SRINGFIELD, Mo. -- If Saturday night's action at the Springfield Raceway is any sign of what to expect in 2012, then drivers and fans alike are in for more than they can bargain for this racing season.

The Springfield Raceway held its Transport Graphics points opener and hometown driver Erik Maggard had to fend off challanges from five-time track champion Jackie Dalton and 2010 champ Mitch Keeter to take the opening shot in the chase for the championship in the Budweiser USRA Modified feature as close to 90 race teams checked in to the pits to remember former official Don Haase as his kids were special guests tonight.

After the top 8 in passing points redrew, it was ever-improving Bobby Pearish and Keeter grabbing the front row while Dalton and Maggard took row 2. Pearish quickly took to the high side while Keeter, Dalton, Maggard and Danny DeMasters II followed as action was already three-wide.

On lap 4, the top 4 were dicing it on the high-banked quarter-mile as King of America winning engine builder John Yeoman moved from eighth to the top 5. On lap 9, Dalton moved around Keeter to grab second place. Again, three-wide battles thorughout the pack as veteran and many-time North Central Arkansas Speedway track champion Rob Muilenburg was quietly coming from his 15th starting spot into the top 8.

On lap 12, Maggard moved around Dalton and was setting up to challange Pearish who was hitting his marks perfect tonight. On unlucky lap 13, a tire got hit moving it on the track just a bit more as the leaders were entering turn 1. Maggard was making a move to get around Pearish while a car spun right in front of the leaders. As the duo of Pearish and Maggard went to try and split the spining car, Pearish got the worst for wear as damage was suffered to the car.

This placed Maggard in the top spot with Dalton picking the bottom groove for the double-file restart. As caution waved two laps later when Nick Whitehead's strong run ended as the car stalled with a burned-out coil. On the restart, Maggard went up the track in turn 2 as Dalton took his car to the inside and took the lead while Keeter was gaining quickly along with Yeoman. Behind this lead battle, Brian Green, Muilenburg, DeMasters, Billy Dalton, Jerry Lankton and Marvin Forrest were swapping spots.

Dalton got credit for leading lap 16, but Maggard gathered it back on lap 17 as Dalton swung wide to set-up a late race run. As the white flew, Dalton made a wide swing and then dove low, but Maggard held the line to take his BAS Security/State Farm/Shaw USRA Modified to the win as Dalton, in the Garrison Performance/Hoffman/Carthage Lock & Key machine finished close behind.

Keeter, in the Mid-America Rebuilders/Hoffman/Yeoman Engines car stayed a steady third followed by Yeoman in the Yeoman Engines/Hoffman and Green in his KIDS Trucking/Slagle Auto Service/Hoffman in the top 5 as 12 of the 17 starters finished on the lead lap. Rob Muilenburg was the Transport Graphics/Budweiser Hard charger advancing 9 spots from 15th to 6th.

The Reliable Chevrolet USRA B-Mod feature staged a race of two hard-charging veterans getting ready to make a run at the track championship. Webb City's Scott Drake drew the pole for tonight's feature as Brandon Maggard was behind the whel of former track champion Wayne Graybeal's car drew outside front row.

On the start, Maggard got the early jump as Drake, Kaleb Copher, Andy Beauchamp and defending track champion Bobby Maggard Jr. completed your top 5 early. Side by side was the call as Drake and Brandon Maggard - both in GM Performance 602 crate motors - went wheel to wheel while Mike Hailman was quietly coming forward after starting seventh.

On lap 4, Drake and Maggard swapped spots as Drake was making the top groove work while Maggard was running the middle lane. On lap 6, Bobby Maggard Jr. moved into the top 3 as crate motors were running strong tonight. On lap 8, the outcome changed as Maggard had something let loose under the car as parts flew all down the front stretch.

With Drake in control, Maggard Jr. now stayed on the leader's bumper. As the lead duo pulled away, Hailman moved into third place and was setting sail to the front. During the long green run, Maggard Jr. found the extreme top groove to work quickly as he gather up Drake and was setting up for a lead swap on lap 15 when the yellow flew. Drake fended off Maggard's late charge to take the win as Hailman, Beauchamp and Copher completed the top 5 behind the lead duo. Robert Baltzell gathered the Reliable Hard Charger award, moving six spots from 13th to 7th.

The Transport Graphics Championship chase continues next Saturday, April 28, with USRA Modifieds, USRA B-Mods, Midwest Modz, Legends Cars, Pure Stocks, Street Stocks and Young Lions with grandstand gates opening at 5:00, hot laps at 6:00 and racing at 7:00. Pit gates open at 4:00 and grandstand general admission is only $12 for adults with kids ages 6-12 $5 and children under 6 free.

More information is available at www.springfieldraceway.com or call 417-673-7426.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, April 21, 2012

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Erik Maggard, Brighton; 2. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; 3. Mitch Keeter, Webb City; 4. John Yeoman, Granby; 5. Brian Green, Pierce City; 6. Rob Muilenburg, Nixa; 7. Danny DeMasters II, Neosho; 8. Bill Dalton, Exeter; 9. Jerry Lankton, Lampe; 10. Marvin Forrest, Shell Knob; 11. Tim Simon, Neosho; 12. Rusty Weir, Warsaw; 13. Scott Symmonds, Bolivar; 14. Nick Whitehead, Nixa; 15. Bobby Pearish, Oronogo; 16. Corey Weir, Nixa; 17. Fred Slagle, Pierce City; DNS - Corkey Waters.

Heat #1: 1. Yeoman; 2. Keeter; 3. Forrest; 4. B. Dalton; 5. Simon; DNS - Walters.

Heat #2: 1. E. Maggard; 2. J. Dalton; 3. Pearish; 4. Green; 5. Muilenburg; 6. C. Weir.

Heat #3: 1. Lankton; 2. Whitehead; 3. DeMasters; 4. R. Weir; 5. Slagle; 6. Symmonds.

USRA B-MODS

Feature: 1. Scott Drake, Webb City; 2. Bobby Maggard Jr., Republic; 3. Mike Hailman, Reed Springs; 4. Andy Beauchamp, Springfield; 5. Kaleb Copher, Webb City; 6. Michael Maggard, Republic; 7. Robert Baltzell, Springfield; 8. Gary Rodocker, Willard; 9. Ron McClellan, Jasper; 10. Ryan Stacye, Fair Grove; 11. Brandon Maggard, Springfield; 12. Jeremy Thulin, Miami, Okla.; 13. Blake Ellis, Sarcoxie; 14. Thomas Hylton, Joplin; DNS - Aaron Speck, Republic; Don Luna, St. James; Jared Thulin, Miami, Okla.; Jon Yeoman Jr., Granby; Marcus Cheney, Joplin.

Heat #1: 1. B. Maggard; 2. Beauchamp; 3. M. Maggard; 4. Jeremy Thulin; 5. Jared Thulin; 6. Speck; 7. Stacye.

Heat #2: 1. Copher; 2. Drake; 3. Hailman; 4. Ellis; 5. McClellan; 6. Baltzell.

Heat #3: 1. B. Maggard Jr.; 2. Rodocker; 3. Hylton; 4. Yeoman; 5. Luna; 6. Cheney.