Dennis Elliott won the USRA Modified feature.

A beautiful summer evening set the backdrop for another exciting night of racing at I-35 Speedway on Saturday. The track hosted the 2nd annual Asphalt Drivers Reunion and bicycle races for the kids, as well as an action-packed night of racing.

Prior to the running of the night’s heat races, the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods began the night with a make-up feature from the rain-out the week before.

Doug Keller started from the pole next to Nic Hanes. As the green flag flew, Keller ran to the front. Behind him, Hanes, Randy Ainsworth, Chase Galvan and Jeff Elder were hot in pursuit. Hanes and Ainsworth went after each other for second, dancing just behind the rear bumper of Keller and looking for the lead as well.

Soon, Galvan was in the mix with Hanes, Ainsworth and Keller running just inches apart from each other. Keller fought hard to stay out front, and did so, racing to McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle.

The Out-Pace USRA B-Mods have been a popular group. An ever-expanding field of very skilled drivers consistently brings the fans to their feet. Galvan was super fast earlier in the night during the make-up feature and started from the pole in the regular feature, but soon found a hungry pack nipping at his bumper.

Tyler Cadwallader started outside of Galvan, but was beset by a mechanical issue racing down the back-stretch during a caution flag restart, coming to a sudden stop. Unable after a few attempts to get a push-start, Cadwallader’s night came to a disappointing conclusion.

As Galvan raced up front in the lead, everyone behind him was fighting tooth and nail for position. Tim Eaton, Shadren Turner, Elder, Ainsworth and Tim Galvan were in a high-speed traffic jam for position. As the checkered flag flew and the dust settled, Chase Galvan earned his fifth win of the year with Turner second, Eaton third, Elder fourth and Tim Galvan fifth.

The I-35 Speedway staff wishes to congratulate Tim Galvan and his girlfriend, Hannah, as they were blessed earlier in the week with the birth of their new baby, Tanner.

When you talk American Racer USRA Stock Cars at I-35 Speedway, Jeff Dixon’s name is certain to come up. Last year’s I-35 Speedway USRA Stock Car track champion is always a formidable force to overcome each week. Austin Bouzek started inside row one next to Greg Keuhn, with Dixon and Steve Herrick In row 2. Racing into turn 1, Dixon went low and Keuhn to the high side with Bouzek in the middle, creating a three-wide battle for the lead racing out of turn 2.

Keuhn and Dixon raced by Bouzek, running side-by-side heading into turn 3. Sam Scott raced up behind Bouzek heading into turn 1. Scott, carrying a lot of momentum, made contact with Bouzek, sending him spinning around as the field scrambled around him to avoid contact, bringing out the caution flag. On the restart, Dixon went to the high side cushion, as Keuhn went low, and the pair were once again side-by-side for the front spot.

By the next lap, Dixon took command of the top spot with Keuhn second, Bouzek third and Steve Herrick fourth. Herrick battled by Bouzek into third. A caution flag for a spin involving Thomas Ground in turn 2 set up the restart. Dixon was the lone occupant of row 1. Keuhn chose the high side of row 2, putting Herrick to his inside for the restart.

Herrick, Keuhn and Bouzek began an epic three-way battle for second just behind Dixon. Herrick made his way inside of Keuhn, and the pair were next to each other, racing for several laps, before Herrick made the pass for second. Gene Stigall spun in turn 2 as the caution flag flew. Herrick was just behind Dixon for the single file restart. Just passing the halfway point in the race, Dixon ran the high side cushion while Herrick ran low as the battle for the lead heated up.

Herrick found the speed he was looking for, and was even with Dixon who continued to run the top side. With two laps to go, Herrick was pulling just ahead of Dixon down the front stretch but Dixon answered back with the lead by a narrow margin racing out of turn 2. Coming to the white flag, Herrick tried a slide job and racing out of turn 4 shut the door on Dixon.

