Springfield,Mo.-Round number 4 of the Transport Graphics Championship Chase was held Saturday night at the racy “Quick-Quarter” of the Springfield Raceway as several drivers claimed their second victories of the season with 99 cars in the pits.
In the Budweiser USRA Modified feature,it was Brian Green grabbing the opening lead with his new CT525 Crate motor powering him as Bobby Pearish followed closely while 5 time track champion Jackie Dalton was in tow.On lap 2 Pearish rode to the extreme top of the racing surface and shot around Green to take the lead and never looked back in taking his second win of the season.With Pearish in strong form tonight the battle was for second place as Dalton moved around Green on lap 3 to secure the second place spot as Green,Billy Dalton,Mitch Keeter,Jerry Lankton and Robbie Bryant were battling in the pack.The feature went caution free as several top point contenders went out with problems. Third place points driver Rob Muilenburg retired early and point leader John Yeoman pulled-in placing both drivers outside the top 10 and shuffling the standings.Following Pearish and his Pearish Construction/Yeoman Engines/Hoffman to the line was Jackie Dalton in the Carthage Lock & Key/Garrison Performance/Hoffman, Green with a solid run in the Doug’s Pro Lube/GM CT525 Crate/Hoffman, last years Rookie of the Year Billy Dalton in the Del Rio/Garrison/Hoffman and a solid run for Jerry Lankton in the Lankton’s Welding/Yeoman Engines/Hoffman car as 18 cars checked-in with 16 taking the green flag.Opening night winner Erik Maggard had motor problems in his heat and did not start the feature.
The Reliable Chevrolet USRA B Modifieds came to display what Springfield Fans know from them every week.Close action,side by side racing and the last 5 laps of battling for the win.Tonight 17 of the 19 starters took the Green with Don Luna taking the opening lead as a tight pack was behind him.With 3 wide racing on hand Luna was looking strong early.During the long green flag run,last season’s points runner-up JC Morton making his first Springfield start was picking them off on the extreme top groove after starting tonight 12th and took charge.Morton was leaving the field behind as only 1 caution flew in the feature as night number 2 winner Brandon Maggard had solidly worked into second place.As the laps clicked off, Morton had a same brush with the turn 4 wall on lap 18 as Maggard was gaining quickly while point leader Scott Drake was in pursuit of Maggard.As Morton took the white flag,Maggard gaining alot of ground and began to change his running groove.Morton was fighting the car up high,but Maggard made a bold move to the bottom of turn 2 and pulled even with Morton.Going out of 2,Maggard took the lead as Drake also made the most of this and followed around Morton as later reports said the power steering belt came off when contact with the wall.Maggard in the Tindle Core Company/Hoffman/GM 602 Crate Motor would take his second win of the season with Drake’s Springfield All Metal/Hoffman/GM 602 Crate Motor claimed second followed by Morton in the Gilmore Photos/Bill’s Built/GM 602 Crate,early leader Don Luna in his Trout Jig/Hoffman/GM 602 Crate and young hard charger Logan Martin in the Adams Construction/GRT/GM 602 Crate completing the top 5 as 13 of the 17 starters completed the lead lap.
Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz action was all action tonight with 20 entries checking in and tight racing was the call.Michael Page took the opening lead from his outside front row spot over Matthew Thulin as Craig Keeter and Austin Johnson followed.With Page setting a fast pace action was tight behind the leader.Caution waved on lap 6 as Todd McGregor went around in turn 1 bunching the field up.On the restart Johnson shot down below leader Page as defending champion and current point leader Trevor Drake followed.On lap 12,Drake made the winning move down low and secured his second win of the season as Page,Johnson,opening night winner Rusty Forrest and Taylor Moore followed.Tech inspection following the feature would see Page and Forrest both not meeting inspection and were disqualified moving the final 5 as Drake,Johnson,Moore,Charlie Gentile and Thulin in the top 5.Springfield contender Gary Krebs was eliminated in a crash on the lap 7 restart ending his night as he was moving to the front pack quickly.
Defending Pepsi Pure Stock Champion and co-point leader Jack Hamer took the lead on lap 2 from rookie and lady driver Elizabeth Jolley to secure his second win of the season.Hamer put it on cruise control after getting around Jolley during the long green flag run.Early season winner Philip Schloesser attempted to close in on Hamer in the latter stages but Hamer was glued to the track tonight anywhere.Schloesser,Bret Testerman,early leader Jolley and Darrell Storment completed the top 5 as 13 entries provided great racing action.
