Keeter, Gilmore top USRA Springfield mains

  • March 31, 2018
  • by Ronnie Williams
Ryan Gillmore won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature on March 31 at the Springfield Racveway.

Ryan Gillmore won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature on March 31 at the Springfield Racveway.


Mitch Keeter and defending Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national champion Ryan Gilmore found themselves in victory lane after hard-earned battles Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway as the 2018 championship chase began.

Keeter, a former Springfield USRA Modified track champion, jumped from his pole spot after earning the highest passing points with Jerry Lankton glued behind as NASCAR superstar Ken Schrader was playing a patient game early. As Keeter started to pull some distance on the racy track surface, Ryan Gilmore was searching and began a mid-race charge. A late-race caution allowed Gilmore to make a charge at Keeter, but fell short as Lankton, Schrader and Jim Body completed the top five after a door to door battle the last five laps.


Mitch Keeter won the USRA Modified feature on March 31 at the Springfield Racveway.

In the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature, it was well worth the price of admission alone as Gilmore was able to use a late caution to use the highside groove to grab the top spot from leader Kris Jackson over the 23-car field.

Justin Comer and Jackson brought the field to the green and Jackson made it known early he was ready for a win while former Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national champion J.C. Morton followed closely. Jackson kept the middle lane fast as Morton kept pounding the top groove. Only a couple of cautions slowed the quick pace with side by side racing. The turning point happened on lap 17 when Morton spun off turn 2 while running second.

That allowed Gilmore a last shot as he picked the top lane on the double-file restart. With Jackson staying low, Gilmore, who had been fighting gremlins early this season with a distributor problem, stayed glued upstairs and carried the speed to nip Jackson at the line.

Jackson, Jackie Dalton, polesitter Comer and a fast-moving Taylor Moore completing the top five.

Round 2 of the championship chase will be Saturday, April 7, with USRA Modifieds and Out Pace USRA B-Mods, plus Pure Stocks, Midwest Modz and Missouri Dirt Legends on hand.