SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The action was again fast and furious Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway as more than 90 race teams checked into the pits.

The USRA RHS Modifieds provided plenty of side-by-side action as the starting field of 18 took the opening green. Kyle Slagle shot to the lead while John Yeoman III, Robbie Bryant, Bobby Pearish, Erik Maggard and Mitch Keeter wasted no time in getting in on some side-by-side action.

The first yellow waved on lap 3 as rookie Nick Whitehead pulled high in turn 4 with a flat tire. With Slagle bringing the field to the double-file restart, the battle pace picked up as Jody Tillman and Terry Beckham II joined the action. Slagle was setting a fast pace using the middle of the track while Maggard found the high groove and began to close ground while Pearish began a charge to the front pack also.

On lap 11, defending champion Keeter's night ended as he pulled to the infield with problems while Slagle was fending off Maggard's repeated charges as two- and three-wide action was going on among all those behind.

On lap 13, caution waved as Jesse Stovall rode over the banking in turn 3, bunching the field up again. With Slagle looking for his first win and leading, the field doubled-up with Maggard picking the top groove on the restart while Pearish, Yeoman, Tillman, Beckham, four-time track champion Jackie Dalton, Bryant and veteran Terry Kirk swapped spots.

On the restart, Maggard swung high and took over the lead on lap 14 while rim-riding the top groove as Slagle kept in the middle lane followed closely by Pearish, Dalton, Tillman, Beckham, Kirk and Bryant, who is also a rookie in USRA RHS Modified competition.

Out in front, Maggard claimed his first win of the 2011 season while action drama opened-up on the last lap. Slagle went up the track on the last lap in turn 3, allowing Dalton to stick the car hard and down low going for the runner-up spot. Side by side went Slagle and Dalton as Pearish was riding the top groove also. Contact was made sending Pearish around as Dalton nipped Slagle at the stripe for second place honors while Yeoman and Tillman complete the top 5 followed closely by Beckham, Kirk, Bryant, Darrell Jackson and Eric Lampe in the top 10.

Maggard became the fourth different winner this season in five features for the USRA RHS Modifieds.

Action continues next Saturday night with Scout Night at the Races. All cub scout, boy scout and girl scouts in uniform receive free grandstand admission while action will feature the USRA RHS Modifieds plus five other classes with racing at 7 p.m.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, June 18, 2011

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Erik Maggard, Springfield; 2. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; 3. Kyle Slagle, Pierce City; 4. John Yeoman III, Granby; 5. Jody Tillman, Branson; 6. Terry Beckham II, Webb City; 7. Terry Kirk, Urbana; 8. Robbie Bryant, Willard; 9. Darrell Jackson, Carthage; 10. Eric Lampe, Springfield; 11. Brian Green, Pierce City; 12. Billy Dalton, Exeter; 13. Nathan Cottrell, Nixa; 14. Nick Whitehead, Ozark; 15. Jesse Stovall, Galena; 16. Tammy Mitchell, Pea Ridge, Ark.; 17. Mitch Keeter, Webb City; DNS - Jerry Lankton, Lampe; DQ - Bobby Pearish, Oronogo.

1st Heat: 1. Slagle; 2. Tillman; 3. Dalton; 4. Lankton; 5. Dalton; 6. Lampe; 7. Whitehead.

2nd Heat: 1. Yeoman; 2. Maggard; 3. Beckham; 4. Kirk; 5. Jackson; 6. Green.

3rd Heat: 1. Keeter; 2. Stovall; 3. Pearish; 4. Bryant; 5. Mitchell; 6. Cottrell.