LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Just as he did one year ago, Springfield, Mo.’s Terry Phillips put his #75 on the outside of the front row for Sunday's $10,000-to-win USRA Modified Fall Nationals feature event after dominating the 30-lap USRA Modified "A" Main Saturday night at the Southern New Mexico Speedway.

Phillips started third and overhauled from row starters Dusty Riggs and Jason Cummins on the opening lap and never looked back.

The race was marred by four caution flags, but on each of them Phillips took off like a rocket and drove his GRT by Phillips off into the desert Southwest sunset.

The race to watch was for second early on between Cummins and seventh-starting Royal Jones as they swapped second and third several times behind the leader, while several drivers were charging through traffic including 19th-starting Johnny Scott, 24th-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. and 25th-starting Eddie Martin.

Scott appeared in the top 10 mid-race, but continued his onslaught toward the front and kept picking off cars left and right until he shot by Cummins into second with just a handful of laps left.

No one had anything for Phillips, however, as he cruised the final seven laps after a late restart to the win with Scott charging to second at the finish.

Cummins held off Jones for third while Jimmy Ray was able to withstand a position-swapping battle with Martin for fourth on the final stop.

A touching and very emotional fireworks tribute to USMTS Modified driver Jason Krohn’s nine-year-old daughter, Natalie, who lost her life in September concluded the night’s action to a cheering crowd.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
USRA Modified Fall Nationals
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012

USRA MODIFIEDS

"A" Main: Terry Phillips, Johnny Scott, Jason Cummins, Royal Jones, Jimmy Ray, Eddie Martin, Josh Cain, Ricky Thornton Jr., Bryan Rowland, Tanner Mullens, Neal Flowers, Holly Jones, Jake Gallardo, Chris Dawson, Chad Falco, Tristan Sikes, Philip Houston, Christy Georges, Dusty Riggs, Austin Adams, Bobby Sikes Jr., Bob Sikes, Wayne Brooks, Gene Weaver, Alex Stanford, Dereck Ramirez.

"B" Main #1: Sikes, Weaver, Sikes Jr., Thornton Jr., Roy Don Mason, Greg Jenkins, Richie Davis, James Flemming, Lee Heiligenthal, Dewayne Hatton, Donovan Ooley, Duane Murphy, Danny Dozier, Butch Reid, Don Earvan, Robbie Chiles, Bumper Jones.

"B" Main #2: J. Gallardo, J. Scott, Ramirez, Martin, Toby Herring, Tom Georges, Jake O’Neil, Mike Steensma, Alan Sharpensteen, Shane Sprinkle, Brandon Davis, Melissa Gorham, Brian Kleine, Neal DeBord, Frank Dutton, Owen Puckett.

"B" Main #3: Stanford, H. Jones, Falco, Houston, Terry Tipton, Brian Craighead, Roger Owens, Todd Budlong, Mercedes Harris, Greg Gorham, Clint Miller, Michael Lucero, Curt Barnett, Randy Brown, Alex Gonzalez, Greg Jelvik.

Heat #1: T. Sikes, Ray, Reid, Miller, Flemming, Sprinkle, Owens, B. Jones, Chiles.

Heat #2: Mullens, Flowers, Ramirez, J. Gallardo, Murphy, Mason, M. Gorham, Davis, Sharpensteen.

Heat #3: Cummins, Brooks, Herring, Dozier, T. Georges, DeBord, Hatten, Gonzalez, Jelvik.

Heat #4: Phillips, Sikes Jr., C. Georges, H. Jones, Puckett, Falco, Dutton, Thornton Jr.

Heat #5: Riggs, R. Jones, Brown, Martin, Harris, Craighead, Tipton, Steensma, Kleine.

Heat #6: Cain, Dawson, Scott, B. Sikes, Houston, Budlong, Ooley, G. Gorham.

Heat #7: Rowland, Adams, Stanford, Earvan, Weaver, Davis, O’Neil, Barnett, Heiligenthal.