Ryan Gillmore won the USRA Modified feature.

Defending Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national champion Ryan Gilmore found himself in the winner's circle following the USRA Modified feature Saturday night as the Springfield Raceway held March Madness to open the 2018 season.

The win was worth $1,000 to Gilmore's team and, more importantly, grabbing important USRA Modified national points in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series.

The top eight qualifiers redrew from passing points and Jim Body earned the pole with Gilmore to his outside. High-point driver Mitch Keeter had to start eighth.

Body jumped to the early lead, but Eric Turner lost water from his motor and sent the middle and back of the field spinning, forcing a restart.

Body again took the top spot with Gilmore in tow. The 20-lap feature went caution-free with side-by-side racing in the entire field. Terry Schultz, who started 17th, was picking off cars coming through the pack.

After 10 laps, Gilmore and Body went door to door and gave each other room until lap 15 when Gilmore finally took the lead.

Body followed closely behind at the finish as Keeter, John Yeoman and Allan Retting completed the top five.

The race of the night involved the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods as the much-awaited 20-lap feature saw 2016 Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national champion J.C. Morton redraw the pole with Cody Jolly to the outside.

Shawn Strong, who was seventh in passing points, used the redraw to his advantage to start third with defending track champion Gilmore to his outside.

The feature was worth the price of admission as Morton took the opening lead while Jolly and Strong followed closely and Gilmore pulled out early with motor issues. Morton was keeping both Jolly and Strong at bay as the race for second was hotly contested.

The action picked up on a lap 15 as Morton was leading and Jolly picked the top groove on the restart. On the following, Jolly lap pulled a slide job on Morton. The duo kept exchanging sliders and swapping the lead as Strong kept glued to the bottom and closed in quickly.

On lap 18, Jolly nosed ahead at the line as Morton was trying to mount a challenge. Jolly took home the $1,000-to-win feature and his first ever at Springfield. Morton, Strong, Jackie Dalton and Mike Striegel completed the top five.

Cody Jolly won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit Racing USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, March 10, 2017

USRA MODIFIEDS
1) Ryan Gilmore
2) Jim Body
3) Mitch Keeter
4) John Yeoman
5) Allan Retting
6) James Thompson
7) Terry Schultz
8) Chris Hawkins
9) Jerry Lankton
10) Evan Hubert
11) Nathan Gold
12) Andrew Smith
13) Kyle Thompson
14) Danny Martin
15) Jared Monger
16) Jody Tillman
17) Eric Turner

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS
1) Cody Jolly
2) J.C. Morton
3) Shawn Strong
4) Jackie Dalton
5) Mike Striegel
6) Jim Body II
7) Gene Sisco
8) Rex Merritt
9) Kameron Grindstaff
10) Clint Thompson
11) Aaron Scroggins
12) Justin Comer
13) Jace Parmley
14) Bobby Pearish
15) Andy Beauchamp
16) Sawyer Crigler
17) Sam Petty
18) Justin Pike
19) Ronny Gould
20) Ryan Gilmore