By NICK SCHWIEN

nschwien@dailynews.net

Corey Lagroon's one win so far this season at RPM Speedway was a big one.

It came on the night NASCAR driver Kenny Schrader was competing.

The Salina modified driver always will remember that one.

"That one was a little bigger with Kenny Schrader there," he joked.

But if Lagroon is able to come away with a win Saturday night on the second day of the Fall Nationals at RPM Speedway, well, that one just might trump winning the night a NASCAR legend was in town.

"That $5,000 would be nicer," he said.

Lagroon bested the rest of the drivers who competed every night this summer in Hays. He narrowly won the track championship with 340 points, only three ahead of Jerry Phillips and five ahead of Dave Hardesty. Ronnie Hill (317) and Jason Schoenberger (316) rounded out the top five in track points for 2009.

Each of those five drivers won at least once this year in Hays, with Hill, Phillips and Schoenberger each with two wins.

"You have to finish to finish good," Lagroon said. "Finishing nearly each race has helped with consistency, but I haven't ran as well there as I would have liked. But it's been consistent enough. Only thing is consistency isn't going to win you 5-grand."

Saturday's A-main winner will pocket $5,000. Jeremy Zorn and Jerry Phillips have won the first two Fall Nationals at RPM Speedway, earning the big payout for modified drivers.

Drivers from several states are expected to be competing, along with at least one driver from Canada. Friday's races begin at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday's races start at 3 p.m.

"It's the end of the year, and nobody cares what their car looks like," Lagroon said. "And it's about the last race anyone will run this year. It's going to be no holes barred.

"It's tough anytime you go out. The weekly shows are tough. But it's going to be really, really tough now. Hopefully I'll have a good weekend."

Lagroon said the feeling of winning the $5,000 purse would be amazing.

Hill is thinking the same way, too. Only he hopes he qualifes for the A-main Saturday night -- and is able to finish.

Last year, the Sharon Springs racer started inside the third row but was involved in an accident on the first lap.

If Hill's performances this year at RPM are any indication, he just might have a chance come Saturday night. The modified driver has had his car set-up on target several nights to find the quickest way around the dirt oval.

"Hays seems like you can drive right on the bottom a lot of times, and my car seems to like the bottom -- unless there's some cushion right on top," Hill said. "You can pass going in (the corners) if they get too high. ... You can do a lot of passing."

That could play into Hill's favor, especially if the track would dry out from the middle to the top after two nights of racing. That could leave the bottom as the fastest way around.

"They've done a good job at the Hays track to make two grooves," Hill said. " ... I feel pretty good about my chances."

But so do a lot of other drivers. That means the two-day show could be a real barn-burner, especially since it will be progressive racing -- where qualifying for Saturday's main event will be based on passing points both days.

"There won't be a dull moment, that's for sure," Lagroon said.

* Other classes competing during the weekend and payouts include stock cars, $3,000 payout; hobby stocks, $1,000 payout; sport mods, $750; and sport compacts, $400.

* The second annual Kansas State Shootout Race of Champions also will be Saturday, following the Fall Nationals main events. It will feature the top 20 in state points in the modifieds, stocks and hobby stocks.