Dalton tops USRA Modifieds in Springfield Raceway opener

  • April 25, 2009
  • by Ronnie Williams

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The 2009 season opener at the quick quarter-mile Springfield Raceway found over 120 race teams ready to battle with outstanding racing action in five classes and several tight finishes.

Defending track champion Jackie Dalton took the lead from Steve Muilenburg on lap 2, then withstood several late-race challenges, including a last lap effort from Mitch Keeter, in grabbing the USRA Modified feature.

The race featured tight racing as Scott Drake seemed to have the fastest car in the middle stages of the race. On lap 13 he moved from his eighth starting spot to gather second place and was closing in on the leader when a scrape with the front stretch wall ended his night.

A lap 17 restart found Keeter and Muilenburg close in on the leader, but Dalton pulled away in the last lap.

Keeter, Muilenburg, Jason Hughes and a fast-moving Ted VanZandt completed the top-5 as 15 of the 20 starters finished on the lead lap.

Action continues next Saturday night, May 2, with racing to start at 7 p.m. featuring action in the USRA Modifieds, Late Models, SportMods, Bombers and Legends Cars.

For more information visit the website at www.springfieldraceway.com.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, April 25, 2009

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; 2. Mitch Keeter, Joplin; 3. Steve Muilenburg, Sparta; 4. Jason Hughes, West Plains; 5. Ted VanZandt, Billings; 6. Josh Hughes, West Plains; 7. Bobby Pearish, Joplin; 8. Brian Green, Joplin; 9. Jody Tillman, Branson West; 10. Butch Leiker, Joplin; 11. Erik Maggard, Springfield; 12. Eric Clay, Springfield; 13. Wayne Graybeal, Springfield; 14. Darrell McWhirther, Joplin; 15. Tammy Mitchell, Pea Ridge, Ark.; 16. Scott Walton, Fort Smith, Ark.; 17. Jason Summers; 18. Finley Weston; 19. Scott Drake, Webb City; 20. Greg Hughes, West Plains.

Heat #1: 1. G. Hughes; 2. Keeter; 3. Josh Hughes; 4. VanZandt; 5. Tillman; 6. Green; 7. Summer.

Heat #2: 1. Muilenburg; 2. Graybeal; 3. Drake; 4. McWhirther; 5. Clay; 6. Walton.

Heat #3: 1. Dalton; 2. Jason Hughes; 3. Pearish; 4. Leiker; 5. Weston; 6. Mitchell.