Danny Martin is a car owner and driver who has paid his dues in his short driving career. He has fielded USRA Modifieds for himself and Ryan Gillmore for the past two seasons, and this year made the move to the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod class while his son, Jared, is running a Midwest Modz car in the area.

While Danny Martin has shared victory lane four times with his son this season, he never had the stand-alone chance in victory lane until Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway.

After finishing the heat race fifth, the redraw placed Martin and his Danny Martin Trucking/Hoffman Race Cars/Yeoman Engines No. 33 on the outside front row as he took to the top side of the track to lead all 20 laps of the Reliable Chevrolet feature.

While Martin was riding the extreme top groove, track points leader Jackie Dalton, who started ninth on the grid, finally broke free of a three-wide battle with four laps remaining and began his charge to the front.

Martin was hitting his marks perfect all night long but did get a bit high in turn 4, slowing his speed. When the white flew, Dalton was coming quickly as the 20-lap feature had no cautions after the first start. Dalton was working both high and low to gain on Martin while the race for third featured three-wide action between Ricky Watkins, rookie Cayden Stayce, James Thompson and points runner-up Sam Petty.

In victory lane, Martin flashed his well known smile just shaking his head not believing what just happened for the fourth-year driver.

"I have had the pleasure of watching Ryan win races in our cars and with my son running this season and getting some wins but I never thought I would get one," Martin said. "We had a really good car at Lebanon Midway two weeks ago and spun leading the heat race and had a car that could have won and finished third, but to win here at my home track is awesome as I have many people to say thank you to.

"To beat Dalton here is something as he has had a great season this year. I wish Ryan was here tonight as he has helped us so much. Jerry Hoffman gave us another great track surface."

Following the lead duo to the line were Watkins with his best run of the season, Stayce whose grandfather Wayne Graybeal was one of the area's top Modified drivers for many years, and James Thompson.

For points leader Dalton, he determined the inversion by winning heat number 2 and pulled the 5-row stick. Justin Comer captured the first qualifying heat.

Summit USRA  Racing Series action continues next Saturday night with the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods presented by Reliable Chevrolet along with Modifieds, Midwest Modz, Pure Stocks, Legends and Mini-Lates with racing at 7:30.

For more information visit the track's Facebook page and SpringfieldRaceway.com.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, July 20, 2019

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (4) 112 Justin Comer, Joplin, Mo.
2. (2) 32 Kelly Hicks, Pea Ridge, Ark.
3. (6) 41 Sam Petty, Marshfield, Mo.
4. (7) 15 Cayden Stacye, Springfield, Mo.
5. (5) 33 Danny Martin, Republic, Mo.
6. (1) 3A Aaron Speck, Republic, Mo.
7. (3) 19 James Smith, Springfield, Mo.

Heat #2:
1. (3) 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
2. (2) 68 Ricky Watkins, Brookline, Mo.
3. (5) 11T James Thompson, Springfield, Mo.
4. (1) 2B Michael Bowers, Rogersville, Mo.
5. (4) 55B Bill Schahuber, Springfield, Mo.
6. (6) 25 Lexy Vanzandt, Billings, Mo.
7. (7) 17R Rod Inman, Springfield, Mo.

Feature:
1. (2) 33 Danny Martin, Republic, Mo.
2. (9) 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
3. (7) 68 Ricky Watkins, Brookline, Mo.
4. (4) 15 Cayden Stacye, Springfield, Mo.
5. (5) 11T James Thompson, Springfield, Mo.
6. (6) 41 Sam Petty, Marshfield, Mo.
7. (10) 112 Justin Comer, Joplin, Mo.
8. (12) 25 Lexy Vanzandt, Billings, Mo.
9. (3) 2B Michael Bowers, Rogersville, Mo.
10. (13) 19 James Smith, Springfield, Mo.
11. (11) 3A Aaron Speck, Republic, Mo.
12. (1) 55B Bill Schahuber, Springfield, Mo.
13. (8) 32 Kelly Hicks, Pea Ridge, Ark.
14. (14) 17R Rod Inman, Springfield, Mo.