Herrick had the lead on the backstretch, but Dixon pulled even with him heading into turn 3. Racing out of the final turn, Herrick ran past Dixon, shutting the door once again, running to McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle, earning his first feature victory of the year at I-35 Speedway in dramatic fashion.

The USRA Modifieds lined up for the final race of the evening. Last year’s track champion, Dennis Elliott, was positioned inside row 1 with Lee Hibner to his outside. As the race unfolded, it quickly became apparent that this was another thrilling race, this time between Elliott and Hibner. Elliott went to the low side, with Hibner on the high side cushion. With the fans on their feet, neither driver seemed to have a clear advantage. Hibner would lead a lap or two by a narrow margin on the high side, and then Elliott would race to the inside, with a half-car-length lead.

With just three laps remaining, the pair raced side-by-side into turn 3 with Hibner on the high side and Elliott down low. Suddenly, Hibner seemed to disappear on the other side of the banking as he hooked his right rear tire on the berm, sending him off the track. To everyone’s amazement, Hibner kept his foot on the throttle, spraying a huge fantail of dirt behind him as he raced back over the berm in turn four, and back on the track.

Elliott screamed down the front stretch to the lead, with Hibner second. Hibner tried valiantly to race up to Elliott to once again challenge for the lead, but time and laps were the avenger for Hibner as Elliott raced to McCarthy Auto Group Winners Circle, capturing his fifth victory of the year at I-35 Speedway.

Next Saturday, I-35 Speedway will host McCarthy Auto Group Kids Night. School age kids will receive a backpack filled with school supples (first come, first served, limited supply). The night will feature the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series with the USRA Modifieds, American Racer USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, as well as E-Mods, Pure Stocks, MIdwest Limited Late Models and Sport Compacts with a special visit from the POWRi Midwest Lightning Sprint Cars and Show-Me Vintage Racers.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
I-35 Speedway, Winston, Mo.
Saturday, July 27, 2019

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

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1:
1. (6) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa
2. (4) 98 Austin Johnson, Kansas City, Mo.
3. (2) 97 Houston Johnson, Kansas City, Mo.
4. (3) 15 Ed Noll, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
5. (5) 0 Richard Layne, Kansas City, Mo.
6. (1) 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo.

Heat #2:
1. (3) 99H Lee Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.
2. (2) 13 Chris Mercer, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
3. (1) 33C Cole Moore, Kansas City, Mo.
4. (5) 78 Derrick Hicks, Ravenwood, Mo.
5. (6) 0X Zach Gilmore, Kansas City, Mo.
6. (4) 4M Manlee Lamar, Polo, Mo.

Feature:
1. (1) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa
2. (2) 99H Lee Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.
3. (3) 98 Austin Johnson, Kansas City, Mo.
4. (5) 97 Houston Johnson, Kansas City, Mo.
5. (4) 13 Chris Mercer, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
6. (8) 15 Ed Noll, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
7. (9) 0X Zach Gilmore, Kansas City, Mo.
8. (10) 0 Richard Layne, Kansas City, Mo.
9. (11) 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo.
10. (6) 78 Derrick Hicks, Ravenwood, Mo.
11. (7) 33C Cole Moore, Kansas City, Mo.
DNS – 4M Manlee Lamar, Polo, Mo.

AMERICAN RACER USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1:
1. (2) 14B Austin Bouzek, Trenton, Mo.
2. (3) 5K Steve Herrick, Topeka, Kan.
3. (6) S20 Gene Stigall, Winston, Mo.
4. (4) 93 Sam Scott, Polo, Mo.
5. (1) 47 Paul Carter, Kearney, Mo.
6. (5) 33T Thomas Ground, Kansas City, Mo.

Heat #2:
1. (1) 88 Jeff Dixon, Trenton, Mo.
2. (5) 6K Greg Keuhn, Trenton, Mo.
3. (2) 22 David Davis, Shawnee, Kan.
4. (3) 33 Mark Ronnebaum, Centralia, Kan.
5. (4) 111X Jason Newman, Kearney, Mo.