Wheeler Metal Legends competition saw current point leader Mike Hailman take his 4th points win out of 4 starts this season,but it was easy early on.Young Matt Gruenburg grabbed the opening lead with veteran Wayne Johnston moving from his 6th starting spot to follow quickly.Caution waved on lap 3 as James McDugle had a brush with the front stretch wall slowing the pace as Jay Reynolds pulled in with motor problems.On the restart defending champion Dave Comer came charging and overtook Greenberger for the lead as Justin Comer followed.The long green run had 3 wide action as point leader Hailman took to the extreme high groove and began his charge.A spirited side by side battle on lap 6 with Comer would see Hailman take the lead as Justin Comer began to make his charge back up front.Hailman would go on to take the victory with Justin Comer,Wayne Johnston,Dave Comer and a surging Billy Cottrill in the top 5 as 16 entries checked in tonight.
The Young Lions kids Legend Class saw another outstanding race as point leader Wesley Smith and last weeks winner Kylan Garner go back and forth.Garner grabbed the opening lead until lap 3 when Smith took over as Grayson Cox was lurking in the shadows.Smith and Garner went back and forth and on lap 7 it was Garner taking back the lead.On the white flag lap,Smith took back the lead as cox was making some moves also.On the final lap,Garner got just a bit sideways allow Smith to grab win number 3 as Garner was right there at the line.Cox and Ty McWhirter completed the finish.
Williams Lawn Care and Preservation Street Stock action saw Jim Reid grab the opening lead with Daniel Deason following closely.A hard crash on lap 2 eliminated Shawn Schmidt and Rex Frieze from action and sent opening night winner Wayne Morris to the pits.On the restart,Reid again grabbed the lead as point leader Bryan Tillman closed up quickly.On lap 5,Tillman shot to the outside and secured his second win of the season as Reid,Morris,Kim Kasha and Joe Girarda completed the top 5 as car count starts to go upward in this class.
Action continues next Saturday night as the USRA Modifieds compete in a $800 to win and $100 to start special event which is a tracks point race.The USRA Modifieds will open draw and use passing points to set-up a top 8 redraw for starting spots.A $25 car entry fee is set and pit passes will be the normal $25.
The speedway will be holding the 1st annual salute to out Military event as all active and retired Military along with 1 guest will be admitted free with action including the USRA Modifieds,USRA B Modifieds,Midwest Modz,Pure Stocks,Legends,Young Lions and Street Stocks in round 5 of the Transport Graphics Championship Chase.
Grandstand gates open at 5 with hot laps at 6 and Racing at 7PM.Adult Admission is $12 with kids 6-12 only $5 and under 6 Free.
The pit gates open at 4PM with driver cut-off set for 6:15.Drivers meeting at 5:40 and pit passes only $25.For more information visit the website at WWW.SpringfieldRaceway.Com or contact Jerry Hoffman at 417-673-7426
Results
Budweiser USRA Modifieds
A Ft-1)Bobby Pearish-Oronogo 2)Jackie Dalton-Carthage 3)Brian Green-Pierce City 4)Billy Dalton-Exter 5)Jerry Lankton-Lampe 6)Mitch Keeter-Webb City 7)Robbie Bryant-Willard 8)Logan Martin-West Plains 9)Kanyan Methvin-Yellville,Ark 10)Ray Flippin-Yellville,Ark 11)Tammy Mitchell-Pea Ridge,Ark 12)Fred Slagle-Pierce City 13)John Yeoman III-Granby 14)John Briggs-Yellville,Ark 15)Scott Symmonds-Bolivar 16)Rob Muilenburg-Sparta DNS-Jason Summers-Joplin Erik Maggard-Brighton
1st Ht-1)Bryant 2)Yeoman III 3)Green 4)Martin 5)Mitchell 6)Maggard
2nd Ht-1)J Dalton 2)Keeter 3)B Dalton 4)Methvin 5)Briggs 6)Symmonds
3rd Ht-1)Lankton 2)Pearish 3)Muilenburg 4)Flippin 5)Slagle 6)Summers
Reliable Chevrolet USRA B Modifieds
A Ft-1)Brandon Maggard-Springfield 2)Scott Drake-Webb City 3)JC Morton-Springfield 4)Don Luna-St James 5)Logan Martin-West Plains 6)Kaleb Copher-Webb City 7)Mike Hailman-Reed Springs 8)Jon Yeoman Jr-Granby 9)Andy Beauchamp-Springfield 10)Bobby Maggard Jr-Republic 11)Ryan Stacye-Fair Grove 12)Jared Thulin-Miami,Oklahoma 13)Jeremy Thulin-Miami,Oklahoma 14)Rick Cash-Joplin 15)Steve Bias-Everton 16)Derek Watson-Willard 17)Aaron Speck-Republic DNS-Mike Mansker-Springfield, Thomas Hylton-Joplin
1st Ht-1)Beauchamp 2)Drake 3)Martin 4)Luna 5)Stacye 6)Watson 7)Hylton
2nd Ht-1)Hailman 2)Morton 3)Thulin 4)Mansker 5)Speck 6)Maggard Jr.
