Springfield,Mo.-After 2 weeks of rainouts,the 2011 Transport Graphice Chase for the championship got underway Sat Night at the Quick-Quarter of the SpringfieldRaceway with over 90 raceteams ready for action and as always the track provided everyone with wheel to wheel action as the Budweiser RHS USRA Modifieds kicked it off with a $1,000 to win feature and former track champion Jackie Dalton used a late race pass to grab the top prize over defending champion Mitch Keeter in a wild 20 lap feature.

After the top 8 in passing points redrew for starting spots,Batesville,Arkansas Peyton Taylor and the Bad Boys Mowers machine brought the field down to the green with David Hendrix on his outside.Taylor grabbed the opening lead as 2 wide action was the norm.Dalton made the pass on Hendrix for second and began to keep pace with Taylor as Mitch Keeter,John Yeoman,Terry Beckham II,Jamie Ragland and Erik Maggard followed.Caution waved on lap 3 as Hendrix came to a stop bunching up the field.With Taylor setting a fast pace,Keeter made a high groove move on Dalton and took over second and challanged Taylor.On lap 5,Keeter made a pass to grab the lead and on lap 6 the red flew with a massive 5 car jam-up that included Ragland,Kaelie Archer,Rusty Weir and others.After moving into the top 5,Bobby Pearish’s strong run came to a halt as his car began smoking.Keeter would pace the field as Dalton and Taylor went wheel to wheel for 5 laps solid.On lap 10,Dalton took over second from Taylor as Keeter had his hands full with both drivers.Terry Beckham’s run to the front ended on lap 13 as his right rear tire exploded bringing out the yellow.With Keeter still leading,Dalton and Talor kept the pressure on as Erik Maggard and Ragland went to battle for forth spot.On lap 16,Dalton put the car to the low groove and made the pass for the lead over Keeter as Peyton Taylor followed.Keeter and Taylor went wheel to wheel as Keeter took back the spot.On lap 17,the race was red flagged as Jerry Lankton rolled his car in turn 4 bunching up the field.On the final restart with Dalton leading,Keeter picked the top lane to attempt to get bak around Dalton.Dalton would claim the victory as Keeter,Taylor,Ragland and Turkey Classic winner Jody tillman completed the top 5.

In support action in the Reliable Chevrolet SportMods Bobby Maggard Jr would grab the opening lead for the first 5 laps until 602  GM Crate Motor racer JC Morton took the top spot as Maggard,Shawn Strong and Midway champion Michael Stake followed along with Mike Hailman.Morton would lead until lap 16 when Strong made a pass in turn 4 to pick-up the win by a narrow victory over Maggard Jr.,a fast moving Hailman,Morton and Stake in the 21 car field.Morton took home the extra money as the top Crate racer with a GM 602 Motor while Larry Tindle recieved extra money for having purchased his Crate Motor at Reliable Chevrolet.

The Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz class saw 17 cars take the opening Green flag as 4th generation racer Trevor Drake grabbed the opening lead with Midway Champion and last season’s Springfield runner-up JC Newell following closely.THe lead duo went back and forth and through lapped traffic as Randy Belk,Rusty Gorrest,Terry Williams,Shane Bias and Matthew Thurlin all battled for position.Newell tried several times to take over the lead,but Drake held off the challanges to record the win with Newell,Belk,Forrest and Williams comleting the top 5.

The Missouri Legend Cars found 21strong take the opening Green with Tyler Horton leading the field,but Park Jones grabbed the opening lead.A lap 2 caution saw front running Jay Reynolds get caught in an incident and restart at the rear.Up front,Jones found 2009 Track Champion Jason Rayle battling along with Dave Comer.On lap 5,Comer shot to the lead as Rayle followed.The duo went back and forth for the lead for the next 12 laps with the lead being changed at different parts of the track.On lap 18,Contact between Comer and Rayle in turn 4 sent both to the rear of the field as a fast moving Jay Reynolds took over the lead.On the double-file restart, early leader Jones made the move around Reynolds and held off a late charge from 2010 champion Justin comer in taking the win with Comer,Reynolds,Dave Comer and Rayle in the top 5.

The Wheeler Metals PureStocks saw a side by side battle for the win as 2010 Springfield StreetStock champion Jack Hamer and Charles Woodruff went back and forth for the lead as Elijah Keepper was moving quickly in the field.Keepper’s run to the front ended on lap 5 with problems.Hamer and Woodruff again passed each other several times for the lead with Woodruff being showin as the leader on laps 9-10.Hamer made the low groove stick on the final 2 laps to grab the victory as Charles Woodruff,Chris woodruff,Bradley Jiles and Matthew Bowen completed the top 5.

