Kevin Blackburn (26) finds his way to the front with a high side pass on Gunner Martin (75) to claim the USRA Modified feature.

WARRENSBURH, Mo.—Seventy-four drivers made their way to Central Missouri Speedway on Saturday evening for Heartland Waste Night. A total of 19 USRA Modifieds, 19 Street Stocks, 19 Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, 9 Pure Stocks and 8 Allstar Midget Series cars were on hand for a smokin’ hot summer night of racing.

Out-Pace USRA B-Mods were next to hit the track with a trio of heat races as Cody Brill raced from the outside of row two to claim the opening heat ahead of Doug Wetzel and Bobby Russell. Jacob Ebert bested Blake Pierce and Bill Small in heat two while Troy Carlyle rocketed from fifth on the grid to claim the final heat over Chris Brockway and Russ Niehoff.

USRA Modifieds took to the track next for their three heat races with point’s leader Kevin Blackburn of Fulton, Missouri claiming his seventh heat win of the year over Lucas Conley and Dean Wille. Nathan Vaughn raced his way to his first heat race win of the year ahead of a returning to action Kyle Westerhold and Dean Bachner. Gunner Martin picked up where he left off the week before and cruised to his seventh heat-race win of the year ahead of Lewis Jackson and Robbie Test at the line.

Out-Pace USRA B-Mods returned for their 15-lap main event with point’s leader Troy Carlyle and Cody Brill showing the way for the drop of the green flag. With Carlyle showing the way early, it didn’t take long for Jacob Ebert to find his way to the front of the field. On lap three, Bill Small’s car left the racing surface off turn two and ended up against the utility tire bringing out the yellow flag, Small was okay but unable to continue the race.

Ebert led the restart with a close battle behind him between Carlyle, Kansas City’s Blake Pierce and Harrisonville’s Cody Brill. Previous week’s winner Chad Staus began his charge to the front by breaking into the top five early in the race. After two more quick cautions Ebert again led Carlyle, Pierce, Brill, Staus, and Chris Brockway as racing resumed once again.

By lap 12, after another yellow flag, Ebert again distanced himself from the rest of the field as Carlyle did everything he could to stay with the leader. In the waning laps Carlyle regained some grip on the track and drew closer to Ebert but was unable to make a bid for the win by the time the checkers fell. Ebert claimed his fifth main event win of the year ahead of Carlyle, Pierce, a hard-charging Russ Niehoff, Staus, and Brill.

Jacob Ebert won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature.

USRA Modifieds then returned to the track for their 25-lap main event and it was a classic right to the finish as the drivers fought hard for every position they could gain. The two drivers battling for the track championship started the event on the front row as Gunner Martin and Kevin Blackburn set sail for the race distance to settle the event.

Martin pulled out to an early race lead with Blackburn never letting the 75 car get too far out of his sights. Lewis Jackson ran solidly inside the top five throughout the night as he and Robbie Test battled closely along with Dean Wille until a lap seven caution slowed the field for a restart before another quick caution fell two laps later on lap nine. Test’s strong run came to a heart-breaking end early in the event after he make contact with the utility tire forcing him to retire from the event.

Martin was quick on the restarts as Blackburn, Jackson, Wille and Kyle Westerhold all fought for spots near the front of the field. Blackburn began to search around on the high line and found this part of the track to his liking as Martin ran strong down low in a classic battle for the win.

On a lap 16 restart, after Dean Wille’s strong bid for a top-tier run came to an early end in turn two, Blackburn began to put the heat on Martin and found a way around the leader to claim the top spot as Jackson, Westerhold and Nathan Vaughn raced closely among the top five. Lucas Conley also made his presence known as he also raced inside the top five.

The final laps were intense as Blackburn and Martin both searched for the best place to be producing some of the best racing we’ve seen among the USRA Modifieds this year in the late-stages of a main event. Two more late caution periods slowed the field late in the race and each time Martin put the pressure on Blackburn but was unable to regain the lead as the lead duo brought their cars to the finish line with Blackburn claiming his first feature win of the year.

In victory lane, Blackburn stated, “This was Gunner’s track tonight but I’m just glad to finally get the win here, we are leading here and have moved to fourth overall in USRA national points, I am very proud of this team.”

Blackburn is the son of two-time CMS Modified champion Gary Blackburn.

Martin crossed the line as runner-up to keep the pressure on for the championship with Jackson turning in a strong performance finishing in third position. Lucas Conley of Spring Hill, Kansas turned in his best CMS performance in many years as he captured fourth position just ahead of Westerhold in fifth. Scotty Martin was the man on the move as he advanced from fifteenth to finish sixth. Danny Scrogham went to a loaned car of Justin Plumb to finish seventh, Vaughn was eighth, Eddie Bray, Jr, ninth and Dwight Niehoff of Neosho, Missouri finished in tenth.

