Peter W. Moss/NSCS Media 7/14/07
Defending champ, Mike Doss, showed the way as the Scottfeild Executive Hotels North State Challenge Series visited Ukiah Speedway on Saturday night. Previously winless in 2007, Doss used the upper groove to his advantage and powered his way to the front on the 42nd lap, after starting tenth.

Junior Roddy had another strong run and finished second ahead of point leader Howard Ford. Ford's win streak ended at three as he suffered his lowest finish of the season. Jim Stillman Jr. ran well all day and scored his best finish of 2007, fourth. Eric Graham made his second start of the year and came home a hard fought fifth.

Doss was the top qualifier (12.624), for the first time this year, but did not help his cause by drawing an inversion of ten in the 15-car field. Jerry Allec Jr. assumed the early lead after starting on the pole. Stillman Jr. made a bid for the lead before spinning on lap 17.

Allec led Ford, Graham, Roddy and Doss on the restart and Ford looked for a way around Allec, to no avail. After Ford and Roddy were able to rebuff Doss' attempts to pass on the inside, Doss moved up the track and got by Graham on lap 31 and stayed up top to pass Ford. Under a yellow flag, Starter Johnny Miskill stopped the field and issued a verbal warning to Allec for "hogging the track" telling him to "pick a lane." Doss got by the very wide car of Allec on lap 42 and motored off into the distance as Ford, Roddy and Allec waged a fierce battle for the runner-up spot.

On lap 58, the seemingly inevitable happened when Allec spun coming off turn four and collected the fifth, sixth, and seventh place cars of CJ Bawden, Riley Watson and Mic Moulton. A lengthy red flag ensued and all three cars, as well as Allec, were done for the night.

With curfew looming, officials decided that at the next yellow flag, the race would be shortened to 75 laps. Miskill waved the yellow, on lap 68 when Brandon Barnwell spun. Doss cruised, over the final seven laps, in his strongest run of the season.

Next up for the NSCS is the July 28th race at the Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Oregon.

Fast Time - Mike Doss 12.624

Dash - Howard Ford, Junior Roddy, Eric Graham, Mike Doss

Main- Mike Doss, Junior Roddy, Howard Ford, Jim Stillman Jr, Eric Graham, Allen Gibney Jr, Brandon Barnwell, Randy Houston, CJ Bawden, RileyWatson, Mic Moulton, Jerry Allec Jr, Kyle Pope, Mike Millard, Mike Bourbon

Random Notes

Mic Moulton and his crew worked overtime after losing a transmission in practice. Moulton was able to borrow a transmission and tag the back of the pack after missing qualifying.

Johnny Miskill had his hands full on the tight confines of Ukiah Speedway. His pink flag really got a workout!

Luke Hall sat out the race after the birth of his son, Colton. Luke, Melissa and baby Colton were spectators but Luke elected not to race. Congratulations to Luke and Melissa!

Eric Graham carried the ARMY colors of Ginn Racing. After he sustained early damage when Randy Houston spun in front of the field, Graham spent lots of time in the pits, but soldiered on to a top five finish.

CJ Bawden used a crate engine for the first time and was happy with how it performed.

RAR Sportsman driver Brandon Barnwell ran with the NSCS as well as the Ukiah Late Models. He was quick in practice but scraped the wall in the Late Model trophy dash. "I guess we didn't quite get it fixed, "he said." "The car never was the same after that." Barnwell finished 7th.

It was good to see Mike Lovell at the track, helping his son Mikey, who ran with the local Late Models.

Congrats to Allen Gibney Jr. on his best finish to date. Gibney finished 6th, was the Victory Circle Rookie of the Race, for the second time, and assumed the rookie point lead.

Alan Cress was pre-entered, but chose to stay home and prepare for the race at DCS, where he is a 3-time Late Model champ.

Junior Roddy's fine run bumped him up to 3rd in the points, just 15 out of second.

Jeremy Hopkins plans to return at Lakeport.

Mike Doss was the Joiner Motorsports Hard Charger, equaling Howard Ford's feat of scoring the maximum possible 127 points.

I'll see you at the races!

Contingency Award Winners

Competition Carburetion -$75.00 cash
Fast time: Mike Doss

Eibach Spring-One free spring per event
1st Place: Mike Doss
15th Place: Mike Bourbon

Finishline Racing Equipment -$50.00 Gift Certificate
5th Place: Eric Graham
10th Place: Riley Watson

Frank's Radio Service -$50.00 Gift Certificate
7th Place: Brandon Barnwell
8th Place: Randy Houston

Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil-One free case of oil
9th Place: CJ Bawden

Joe's Racing Products -$35.00 Gift Certificate
2nd Place: Junior Roddy
6th Place: Allen Gibney

Joiner Motorsports - Free re-valve for four shocks Hard Charger: Winner not eligible for award

Larsen Racing Products -$50.00 Gift Certificate
3rd Place: Howard Ford

Mud-Racing.net -$100.00 off any web design or advertising
12th Place: Jerry Allec

Qualifying / The inversion was 10