SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- With over 90 raceteams in the pits, the Mid-Season Championships were held Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway as another outstanding night of action was held.

After very intense qualifying heats to secure their spots in the feature, the fields were set for the feature events.

In USRA RHS Modified action, current points leader Jackie Dalton and Erik Maggard brought the field to the green flag with Maggard rim-riding the top groove to take the opening lead with Dalton going to the hub in chase. Meanwhile, last week's winner, Mitch Keeter, along with Brian Green, Bobby Pearish and Kyle Slagle were all battling two- and three-wide.

With Maggard setting a blistering pace, Dalton kept trying to make the low groove stick. Coming up on lapped traffic, Dalton had to cut the car hard towards the infield, breaking a tie-rod and ending his night. Up front, Keeter was making a lot of ground up and the duo of Maggard and Keeter showed everyone how to run Springfield top and bottom side-by-side.

Back in the pack, Terry Phillips was picking his way to the front after starting 12th in the field. With the lead being swaped back and forth between Keeter and Maggard, Phillips began his charge to the lead duo with five laps left.

At the finish it was Keeter claiming the win by a half car-length as Maggard swung to the extreme top of the quarter-mile oval in a near photo-finish. The defending track champion claimed his second straight win as Maggard, Phillips, Green and Pearish completed a very action-packed top 5.

Phillips, however, dropped to the bottom of the standings after tech for not having a rev-limiting chip. This moved Slagle to the fifth spot.

Dalton was able to claim the Mid-Season Championship title despite a 16th-place finish.

The Springfield Raceway will be back in action in two weeks on Saturday, July 23, featuring the high-horsepower USRA RHS Modifieds and five other classes as the second half of the season will begin. All classes will draw for starting spots and set the field by passing points.

For more information visit the website at www.springfieldraceway.com or contact promoter Jerry Hoffman at 417-673-7426.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, July 9, 2011

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Mitch Keeter, Webb City; 2. Erik Maggard, Brighton; 3. Brian Green, Pierce City; 4. Bobby Pearish, Oronogo; 5. Kyle Slagle, Pierce City; 6. Robbie Bryant, Willard; 7. Billy Dalton, Exetor; 8. John Yeoman III, Granby; 9. Jerry Lankton, Lampe; 10. Eric Lampe, Springfield; 11. Jody Tillman, Branson; 12. Dwight Neihoff, Lockwood; 13. Darrell Jackson, Carthage; 14. Nathan Cottrell, Nixa; 15. William Heath, Mt. Grove; 16. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; DQ - Terry Phillips, Springfield.

Heat #1: 1. Pearish; 2. Keeter; 3. Green; 4. J. Dalton; 5. Yeoman; 6. Heath.

Heat #2: 1. Phillips; 2. Lampe; 3. Slagle; 4. Neihoff; 5. Cottrell; 6. Tillman.

Heat #3: 1. Maggard; 2. Lankton; 3. Bryant; 4. B. Dalton; 5. Jackson.