Kevin Blackburn Jr. won the USRA Modified feature.

Next week is KMZU 100.7 FM Night at the races featuring weekly racing and the return of the Mod-Lites as they begin a two-week stint at CMS. Pit gates open at 4:30 with admission gates opening at 5. Driver pill draw cutoff is 6:15 (no passing points awarded to late-arriving drivers). Pit Meeting takes place at 6:30, followed by hot laps at 7, and racing at 7:30.

For complete weekend details head over to www.centralmissourispeedway.net and click on the Independence Day Weekend Special Event Info! CMS is located 3.5-miles north of Warrensburg, MO from the junction of Highways 50 and 13 in Warrensburg just north of the new Hwy 13 by-pass round-a-bout, or from the Higginsville exit off I-70, head south on Highway 13 for twelve and half miles.

Admission prices for this weekend are: $12 adult general mission, $10 military with I.D., seniors 65 to 74 $10, kids aged 6 to 12 $5. Children 5 and under and seniors 75 and over free. Pit passes $30.

Keep up with CMS on Twitter @CMSgoing_green. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Missouri-Speedway. Join our email group by emailing info@centralmissourispeedway.net. Keep up with CMS news and information by pointing your browser to www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Don’t forget about the all-new CMS Going Green YouTube video page!

CMS wishes to thank its 2016 primary sponsors for their support this season! Cliff Harris Warrensburg Ford, Budweiser, KMZU 100.7 FM, Sunoco Race Fuels, KMMO FM 102.9, Midwest Coatings, Better Country KIX 105.7, KSDL, and KSIS FM, Comfort Inn Warrensburg Station, KRLI FM 103.9 & KAOL 101.3 FM The Grenade, Pepsi, 610 Sports Radio Kansas City, Heartland Waste, and 'Today's New Hit Country' 95.3 FM KDKD.

This list of 2016 outstanding business partners includes: Victory Trophies & Plaques, Joslins Jewelry, Batliner Recycling, DQ Grill & Chill of Warrensburg, Economy Lumber, Kleinschmidt's Western Store, OK Tire Stores, Eickleberry Concrete & Construction, LJS Graphics, Finish Line Performance, Wolf Tire Service, JA Performance and Outdoor Services, RockAuto.com, and Seeburg Mufflers.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
USRA Weekly Racing Series
Central Missouti Speedway, Warrensburg, Mo.
Saturday, July 23, 2016

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Feature:
1. (3) 94 Jacob Ebert, Oak Grove
2. (1) 44 Troy Carlyle, Kearney
3. (4) 16 Blake Pierce, Kansas City
4. (6) 10R Russell Niehoff, Lockwood
5. (10) C3 Chad Staus, Otterville
6. (2) 96 Cody Brill, Harrisonville
7. (8) 7B Bobby Russell, Smithville
8. (5) 03 Chris Brockway, Warrensburg
9. (13) 30 Rex Harris, Urbana
10. (7) 10W Doug Wetzel, Leeton
11. (19) 1B Kaleb Bray, Archie
12. (14) 49 Patrick Royalty, Kansas City, Kan.
13. (16) 68MM Robert Brown III, Hume
14. (17) 10 Johnny McGinnis, Hardin
15. (12) 12 Olen Stephens, Warrensburg
16. (18) 50JR Leroy Morrison, Raymore
17. (11) 53 Monty Mitchell, Manhattan, Kan.
18. (15) 2 Rick Anderson, Marshall
19. (9) 28S Bill Small, Holden

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature:
1. (2) 26K Kevin Blackburn, Fulton
2. (1) 75 Gunner Martin, Independence
3. (5) 3J Lewis Jackson, Wellsville, Kan.
4. (6) 17 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan.
5. (4) 17KK Kyle Westerhold, Blue Springs
6. (14) 75RPM Scotty Martin, Independence
7. (16) 92 Danny Scrogham, Peculiar
8. (3) 12V Nathan Vaughn, Sedalia
9. (12) 19K Eddie Bray Jr., Archie
10. (13) 9D Dwight Niehoff, Neosho
11. (17) 32P Nick Pence, Raymore
12. (9) 2D Dean Bachner, Olathe, Kan.
13. (10) X25 Travis Ruff, Belton
14. (8) 68 Dean Wille, Warrensburg
15. (11) 97K Brian Johnson, Independence
16. (15) 54 Will Johns, Osawatomie, Kan.
17. (7) 27T Robbie Test Jr., Jefferson City
DNS - 42 Sam Florence, Kansas City
DNS - 00 Justin Plumb, Peculiar