81 Speedway
Boen gets record-setting 5th straight victory at 81
By John Rittenoure
O'Reilly NCRAPARK CITY, Kan. (Aug. 16) — Red-hot Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., raced to an historic victory Sunday at 81 Speedway, becoming the first driver to win five consecutive O'Reilly National Championship Racing Association events. The sixth-starting Boen took the lead from polesitter Scott Koskovich of Omaha, Neb., on the fifth lap and never looked back in racing to a $2,500 victory. | NCRA history
Boen's fifth straight victory broke the 1979 NCRA record of Tom Laster of Muskogee, Okla., as he grabbed his record-setting 10th series victory of the season. Boen has won nine of the last 10 races.
Koskovich grabbed the early lead over Mike Collins of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan. Boen was on the move early, taking second from Purkey on the third lap and setting his sights on the leader. Boen pulled alongside Koskovich and powered underneath in turn one to take the lead on the fifth lap.
Boen built a straightaway lead by the 19th lap and never slackened his pace the rest of the way. Purkey ended up second, holding off series points leader Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb. Bryant Goldsmith of Corning, Iowa, and Koskovich rounded out the top five.
Notes: Boen's Rocket Chassis has a Jay Dickens engine sponsored by Road Runner Fabrication and Peterson Fluid Systems. ... Wondering how Boen isn't leading NCRA points despite winning 10 of 16 events? He missed one event and was disqualified in another for using a backup car, falling as far as 11th in series points. Although he has cut Kyle Berck's points lead to 195 points with two races remaining, it appears unlikely he can overtake Berck. Boen gained just 10 points on Berck with his victory at 81 Speedway. ... Two more races are scheduled to wrap up the NCRA season. First on Sept. 6 at the Belleville (Kan.) High Banks and Sept. 26 at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb.
O'Reilly NCRA @ 81: (1) Kelly Boen, (2) Al Purkey, (3) Kyle Berck, (4) Bryant Goldsmith, (5) Scott Koskovich, (6) Jason O'Brien, (7) Ronnie Warman, (8) Jimmy Segraves, (9) Dave Conkwright, (10) Bill Koons, (11) Rick Leatherman, (12) Brad Fortney, (13) Ted Martin, (14) Wylan Petrie, (15) David Blocher, (16) Tyler Gottschalk, (17) Cale Gottschalk, (18) Shad Badder, (19) David Brack. 20) Mike Collins. Heat race winners (among 20 cars): Koskovich, O'Brien, Koons.
