Main event winner Tommy Elston (45) battles with Jeff Aikey dring heat race action.

ALLISON, Iowa — The USRA Late Models were in action Tuesday at the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa, for what turned out to be a barnburner that kept fans on their feet from start to finish.

USRA Late Model national points leader Chris Smyser of Lancaster, Mo., and Mount Vernon, Iowa's Chad Simpson — ranked second in the standings entering Tuesday's event — raced side by side every lap for the first half of the 20-lap main event.

Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa, made it three wide a few times while seventh-starting Tommy Elston of Keokuk, Iowa, closed in on the leaders. The racing was so close, in fact, that the scorekeepers and flagman said they had three laps they called a draw — once between three cars wide at the line.

Elston caught the leaders and made the bottom and top lines work to his advantage, leading the final 6 laps for his second win of the season and becoming the first two-time winner for the freshman USRA Late Model division.

Eckrich claimed the runner-up spot, while Smyser finished third and Simpson was fourth. Kurt Kile of Nichols, Iowa, rounded out the top-5 at the finish line.

The high-powered USRA Late Models are off duty for three weeks, returning to action Tuesday, July 3, at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for a $3,000-to-win event at the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster. The Southern Iowa Speedway is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). The pit gate opens at 5:00 p.m. and the grandstands open up for general admission seating at 5:30. Hot laps are slated for 7:15 with the first green flag at 7:30. For more information, contact the RL Promotions offices at (515) 832-6000 or visit www.rlpromotions.com online. Race day info is available by calling the track hotline at (641) 673-7004.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Tue Jul 3 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($3,000 to win)
TBA … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($3,000 to win)
Fri Jul 27 … Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, IA ($3,000 to win)
Sat Jul 28 … Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($3,000 to win)
Tue Jul 31 … West Liberty Raceway, West Liberty, IA ($2,000 to win)

For more information about the United States Racing Association (USRA), visit them online at www.usraracing.com.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series
Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa
Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. Passing Points accumulated in the Heats determine the starting line-up for the “A” Main.

USRA LATE MODELS

Heat #1 (8 laps):
1. 25s - Chris Smyser -- Lancaster, MO (1)
2. 77 - Jeff Aikey -- Cedar Falls, IA (4)
3. 77k - Kurt Kile -- Nichols, IA (2)
4. 45 - Tommy Elston -- Keokuk, IA (5)
5. 22 - Jill George -- Cedar Falls, IA (3)
6. 31 - Jason Utter -- Columbus Junction, IA (7)
7. 3c - Curt Schroeder -- Des Moines, IA (6)

Heat #2 (8 laps):
1. 25 - Chad Simpson -- Mt. Vernon, IA (3)
2. 50 - Denny Eckrich -- Tiffin, IA (4)
3. 19 - Darin Duffy -- Hazelton, IA (5)
4. 88 - Kevin Kile -- West Liberty, IA (1)
5. 75 - Clint Wendel -- Mason City, IA (6)
6. 15g - Cam Granger -- West Union, IA (7)
7. 18 - Troy McKee -- Massena, IA (2)

A Main (25 laps):
1. 45 - Tommy Elston -- Keokuk, IA (7)
2. 50 - Denny Eckrich -- Tiffin, IA (4)
3. 25s - Chris Smyser -- Lancaster, MO (2)
4. 25 - Chad Simpson -- Mt. Vernon, IA (1)
5. 77k - Kurt Kile -- Nichols, IA (6)
6. 88 - Kevin Kile -- West Liberty, IA (8)
7. 75 - Clint Wendel -- Mason City, IA (9)
8. 77 - Jeff Aikey -- Cedar Falls, IA (3)
9. 19 - Darin Duffy -- Hazelton, IA (5)
10. 22 - Jill George -- Cedar Falls, IA (10)
11. 15g - Cam Granger -- West Union, IA (12)
12. 18 - Troy McKee -- Massena, IA (14)
13. 3c - Curt Schroeder -- Des Moines, IA (13)
14. 31 - Jason Utter -- Columbus Junction, IA (11)