tonight and I have to thank Bob (Bills) for a great chassis. The cautions really slowed by rhythm, especially those at the end, and this is all about rhythm."
Rowland made a last lap charge to over take Sharpensteen for the runner up position at the finish line. Alan Oliva was the races hard charger of the race, coming from his fifteenth starting position to finish fourth while McClaskey settled for the fifth position.
Cam Case took home the C&E Performance 13th place honors.
Heat races for the thirty cars were won by Penrod, Redmond, Martin and McClaskey while Logan Cabbell and Sharpensteen took home the two, ten lap "B" features.
The next scheduled event for the O'Reilly/NCRA Oklahoma modified division will be a special Wednesday night edition and division season finale as the tour makes their second and final appearance of the season at Brill Motor Speedway in Meeker, Oklahoma September 16th.
The O'Reilly/National Championship Racing Association would like to thank the following for their support for the 2009 race season:
SPONSORS: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Race Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Cherokee Casino-Resort
CONTINGENCY: Design 500, Hoffman Race Cars, Billsbuilt Chassis, Racing Optics, BSB Manufacturing, Belleville Motor Sports, Schoenfeld Headers, Hatfield Racing Engines, Taylor Cable Products, Bassett Wheels, Pro Shocks, Ultra Shield, Pro Motor Sports, AFCO Race Products, The Brake Man, C&E Performance and Arizona Sport Shirts.
1st Heat: 1) Travis Penrod 2) Chris Roach 3) Gene Weaver 4) Chad Austin 5) Cody Gerhart 6) Michael Mcleskey 7) John Whitson 8) Jason Hilliard
2nd Heat: 1) Jason Redmond 2) Jaymon Gregory 3) Logan Cabbell 4) Calvin Bonner 5) Thomas Tillison Jr. 6) A.J. Sharpensteen 7) Kenneth Bonner, Jr. 8) Brian Wolfe
3rd Heat: 1) Eddie Martin 2) Bryan Rowland 3) Alan Sharpensteen 4) Kerry Davis 5) Rodney Sanders 6) Chris Hilliard 7) Ron Gould, Jr.
4th Heat: 1) Casey Mclaskey 2) Chad Davis 3) Alan Oliva 4) Brad Worley 5) Cam Case 6) Chris Cole 7) Ricky Roush
1st B Feature: 1) Logan Cabbell 2) Cam Case 3) Alan Oliva 4) Thomas Tillison, Jr. 5) Jason Hilliard 6) Chris Cole 7) Brad Worley 8) John Whitson 9) Chris Hilliard DNS: Ron Gould, Jr.
2nd B Feature: 1) Alan Sharpensteen 2) Rodney Sanders 3) Kerry Davis 4) Cody Gerhart 5) Michael McLeskey 6) Brian Wolfe 7) Chris Cole 8) Ricky Roush 9) Calvin Bonner 10) Kenny Bonner, Jr.
Hard Rock Hotel Casino A Feature: 1) Travis Penrod 2) Bryan Rowland 3) Alan Sharpensteen 4) Alan Oliva 5) Casey McClaskey 6) Logan Cabbell 7) Chris Roach 8) Chad Davis 9) Kerry Davis 10) Gene Weaver 11) Thomas Tillison, Jr. 12) Jason Hilliard 13) Cam Case 14) Michael Mcleskey 15) Eddie Martin 16) Chad Austin 17) Jaymon Gregory 18) Cody Gerhart 19) Jason Redmond 20) Rodney Sanders
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
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