By DAVID SMITH JR.

NCRA

Midwest City, Oklahoma - August 19, 2009 - Two races. That is all that is left of the 2009 race season for the O'Reilly/NCRA sprint car series and the top four drivers in the point standings have only those two races left to become champion in this, the 20th season of the series. The first of those two races will take place this coming Saturday night as the series heads to Mid-Nebraska Speedway in Doniphan, Nebraska.

Four time series champion Garry Lee Maier of Cimarron, Kansas has taken over the points lead and comes into the night with a slim forty point lead over Talala, Oklahoma's Zach Chappell. Not only are both drivers competing for the championships for themselves but for their car owners as well as both are teamed with new car owners for the 2009 race season.

Maier is in his first year driving for the famed Ochs Brothers #1x. If Maier can hold on for his fifth series championship, it would also be the first time since 1979 when the late car owner Charlie Ochs teamed with Danny King to put Dave Frusher into championship glory back in the old NCRA super modifieds.

Ironically, Chappell is teamed with car owner King and the E85 Ethanol sponsored sprinter this year and is looking for his first ever NCRA championship. For King, it will be his first car owners championship since his late son, Steve King, accomplished the task in 2002 and 2003.

But you can't count out two other drivers who both have mathematical chances of taking over the points lead.

J.D. Johnson of Goddard, Kansas currently sits third in the point standings, despite being shut out of victory lane. He is currently tied in the point standings with defending series champion Mike Peters of Wichita, Kansas. Both drivers are 120 points out of first place.

Sitting fifth in the point standings is Jon Freeman of Salina, Kansas. Two rookies and brothers Patrick and Jeff Stasa of Kingman, Kansas both sit sixth and seventh in the points respectively while Luke Cranston (Plains, Kansas), A.J. Selenke (Wichita), Jason Schroeder (Garden City, Kansas) and Steven Richardson (Liberal, Kansas) are the top eleven in the point standings and those top eleven drivers have competed in all eight events that have been held.

Close to thirty drivers are expected to compete.

The series has seen six different Hard Rock Hotel-Casino feature winners in the eight events held. They include Maier (2) and Peters (2) along with Chappell, Jason Johnson and Tony Bruce, Jr.

In the past five O'Reilly/NCRA 360 sprint shows that have been held at the track there have been four different feature winners with Maier the only repeater. Jack Dover won last years event.

The $2000 to win, $350 to start Hard Rock Hotel-Casino event will see gates open at 5:00 PM with racing set to begin at 7:00 PM.

Mid-Nebraska Speedway is located from Interstate-80 - Exit 314, 2 miles South on Old Hwy 281. For more race or ticket information, contact the track (402) 845-2988 or the office (308) 381-0088.

To learn more about the O'Reilly/NCRA sprint car division, including schedule, current point standings, driver profiles and more, log on to www.ncraracing.org.

The O'Reilly/NCRA would like to thank the following series sponsors and contingency sponsors on the NCRA sprint car trail for the 2009 race season:

Official 2009 NCRA Sprint Car Series Sponsors: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hard Rock Casino-Resort

2009 NCRA Sprint Car Contingencies: Brodix Cylinder Heads, Schoenfeld Headers, Maxim Chassis, Saldana Race Products, KSE Racing Products, QA1 Motorsports, The Brake Man, Rod End Supply, Outerwears Racing Accessories, Ultra-Shield Race Products, Racing Optics, Design 500, Taylor Cable Products, Vertex Magnetos, Design 500, Triple XXX Company, Arizona Sports Shirts, Winters Racing Products and Just Plugs

Past NCRA Sprint Car feature winners at Mid-Nebraska Speedway

08/23/08 Jack Dover

08/25/07 Garry Lee Maier

08/24/06 Chuck Swenson

09/10/05 Garry Lee Maier

07/19/97 Jon Johnson

Current NCRA Sprint Car Point Standings

Rank Driver Points

1 Garry Lee Maier 2235

2 Zach Chappell 2205

3 J.D. Johnson 2115

4 Mike Peters 2115

5 Jon Freeman 1975

6 Patrick Stasa 1865

7 Jeff Stasa 1850

8 Luke Cranston 1735

9 A.J. Selenke 1730

10 Jason Schroeder 1570

11 Steven Richardson 1570

12 Kris Miller 1435

13 Mike Chadd 1285

14 Corey Moore 1205

15 Marc Robe 1090