Bryan Tillman returned to SpringfieldRaceway after taking a season off and lead wire to wire in the Pepsi StreetStock division over Tim Petty,Mark Davis,Dan Wood and Sean Skaggs.

Action returns to a 7PM starting time next week at the SpringfieldRaceway with round number 2 of the Transport Graphics Chase for the Championship.Grandstand Gates open at 5 with Hotlaps at 6:15 and Racing at 7PM Sharp as action in the Budweiser RHS USRA Modifieds,Reliable Chevrolet SportMods,Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz,Missouri Legends,Pepsi StreetStocks and Wheeler Metals PureStocks.

Feature Results

Budweiser RHS USRA Modifieds

1)Jackie Dalton-Carthage 2)Mitch Keeter-Webb City 3)Peyton Taylor-Batesville,Ark 4)Jamie Ragland-Lebanon 5)Jody Tillman-West Branson 6)Erik Maggard-Springfield 7)Rustin Miller-Houston 8)Rocky Berliew-Joplin 9)Robbie Bryant-Willard 10)Nathan Cottrell-Nixa 11)Brian Green Pierce City 12)John Yeoman-Granby 13)Jerry Lankton-Lampe 14)Lyle Dietrich-Urbana 15)Terry Beckham II-Webb City 16)Jordan Mccrimmon-Bolivar 17)Bobby Pearish-Oronogo 18)Kaelie Archer-Bolivar 19)Rusty Weir-Warsaw 20)David Hendrix-Laquey 21)Billy Dalton-Reeds 22)Kyle S;agle-Joplin

Reliable Chevrolet SportMods

A Ft-1)Shawn Strong-Republic 2)Bobby Maggard Jr-Republic 3)Mike Hailman-Reed Springs 4)JC Morton-Springfield 5)Michael Stake-Phillipsburg 6)Wayne Graybeal-Springfield 7)Sean Williams-Willard 8)Larry Tindle-Springfield 9)Kaleb Copher-Webb City 10)Gary Rodocker-Willard 11)Tyler Chainey-Springfield 12)Andrew Smith-Willard 13)Robby Morisset-Springfield 14)Tony Moore-Lebanon 15)Derek Watson-Springfield 16)Kenny Scott-Springfield 17)Terry Beckham Sr-Webb City 18)Jon Yeoman Jr-Granby 19)Ron McClellan-Jasper 20)Andy Beauchamp-Springfield DNS Brandon Maggard-Springfield

Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz

A Ft-1)Trevor Drake-Webb City 2)JC Newell-Stoutland 3)Randy Belk-Joplin 4)Rusty Forrest-Ozark 5)Terry Williams-Springfield 6)Matthew Thurlin-Joplin 7)Sam Petty-Niangua 8)Taylor Moore-Springfield 9)David Lynch-Webb City 10)Monte Padgett 11)Dakota Maggard-Republic 12)Jordan Green-Springfield 13)Jamey Petty-Niangua 14)Ken Walker-Springfield 15)Jesse Parton-Springfield 16)Shane Bias-Springfield 17)Gary Krebs-Clever DNS-Todd McGregor

Missouri Legends

A Ft-1)Park Jones-Joplin 2)Justin Comer-Joplin 3)Jay Reynolds-Springfield 4)Dave Comer-Joplin 5)Jason Rayle-Springfield 6)Billy Cottrill-Joplin 7)James McDugle-Joplin 8)Gary Hancock-Rolla 9)Gary Hockman-Rolla 10)Charles Gaines-Joplin 11)Jim Hailman-ReedSprings 12)Nicole Cottrill-Joplin 13)Tyler Horton-Joplin 14)Phil Harris-Joplin 15)Colt Pruente-Aurora 16)Doug Wilson-Joplin 17)David Bauer-Webb City 18)Caleb McDugle-Joplin 19)Kyle Cox 20)Rick Nichols-Cassville 21)Brian Boucher-Joplin

Wheeler Metals PureStocks

A Ft-1)Jack Hamer-Ava 2)Charles Woodruff-Springfield 3)Chris Woodruff-Springfield 4)Bradley Jiles-Springfield 5)Matthew Bowen-Strafford 6)Matthew Thurlin-Joplin 7)Travis Todd 8)TJ Thurlin-Joplin 9)Elijah Keepper-Hurley DNS-Kenneth Woodrudd-Springfield James Redus-Springfield DQ-Tanner Sitton-Fair Grove

Pepsi StreetStocks

A Ft-1)Bryan Tillamn-Branson 2)Tim Petty-Niangua 3)Mark Davis-Grovesprings 4)Dan Wood-Springfield 5)Sean Skaggs 6)Colin Bowen-Strafford DQ-Luke Mason