SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- With over 100 race teams in the pits, it was Reliable Chevrolet Night at the Springfield Raceway for the 3rd Annual USRA B-Mod special paying $500 to win, plus added money from Reliable Chevrolet and GM Performance Parts along with Yeoman Racing Engines and Babe's Drive-In.

With 27 entries in the USRA B-Mod class it took three heat races and a last chance event to get the starting 20 drivers with a lot of talent in the field.

Last season's runner-up in the track points, J.C. Morton of Springfield, jumped to the opening lead with Jerry Lankton following close as two- and three-wide racing was the call. Morton, who lost a feature at Springfield two weeks ago when the power steering belt came off, shot to a big lead and left a great battle for second and beyond.

As the leaders were starting to close in on lapped traffic on lap 20, the only caution flew as Blake Ellis, Sean Williams and Chuck Becker were involved in turn 3. This gave Turkey Classic and March Madness winner Kris Jackson a last shot to overtake Morton, but tonight Morton had the McCoy's Metal/GM Performance Parts crate engine dialed-in as he pulled away in the final two laps to secure his first win this season at Springfield while Jackson withstood a strong surge from Lankton to secure the runner-up spot with Brandon Maggard and Jon Yeoman Jr. completing the top 5.

Current USRA B-Mod track and national points leader Scott Drake pulled out with problems, placing him 14th in the final rundown while last week's winner and points runner-up Mike Hailman salvaged a seventh-place finish.

In addition to the $500-to-win feature, Morton collected an extra $125 for using a Reliable Chevrolet GM Performance Parts 602 crate engine while Jackson collected an extra $100 from both Yeoman's Race Engines and Babe's Drive-In for being the top-finishing spec motor.

Twelve of the scheduled 20 starters finished on the lead lap with five crate and five spec motors in the top 10.

In Budweiser USRA Modified action, four-time track champion Jackie Dalton came charging late in the feature and overtook leader Erik Maggard on lap 14 to grab his first win of the season.

The early stages saw 2010 Turkey Classic Champion Jody Tillman jump to the early lead with young Corey Weir following closely. Maggard was able to move around Tillman around lap 7 to grab the top spot as current points leader Mitch Keeter followed as three-wide racing was the action following.

Lap 12 was a turning point in the feature as Bobby Pearish and Brian Green made contact and Green spun. Pearish had fuel pressure issues and pulled in while Green was able to continue.

Dalton, the week 2 points leader, was able to pick the top lane on the restart as Keeter picked down low as action behind was tight with Dave Elson, Tillman, Rex Merritt, Weir and John Yeoman battling.

On lap 14, Dalton swung to the extreme top groove out of turn 4 and overtook Maggard for the lead. Keeter and Maggard made some contact out of turn 2 and Keeter slowed the following lap with front end damage and ended his night.

Dalton survived a late restart with Maggard, Elson, Merritt and Tillman the top 5 as 14 of the scheduled 22 starters were on the lead lap.

Next Saturday, June 9, the USRA Modifieds and USRA B-Mods will join the POWRi Midgets at the Springfield Raceway in an event presented by Green Lawn Funeral Homes of Springfield. Action will also feature Midwest Modz, Legend Cars, Pure Stocks and Street Stocks in round 7 of the Transport Graphics Championship Chase for the Championship.

Grandstands open at 5:00 with hot laps starting at 6:00 and racing at 7:00. Grandstand admission will be $17 for adults while kids ages 6-12 are only $5. Pit passes will be $30 and the pit gate is scheduled to open around 3:30.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, June 2, 2012

USRA B-MODS

"A" Feature: 1. J.C. Morton, Springfield; 2. Kris Jackson, Lebanon; 3. Jerry Lankton, Lampe; 4. Brandon Maggard, Springfield; 5. Jon Yeoman Jr., Granby; 6. Bobby Maggard Jr., Republic; 7. Mike Hailman, Reed Springs; 8. Jason Brigman, West Plains; 9. Don Luna, St. James; 10. Jared Thulin, Miami, Okla.; 11. Tyler Duggins, West Plains; 12. Toby Thompson, Mountain Grove; 13. Kaleb Copher, Webb City; 14. Scott Drake, Webb City; 15. Blake Ellis, Sarcoxie; 16. Ryan Hendrix, Joplin; 17. Chuck Becker, Bolivar; 18. Bobby Ratterree, Mountain Grove; DNS - Shane Bias, Everton; DQ - Sean Williams, Willard.

"B" Feature (top 4 advance): 1. Thompson; 2. Becker; 3. Duggins; 4. Bias; 5. Mike Mansker, Springfield; 6. Aaron Speck, Republic; 7. Derek Watson, Willard; 8. John Hurn; 9. Jeremy Thulin, Miami, Okla.; DQ - Taylor Duggins, West Plains; DQ - Michael Maggard, Springfield.

Heat #1: 1. B. Maggard Jr.; 2. Lankton; 3. Copher; 4. Ratterree; 5. Thulin; 6. Hendrix; 7. Tyler Duggins; 8. M. Maggard; 9. Watson.

Heat #2: 1. Drake; 2. B. Maggard; 3. Jackson; 4. Luna; 5. Ellis; 6. Taylor Duggins; 7. Becker; 8. Hurn; 9. Bias.

Heat #3: 1. Williams; 2. Morton; 3. Hailman; 4. Yeoman; 5. Brigman; 6. Thulin; 7. Thompson; 8. Speck; 9. Mansker.

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; 2. Erik Maggard, Brighton; 3. Dave Elson, Springfield; 4. Rex Merritt, Billings; 5. Jody Tillman, Branson; 6. John Yeoman III, Joplin; 7. Billy Dalton, Exeter; 8. Brian Green, Pierce City; 9. Corey Weir, Nixa; 10. Rocky Berliew, Joplin; 11. Rusty Weir, Warsaw; 12. Tim Simon, Neosho; 13. Fred Slagle, Pierce City; 14. Scott Symmonds, Bolivar; 15. Jerry Lankton, Lampe; 16. Danny DeMasters II, Neosho; 17. Mitch Keeter, Webb City; 18. Jeff Cutshaw, Cross Timbers; 19. Bobby Pearish, Oronogo; 20. Rob Muilenburg, Sparta; DNS - Robbie Bryant, Willard; DNS - Tyler Brown, Stoutland.

Heat #1: 1. Keeter; 2. Maggard; 3. Tillman; 4. B. Dalton; 5. Brown; 6. R. Weir; 7. Slagle.

Heat #2: 1. Yeoman; 2. Merritt; 3. C. Weir; 4. DeMasters; 5. Pearish; 6. Simon; 7. Muilenburg.

Heat #3: 1. J. Dalton; 2. Cutshaw; 3. Elson; 4. Lankton; 5. Green; 6. Berliew; 7. Symmonds; DNS - Bryant.