Blake Pierce won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature.

Drivers, staff and fans all tried to ignore its looming presence on Missouri One Call Night, but once the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series classes hit the I-35 Speedway on Saturday night, it became evident the full moon wanted to affect the racers.

After jumping to the early lead in the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature, Chase Galvan found himself the leader on a lap six restart. In turn one of that restart, Daniel Harris threw a big slider on Galvan, clearing him for the lead. Galvan crossed over to fight back when Harris lost grip on the exit of turn two and spun down the track. Galvan and Harris made contact, all but sending Galvan up and over, while collecting half the field behind him.

The incident handed the lead to Eddie Schwope Jr. Schwope paced the early laps of the restart before Tyler Cadwallader began to challenge on the inside. The two battled for several laps, allowing Blake Pierce to close the gap. As the two battled, they were focused on each other, leaving a hole for Pierce on the outside.

Pierce snuck around both, taking the lead. He paced the remaining laps to pick up his first career win. Schwope finished second, Cadwallader third, Randy Ainsworth fourth and Garrett Hill fifth.

The USRA Modified feature also felt the effect of the full moon as cautions flew consistently throughout the race. That did not phase race dominator, Dennis Elliott, as he cruised to his sixth trip to McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle. Elliott used his experience on restarts to capture a five to sixth car length lead before turn one, allowing him an unchallenged route to the win. Tyler Hibner battled hard with Mark Schafman to finish second.

Smokin’ Hot Summer Series Champion Schafman finished third in his return to I-35. Darren Shaw finished fourth, while brothers Austin and Houston Johnson exchanged sliders in the final laps before Austin took the final position in the top five. Chris Mercer created one of the more dramatic moments of the night when he rolled his car off the turn one banking during his heat.

To everyone’s surprise, Mercer made the grid for the start of the feature and finished 12th.

The calmest race of action saw the young Austin O’Neal capture his first Holley USRA Stock Car win at I-35 Speedway. O’Neal ran the race unchallenged from behind as Butch Bailey, Jeff Dixon and Cletus Murray all battled for second. Bailey won the battle to finish second. Dixon finished third, Murray fourth and Kristchon Hisel fifth.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
I-35 Speedway, Winston, Mo.
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

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

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature:
1. (1) 29 Dennis Elliott
2. (5) 89 Tyler Hibner
3. (2) 34 Mark Schafman
4. (8) 11 Darren Shaw
5. (7) 98 Austin Johnson
6. (12) 97 Houston Johnson
7. (9) 17$ Shane Lawson
8. (4) 67D Isaac Dotson
9. (11) 54 Eddie Ingram
10. (6) 2H John Hanson
11. (3) 756 Shayne Bailey
12. (10) 13 Chris Mercer

HOLLEY USRA STOCK CARS

Feature:
1. (1) 1 Austin O’Neal
2. (2) 111 Butch Bailey
3. (3) 88 Jeff Dixon
4. (4) 75 Cletus Murray
5. (6) S20 Kristchon Hisel
6. (5) 21H Jeb Hayes

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Feature:
1. (4) 16 Blake Pierce
2. (1) 91 Eddie Schwope Jr.
3. (7) 69 Tyler Cadwallader
4. (9) 57 Randy Ainsworth
5. (8) 10H Garrett Hill
6. (2) 2T Todd Luke
7. (5) 07 Daniel Harris
8. (11) 14H Blake Hayes
9. (1) 0 Chase Galvan
10. (6) 52M Dustin Miller
11. (10) 77X Shane Noble
DNS – 15XL Jared Hillyard