3rd Ht-1)B. Maggard 2)Yeoman Jr 3)Copher 4)Cash 5)Thulin 6)Bias
Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz
A Ft-1)Trevor Drake-Webb City 2)Austin Johnson-Joplin 3)Taylor Moore-Bois D’Arc 4)Charlie Gentile-Sparta 5)Matthew Thulin-Miami,Oklahoma 6)Shawn Eggeman-Willard 7)Rusty Adams-Miami,Oklahoma 8)Steve Moore-Springfield 9)Ken Walker-Springfield 10)Todd McGregor-Clever 11)Jordan Green-Rolla 12)Mike Cooper 13)Craig Keeter-Webb City 14)Brad Graves-Bolivar 15)Dakota Maggard-Republic 16)Robert Tosh-Joplin 17)Gary Krebs-Clever 18)Bobby Gough-Joplin DQ-Michael Page-Webb City,Rusty Forrest-Ozark
1st Ht-1)Drake 2)Moore 3)Johnson 4)Gough 5)Green 6)Adams 7)Cooper
2nd Ht-1)Thulin 2)Krebs 3)Keeter 4)Walker 5)Moore 6)Graves
3rd Ht-1)Maggard 2)Gentile 3)McGregor 4)Tosh 5)Eggeman
Wheeler Metals Legends
A Ft-1)Mike Hailman-Reed Springs 2)Justin Comer-Joplin 3)Wayne Johnston-Rolla 4)Dave Comer-Joplin 5)Billy Cottrill-Joplin 6)Matt Gruenberg-Joplin 7)Rodney Baird-Oldfield 8)Paul Horton-Joplin 9)Tyler Horton-Joplin 10)Calvin Garner-Sarcoxie 11)Caleb McDugle-Quapaw,Oklahoma 12)Darrell McWhirter-Bentonville,Ark 13)Larry Smoot-Joplin 14)Jay Reynolds-Springfield 15)James McDugle-Quapaw,Oklahoma 16)Gary Hockman-Rolla
1st Ht-1)Hailman 2)J Comer 3)J McDugle 4)D Comer 5)Gruenburg 6)Cottrill 7)Smoot DNS-T Horton
2nd Ht-1)Reynolds 2)Baird 3)Johnston 4)Garner 5)McWhirter 6)C McDugle 7)Hockman DNS-P Horton
Young Lions-Legends
A Ft-1)Wesley Smith-Nixa 2)Kylan Garner-Sarcoxie 30Grayson Cox-Joplin 40Ty McWhirter-Bentonville,Ark
Ht-1)Cox 2)Garner 3)Smith 4)McWhirter
Pepsi Pure Stocks
A Ft-1)Jack Hamer-Ava 2)Philip Schloesser-Everton 3)Bret Testerman-Miami,Oklahoma 4)Elizabeth Jolley-Billings 5)Darrell Storment-Bolivar 6)Danny Vasquez-Springfield 7)Cody Dudley 8)Mick Maggard-Springfield 9)Lenny Bell-Willard 10)Josh Bell-Willard 11)Tyler Thulin-Miami,Oklahoma 12)Tanner Sitton-Bolivar 13)David Moellering-Billings
1st Ht-1)Schloeeser 2)Hamer 3)L Bell 4)Jolley 5)Maggard 6)Vasquez 7)Dudley
2nd Ht-1)Storment 2)Thulin 3)Sitton 4)J Bell 5)Testerman 6)Moellering
Williams Lawn Street Stocks
A Ft-1)Bryan Tillman-Branson 2)Jim Reid-Springfield 3)Wayne Morris-Miami,Oklahoma 4)Kim Kaasa-Springfield 5)Joe Girardi-Bolivar 6)Daniel Deason-Bolivar 7)Rex Frieze-Willard 8)Shawn Schmidt-Springfield 9)Wayne Bysor-Bolivar
1st Ht-1)Reid 2)Girardi 3)Bysor 4)Kaasa DQ-Tillman(weight)
2nd Ht-1)Deason 2)Frieze 3)Morris DQ-Schmidt(Weight)