CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Mike Doss took the lead from Ryan Foster on a lap 46 restart and cruised to victory in the "Northern Tour 100" for the North State Challenge Series at Champion Motor Speedway on Saturday night. It was the final race for Super Late Models on the historic paved 1/4- mile, as it is slated to be demolished beginning on September 27th after 42 years in operation. Junior Roddy had his best run of the year to finish second and move up to fifth in points. Bill Binns was third and Derek Thorn fourth. Jim Stillman Jr, with a new power plant under the hood, was fifth equaling his best career finish and giving Stillman Racing two cars in the top five. BCRA midget star Brian Gard, of Kelseyville, finished sixth in his Super Late Model debut, driving the Blair Aiken owned #j15 car.

Josh Bews was, once again, the fastest qualifier at 13.13. Doss put up a 13.20 to Thorn's 13.25. 2003 champ David Miller ran a 13.30, Roddy a 13.43, and NASCAR Southwest Series Rookie of the Year contender Ryan Foster filled out the six car, six lap, Dash for Cash field at 13.44. Binns just missed the dash with his 13.52. In a Champion Speedway custom, the six fastest qualifiers drew cards for their dash starting positions. Bews drew the ace and went on to win the $100 dash over Foster, Doss, Roddy, Miller and Thorn. It would be the last bit of good luck for Bews the rest of the night.

Local driver Jerry Allec Jr, who'd struggled all afternoon with engine problems, came to a stop on the track in hot laps immediately before the start of the race and never took the green flag. The inversion of six put Foster on the pole with Roddy to his outside. The two went door to door for three laps before Roddy settled into second behind Foster. Foster led the first 45 laps as the two fastest cars of Bews and Doss worked their way to the front. The first yellow flag flew on lap 45 when Thorn, running second, had brake problems, locked his rear brakes and took a solo spin. Citrus Heights' Mike Simpson retired at this point. Foster led Doss, Bews, Roddy and Miller back to the green flag. As Foster flew into turn one, he broke a brake line and went high up the track, allowing Doss to get by for the lead. Foster continued and on the next circuit, as Bews was passing underneath, Foster's ill-handling car made contact with Bews, sending Foster into a spin and bringing out another yellow. Officials sent Bews to the back of the pack and Foster retired. "I don't know how far up I've got to be on him before it's considered my lane but I was next to him!" an understandably unhappy Bews would say later.

The restart saw Doss leading Roddy, Miller, Binns and Darin Snider. The next 40 laps were caution free as Bews and Thorn worked their way back towards the front of the 14-car field. By lap 54 Bews was in 6th. On lap 70 he passed Miller to move into 5th and a lap 82 pass of Snider moved him into 4th. After a lap 85 caution when Miller spun, two more quick yellows flew for spins by veteran Sparks Nevada racer Bob Butler, who was having brake problems. The restart order was Doss, Roddy, Binns, Bews and Snider. The final yellow flag waved on lap 92 after contact between Butler and Brad Wasmund sent Wasmund into the spin cycle. As he sat in the middle of turn four and the field approached, Snider made hard contact with Bews' rear bumper ending great runs for both drivers. Over the final 8 laps, Thorn, who'd driven the second half of the race with little or no brakes, worked hard to get by Binns for third, to no avail. Said Thorn, "I was hoping to get by Binns but I knew I didn't have anything for Roddy. He was really good tonight!"

The win for Doss inches him closer to his first NSCS championship to be decided at the final race at Ukiah Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 4th. Binns and Thorn still have a chance, mathematically, but it will take Doss having trouble for either to have a shot at the title.

RESULTS

Dash-Bews, Foster, Doss, Roddy, Miller, Thorn Main- Doss, Roddy, Binns, Thorn, Stillman Jr, Gard, Miller, CJ Bawden, Wasmund, Butler, Bews, Snider, Foster, Simpson, Allec Jr (DNS)