Tony Dager hangs on for amazing  O’Reilly Raceway Park Victory

 5/26/2007

             The weather was a huge factor as the O’Reilly USA Modified Series took to O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis for the annual “Night Before the 500”.  The day started off with the stellar field of 45 O’Reilly USA Modifieds rolling into the pit area and scattered rain showers causing qualifying to be scratched which led to the normal event schedule to be reworked several times.  With support of the drivers and teams the O’Reilly USA Modified Officials put together an awesome lineup with the running of four heat races taking the top 4 into the A Main for the night.  Mike Hadley Jr., Brian Nester, Jon Beach and Bob Curry clenched their heat races for the evening.  The remaining drivers had to hope for a great finish in their B Main events in order to make the field with only the top 2 in both of the B Mains advancing into the main event.  B Main winners were Todd Griggs and Chris Neuewschwander. 

A fantastic field of 24 O’Reilly USA Modifieds took to the track for the 40 Lap Michael Kline & Nick Felpes Memorial event.  The race would be shortened to only 35 laps due to time constraints with the track.  Mount Morris, Michigan native, Bobby Murany took the early lead as the green flag waved followed quickly by an early caution with Joe Hodgeson Jr getting into the turn 3 and 4 wall.  Tony Dager made several key moves to get around traffic and used the entire track to pass Murany for the lead on lap 4.  Murany, Brian Nester and Tim Burkett all found themselves battling for the second position as we reached the halfway mark of the race.  Rodney Scott drove from the 13 hole to battle for second just past halfway and was able to pass Nester for the position.  Yellow fell on lap 30 due to an incident in turn 3 and the decision was made to have a 5 lap sprint to the finish.  Dager had a very large lead on the field but Scott was gaining ground as the laps wound down.  The yellow bunched the field back up for one exciting finish.  Dager took the restart with Scott closely behind.  White flag with one to go found Dager having to fend off not only Scott as he looked hard to the inside but Nester was in the mix as well trying to make it 2 in a row for 2007.  Spencerville, IN’s Tony Dager crossed under the checkers for his first O’Reilly USA Modified feature win of 2007.  Scott held off a very hard charging Nester with 2006 Champion Bob Curry finishing in fourth and Murany in fifth.   2006 O’Reilly USA Modified Lincoln Electric Rookie of the Year Steve Curry took the AllStar Performance Hard Charger of the Race award by advancing 14 positions with his 8^th place finish.  Scott Reeser was named the LEAF Racewear Hard Luck recipient for being the first driver to not advance to the A Main. 

The O’Reilly USA Modified Series will be in action on Sunday June 10 at the famed Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana for the 1^st Annual Randolph County Appreciation Day, which will feature $5 tickets for all Randolph County residents. The O’Reilly USA Modifieds headline the racing action that day with the Ludco Gun Shop 50 along with the CRA Sportsman, CRA Street Stocks and CRA FWD Compacts.  For more information on this exciting event log on to www.usamodifieds.com or www.winchesterspeedway.com.