Feature:
1. (4) 5K Steve Herrick, Topeka, Kan.
2. (3) 88 Jeff Dixon, Trenton, Mo.
3. (1) 14B Austin Bouzek, Trenton, Mo.
4. (7) 93 Sam Scott, Polo, Mo.
5. (2) 6K Greg Keuhn, Trenton, Mo.
6. (8) 33 Mark Ronnebaum, Centralia, Kan.
7. (10) 33T Thomas Ground, Kansas City, Mo.
8. (5) S20 Gene Stigall, Winston, Mo.
9. (11) 47 Paul Carter, Kearney, Mo.
10. (6) 22 David Davis, Shawnee, Kan.
11. (9) 111X Jason Newman, Kearney, Mo.

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Make-up Feature (from July 20):
1. (1) 7 Doug Keller Easton, Mo.
2. (2) 9H Nic Hanes Trenton, Mo.
3. (4) 57 Randy Ainsworth Excelsior Springs, Mo.
4. (6) 0 Chase Galvan Kansas City, Kan.
5. (3) 97J Jeff Elder Smithville, Mo.
6. (7) 07 Daniel Harris Excelsior Springs, Mo.
7. (5) 32P Jeremy Pittsenburger Cameron, Mo.
8. (9) 11J Jacob Grotewiel Clifton Hill, Mo.
9. (8) 69 Tyler Cadwallader Amazonia, Mo.
DNS – 37 Anthony Asher St. Joseph, Mo.
DNS – 13J Jeffrey Sears St. Joseph, Mo.
DNS – 8TTB Tommy Hensley Bedford, Iowa

Heat #1:
1. (2) 69 Tyler Cadwallader, Amazonia, Mo.
2. (5) 97J Jeff Elder, Smithville, Mo.
3. (6) 117 Tim Galvan, Kansas City, Mo.
4. (3) 15XL Jared Hillyard, Pleasant Valley, Mo.
5. (4) 2T Todd Luke, Maryville, Mo.
6. (1) 07 Daniel Harris, Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Heat #2:
1. (2) 211 Tim Eaton, St. Joseph, Mo.
2. (5) 17T Shadren Turner, St. Joseph, Mo.
3. (1) 88 Lonnie Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.
4. (3) 9H Nic Hanes, Trenton, Mo.
5. (4) 11J Jacob Grotewiel, Clifton Hill, Mo.
6. (6) 169 Travis Cadwallader, Amazonia, Mo.

Heat #3:
1. (3) 0 Chase Galvan, Kansas City, Kan.
2. (2) 57 Randy Ainsworth, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
3. (4) 7 Doug Keller, Easton, Mo.
4. (1) 32P Jeremy Pittsenburger, Cameron, Mo.
5. (5) 14H Blake Hayes, Albany, Mo.
6. (6) 77W Shane Noble, Savannah, Mo.

Feature:
1. (1) 0 Chase Galvan, Kansas City, Kan.
2. (5) 17T Shadren Turner, St. Joseph, Mo.
3. (3) 211 Tim Eaton, St. Joseph, Mo.
4. (4) 97J Jeff Elder, Smithville, Mo.
5. (6) 117 Tim Galvan, Kansas City, Mo.
6. (7) 57 Randy Ainsworth, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
7. (9) 88 Lonnie Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.
8. (13) 32P Jeremy Pittsenburger, Cameron, Mo.
9. (15) 11J Jacob Grotewiel, Clifton Hill, Mo.
10. (16) 169 Travis Cadwallader, Amazonia, Mo.
11. (10) 15XL Jared Hillyard, Pleasant Valley, Mo.
12. (12) 14H Blake Hayes, Albany, Mo.
13. (14) 2T Todd Luke, Maryville, Mo.
14. (17) 77W Shane Noble, Savannah, Mo.
15. (2) 69 Tyler Cadwallader, Amazonia, Mo.
16. (8) 7 Doug Keller, Easton, Mo.
17. (11) 9H Nic Hanes, Trenton, Mo.
DNS – 07 Daniel Harris, Excelsior Springs, Mo.