SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Mitch Keeter took command on lap 11 from Corey Weir and held off repeated attempts by current points leader Jackie Dalton in taking his third Budweiser USRA Modified victory Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway during the Mid-Season Championships as 96 race teams competed.

Weir grabbed the opening lead with hard charging Danny DeMasters following as three wide action followed. Weir, in his #78jr Five-Star Roofing/Yeoman Engines USRA Modified continued to set a fast pace as DeMasters, Robbie Bryant and Rob Muilenburg followed.

Caution flew on lap 6 as Rex Merritt came to a halt in turn 4, bunching the field up. On the restart, Weir was fending off DeMasters as Dalton and Keeter had moved up in the pack to contend. Caution flew again on lap 8 for a multi-car incident, and Weir now had Dalton, Keeter, Bryant and John Yeoman close behind.

With Dalton picking the top lane on the restart, it placed Keeter down low as Weir had the two track champions putting on pressure. Weir held the low line as Keeter took his $52 Mid-America Rebuilders/Yeoman Engines USRA Modified right on the youngster’s bumper. Keeter took the top spot on lap 11 as Dalton, in the #21 Carthage Lock-N-Key/Garrison Performance USRA Modified to second place.

The final caution waved on lap 14, setting up some great action. Keeter again held off Dalton as 2010 Turkey Classic winner Jody Tillman found the extreme high side to his liking and shot to the third spot and challenged. Keeter kept Dalton at bay for the final laps to take his third win while Dalton took the mid-season points title by two points over Keeter. Yeoman, DeMasters and Bryant rounded the top 5 as Tillman suffered problems slowing his charge.

Sixteen of the 19 starters completed the race on the lead lap.

Reliable Chevrolet USRA B-Mod action saw J.C. Morton grab the lead on lap 3 from Bobby Ratterree and never look back in taking his second win of the season at Springfield. Don Luna held a solid second-place run until giving way to current points leader Scott Drake. Drake grabbed the runner-up spot on lap 6 but never could get to Morton while a three-wide battle behind those three took place.

Luna, Jon Yeoman Jr. and Mike Hailmann completed the top 5 while Drake grabbed the mid-season points title.

Action continues next Saturday night, June 23, with a special USRA Modified $800-to-win and $100-to-start 25-lap feature along with the start of the second half of the Transport Graphics points chase. All cars will open draw and passing points to set the feature. USRA Modified drivers in the top 8 will redraw for their starting spots. Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6 and racing at 7.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, June 16, 2012

USRA MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Mitch Keeter, Webb City; 2. Jackie Dalton, Carthage; 3. John Yeoman, Joplin; 4. Danny DeMasters II, Neosho; 5. Robbie Bryant, Willard; 6. Jerry Lankton, Lampe; 7. Bobby Pearish, Oronogo; 8. Corey Weir, Nixa; 9. Jody Tillman, West Branson; 10. Rob Muilenburg, Sparta; 11. Dave Elson, Springfield; 12. Dairan Hendrix, Joplin; 13. Andy Aust; 14. Scott Symmonds, Bolivar; 15. Fred Slagle, Pierce City; 16. Rusty Weir, Nixa; 17. Kelly Hicks, Pea Ridge, Ark.; 18. Rex Merritt, Billings; 19. Nick Whitehead, Nixa.

Heat #1: 1. Muilenburg; 2. Dalton; 3. Hendrix; 4. C. Weir; 5. R. Weir; 6. Elson; 7. Aust.

Heat #2: 1. Bryant; 2. Keeter; 3. Yeoman; 4. Lankton; 5. Whitehead; 6. Slagle.

Heat #3: 1. Pearish; 2. Merritt; 3. DeMasters; 4. Tillman; 5. Hicks; 6. Symmonds.

USRA B-MODS

Feature: 1. J.C. Morton, Springfield; 2. Scott Drake, Webb City; 3. Don Luna, St. James; 4. Jon Yeoman Jr., Granby; 5. Mike Hailmann, Reed Springs; 6. Gary Rodocker, Willard; 7. Ryan Hendrix, Joplin; 8. John Hurn, Joplin; 9. Thomas Hylton, Avilla; 10. Ryan Stacye, Fair Grove; 11. Brandon Maggard, Springfield; 12. Toby Thompson, Mountain Grove; 13. Jeremy Thulin, Miami, Okla.; 14. Andy Beauchamp, Springfield; 15. Aaron Speck, Republic; DNS - Rick Cash, Joplin; DQ - Bobby Ratterree, Mountain Grove; DQ - Kaleb Copher, Webb City.

Heat #1: 1. Morton; 2. Yeoman; 3. Hendrix; 4. Thulin; 5. Speck; 6. Maggard.

Heat #2: 1. Drake; 2. Luna; 3. Rodocker; 4. Hurn; 5. Ratterree; 6. Copher.

Heat #3: 1. Hailmann; 2. Stacye; 3. Beauchamp; 4. Thompson; 5. Hylton; DNS - Cash.