Photo credits: Mary Gregory/In The Dirt Photos
1) Cleo Adams on his way to his first career NCRA victory
2) Cleo Adams claims Hutch Nationals for sport mods
David Smith, Jr.
NCRA Public Relations
(405) 740-4769
[email protected]
Cleo Adams Claims NCRA Sport Mod Hutch Nationals Victory!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Hutchinson, Kansas – July 13, 2013 - Cleo Adams took the lead at the drop of the green flap, withstood two complete restarts and never looked back in claiming his first career Bob Howard PDC and Mopar National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Precise Racing Products sport modified feature victory Saturday night as part of the 57th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Hutchinson Grand Nationals presented by Midwest Ford/Toyota of Hutchinson.
The original start for the twenty lap feature saw Adams jump into the lead but the race quickly went caution when outside front row starter Bobby McGehee drifter high in turn two and came to a stop. The attempted restart was aborted when rookie contender Kenny Morris and Robert Elliott got together entering turn three. Damage was extensive to both cars, ending both drivers night.
When the feature finally went green, Adams, aboard the #9x Outcast Bodies/Hennessey Recycling sponsored, Dunsworth Machine powered Adams Race Car, quickly opened up a five car lead over fourth starting Travis Johnson while Mark Harrison, Ross McCartney and Todd Decker challenged for the third through fifth positions.
Harrison would take control of the third spot for good on lap five with the top three pulling away from the rest of the field.
At the races midway point Adams held a three car length lead over Johnson before Johnson began to make his challenge for the lead, unable to make the pass each time.
The leader's first encounter with lapped traffic occurred on lap sixteen but the leader was up to the task, handling the back markers with ease.
In the end Adams would use the lapped traffic to his advantage, opening up a ten car length and go the final distance unchallenged to pick up his first series victory, a $1000 paycheck and the Hutchinson Grand Nationals championship for sport mods.
On the last lap Harrison, aboard the 81 Electric/Westerberg Applications sponsored, Folks Machine Work Dodge powered Western Flyer chassis, would pass Johnson in turns three and four to take the runner up position. McCartney settled for fourth while Johnie Rauschenberg came from his eleventh starting position to round out the top five in his first start in NCRA competition this season.
Division rookie contender Steve Little from Ada, Oklahoma had his best finish on the tour, passing point leader Todd Decker late to come home with a sixth place finish.
NCRA Southern Sport Modifieds
Kansas State Fairgrounds/Hutchinson, Kansas
July 13, 2013
20 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Cleo Adams, 2) Ross McCartney, 3) Todd Decker, 4) Bobby McGehee, Sr., 5) Thomas Andsager, 6) Kyle Choate, 7) Chad McNamara
2nd Heat: 1) Travis Johnson, 2) Bobby McGehee, 3) Kenny Morris, 4) Johnie Rauschenberg, 5) Courtney McCartney, 6) J.D. Choate, 7) Heath Steffen
3rd Heat: 1) Robert Elliott, 2) Mark Harrison, 3) Steve Little, 4) Damion Sieger, 5) David Fisher, 6) Chris Lyons
A Feature: 1) Cleo Adams, 2) Mark Harrison, 3) Travis Johnson, 4) Ross McCartney, 5) Johnie Rauschenberg, 6) Steve Little, 7) Todd Decker, 8) J.D. Choate, 9) Damion Sieger, 10) Chris Lyons, 11) Bobby McGehee, Sr., 12) Courtney McCartney, 13) Kyle Choate, 14) Bobby McGehee, 15) David Fisher, 16) Thomas Andsager, 17) Heath Steffan, 18) Robert Elliott, 19) Kenny Morris, DNS) Chad McNamara
Lap leaders: Adams 1-20
