By DAVID SMITH JR.

Special to The Hays Daily News

Park City, Kansas - October 1, 2011 - Coming into championship night at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas, series point's leader Tyler Davis had his lead shrink down to just five points after Friday night's events were completed. The Derby, Kansas driver had to finish one spot ahead of his closest pursuer, Bill Seimers to claim the 2011 series championship. There were no worries for the driver into his sophomore season behind the wheel of a modified on this night as he not only claimed the championship but picked up his first career National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley's Racing Products modified feature event Saturday night.

Two former series championships shared the front row for the twenty-five lap feature as Marc Hurd and Brian Franz paced the field to turn four. When the green flag fell it was Hurd jumping out into the early lead with Jim Johnson, Franz and fifth starting Davis giving chase.

Hurd, who won Friday nights feature to earn the pole position for tonight's championship finale, worked the cushion atop the three-eighths mile to open up a five car length advantage over Johnson who was running down low.

Comfortably out front and extending his lead, the battle for the runner up position began on lap five as Davis had disposed of Franz and setting his sights on Johnson. Both drivers raced side by side for several laps before Davis got a run down low on Johnson entering turns one and two and pulled into the runner up position heading down the backstretch.

At the races midway point it was Hurd, followed by Davis, Johnson, Franz and tenth starting Tanner Mullens.

Hurd's lead had been built to ten car lengths but with the feature being caution free thus far into the event, heavy lapped traffic came into play on lap thirteen. This allowed Davis to cut the leaders advantage to five car lengths.

It was lap fourteen when Davis got a run on Hurd entering turns three and four and as Hurd continued up top, Davis stuck to the bottom and came down the front stretch to take the lead.

Davis, aboard the Greg Stephens owned #65 Devin Dogs/Taylor Made Performance sponsored Custom Race Car chassis began to pull away from the rest of the field, quickly opening a ten car length lead with five laps to go. But the first and only caution of the race fell on lap twenty-one when Kirby Robe spun in turn two.

But on the final restart there was no stopping Davis as he cruised the final four laps to claim his first victory of the season and clinch the series championship.

"I couldn't ask for a better car, it worked everywhere on the track," said Davis in victory lane. "I want to thank Greg Stephens for putting me in his car. This is great!"

Johnson would battle side by side with Hurd for the runner up position in those waning laps but Hurd would hold on to the position. Franz settled for fourth while Mullens run ended with a fifth place finish.

Dan Powers led wire to wire the night's ten lap "B" feature over Josh Lanterman.

Davis and the other four NCRA champions will be officially crowned at the annual year end banquet scheduled for Saturday night, January 28, 2012 in Wichita, Kansas. More details will be announced in the following weeks.

NCRA Modified Results

81 Speedway/Park City, Kansas

30 Cars

B Feature: 1. Dan Powers (Wichita, Ks), 2. Josh Lanterman (Wichita, Ks), 3. Craig Miller (Hutchinson, Ks), 4. Bill Siemers (Mulvane, Ks), 5. Jase Wedel (Wichita, Ks), 6. Danny McFadden (Furley, Ks), 7. Andrew Glasse (Haysville, Ks), 8. Shawn Langhover Jr. (Haysville, Ks), 9. Straun Taylor (Hutchinson, Ks), 10. Scott Miller (Hutchinson, Ks), 11. Brandon Givens (Hutchinson, Ks), 12. Patrick McManus (Derby, Ks), 13. Vickie Leatherman (Andover, Ks), 14. Carson McKeen (Benton, Ks), 15. Shawn Langhover (Haysville, Ks), 16. Kevin Newell (Wichita, Ks), 17. Zack Suhr (Wichita, Ks), 18. Johnny Whitmore (Wichita, Ks)

A Feature: 1. Tyler Davis (Derby, Ks), 2. Marc Hurd (Wichita, Ks), 3. Jim Johnson (Derby, Ks), 4. Brian Franz (Halstead, Ks), 5. Tanner Mullens (Andale, Ks), 6. Brad Johnston (Haysville, Ks), 7. Tad Davis (Mt. Hope, Ks), 8. Dan Powers (Wichita, Ks), 9. Richard Wilson (Wichita, Ks), 10. Ross Shipman (Belle Plaine, Ks), 11. Bill Siemers (Mulvane, Ks), 12. Justin Moler (Wichita, Ks), 13. Gary Kilbourn (Hutchinson, Ks), 14. Josh Lanterman (Wichita, Ks), 15. Danny McFadden (Furley, Ks), 16. Shawn Langhover Jr. (Haysville, Ks), 17. Craig Miller (Hutchinson, Ks), 18. Jase Wedel (Wichita, Ks), 19. Kirby Robe (Colwich, Ks), 20. Andrew Glasse (Haysville, Ks)