BELLEVILLE, Kan. (July 4) — Nursing a souring engine over the final lap, Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., held off John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., and Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., for a 20-lap O'Reilly National Championship Racing Association victory at the Belleville High Banks. | Sildeshow

"I could feel the motor start to blow about a lap and a half from the end and I thought 'Oh no, they're going to get by me.' But we held on," Berck said after jumping off the roof of his car in victory lane. "We had a great car the whole night."

Anderson edged Boen for second while Delbert Smith of Wichita, Kan., and Mike Wiarda of Aurora, Neb., rounded out the top five as Berck became the fifth different winner in five NCRA races.

Berck, starting on the pole by virtue of a redraw among the top eight in heat race passing points, got the jump on Wiarda at the outside. Anderson and the seventh-starting Boen gave chase as Berck quickly opened up 15-length advantage by lap two. With Berck out front, Boen tried a couple of slide jobs on Anderson, only to see Anderson pull back ahead down the straightaways. The race was slowed on lap four when John Kuchar went for a spin exiting turn two to bring out the caution.

It was non-stop the rest of the way as Berck again jumped out front to a sizable advantage with Anderson and Boen once again battling for second. By lap five, lapped traffic became the focal point as the frontrunners diced their way in and out of the lapped cars the rest of the way. With Berck in heavy lapped traffic on lap 14, Anderson and Boen closed to within six lengths, but the 2002 series champion threateded his way through the traffic and again opened a comfortable advantage with three laps remaining. With a little over one lap remaining, Berck's engine began to sputter, but he took the checkered flag first.

Notes: Berck's MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by Dorothy Lynch Homestyle Dressing. ... Berck has 17 career NCRA victories. ... After a July 5 event at Enid (Okla.) Speedway, NCRA drivers head to Mid-Nebraska Speedway in Doniphan, Neb., on July 18-19.

