Springfield Raceway Point Chases Full Bore During Casey’s Store Summer Meltdown
SPRINGFIELD, MO (July 24, 2012) – The Chase for the Transport Graphics Championship Chase turns up the heat even more Saturday Night during the Casey’s General Store Summer Meltdown featuring the MARS/MLRA Super Late Models.
A full program is on the agenda Saturday night with the Budweiser USRA Modifieds, Reliable Chevrolet GM Performance USRA B Modifieds, Casey’s General stores Midwest Modz, Wheeler Metal Legends and Young Lions, Pepsi Pure Stocks and Williams Preservation Lawn Care Street Stocks as round 13 gets underway.
Following his win last week, Webb City USRA Modified driver Mitch Keeter has closed the gap to only 40 points between his Mid-America Rebuilders/John Hoeffner Dodge and 5 time Speedway Champion Jackie Dalton in the Doug’s Pro Lube/Carthage Lock& Key. The Average USRA Modified car count so far at the “Quick- Quarter” has been 19 and 1 good night by Keeter or john Yeoman and a bad night by Dalton it is anyone’s race.
Veteran Webb City USRA B modified driver Scott Drake has had a banner season so far as he not only leads the track points, but also the USRA National B Modified Standings. Drake in his Springfield Iron & Metal/ Auto Express/ GM Performance 602 Crate Motor holds a 160 point lead over Jon Yeoman Jr. Yeoman Jr. has been moving up the ladder quickly in the last few weeks in his Yeoman’s Engines/Dy-Na-Tech machine while former Midwest Modz Champion Kaleb Copher holds on to third spot.
The Legend Cars have been outstanding each week and so is the points chase. Justin Comer holds a 8 point margin over steady veteran Wayne Johnston of Rolla as early season dominator Mike Hailmann sets only 15 away from the top spot. Qualifying heat points are very important to these drivers and with the great field of cars each week, it makes it very exciting.
The New Young Lions Legends have been doing very well this year as new drivers are getting ready to come out before the season is over. Nixa’s Wesley Smith holds the point lead as Kylan Garner and Graysn Cox follow. Those 3 drivers have been taking turns at feature wins as Cox has won the last 2 features in a row.
Defending Midwest Modz Champion Trevor Drake of Webb City has his O&H Auto Sales/ Kwik Skins number 44 back on top of the standing while last weeks winner Rusty Forrest of Ozark in the Ozark Tire machine is a solid second place as Clever’s Todd McGregor has quietly been moving up the ladder and now sets third. Always this 3rd year class puts on some of the best racing around from start to finish.
The Pure Stock standings has 2nd season driver Brett Testerman of Miami, Oklahoma at the top but only by 17 points as defending champion Jack Hamer of Ava is keeping the new talent in this class on the steering wheel. 15 year old Tyler Thulin sets in third spot and keeps improving each week. The Pure Stocks really keep excitement in the air at Springfield and show everyone just how side by side action and last lap racing is done. Testerman is sponsored by Miami Automotive Specialist while Hamer is sponsored by Jack’s Automotive in Ava. Young Thulin whose father was a many time track champion in the 4 state area is also sponsored by Miami Automotive Specialist.
The Williams Preservation and Lawn Care Street Stocks might be a little short in car count but not in talent. Springfield’s Jim Reid in his McCroskey Races Cars/Larry Andrus Racing machine holds a 14 point lead over Miami’s Wayne Morris in his Miami Auto Machine. Morris last season ran in the Pure Stocks and Reid has helped many different top area drivers in previous season’s. Ava’s Rex Sawyer has had the hot hand lately and Springfield drivers Shawn Schmidt and Kim Kassa are always running up front.
This week the Pit Gates open at 4PM with Hot laps starting at 6:30 time frame. Local Drivers meeting is at 6:15 and cut off time is slated for 6:45.
With the Late models making a return to the Raceway, Grandstand gates open at 5:30 and Racing to begin at 7:30. Grandstand Admission for this week is $20 while pit passes are $35 for Adults. Normal line-up procedures for the Springfield classes as USRA Modifieds will open draw and the top 8 in passing points redraw while the 2nd half point averages are used for all others.
Current Transport Graphics Point Standings
USRA Modifieds
| Jackie Dalton-Carthage | 1091 |
| Mitch Keeter-Webb City | 1051 |
| John Yeoman-Joplin | 1023 |
| Bobby Pearish-Oronogo | 920 |
| Jerry Lankton-Lampe | 907 |
| Rob Muilenburg-Sparta | 867 |
| Billy Dalton-Exeter | 791 |
| Fred Slagle-Pierce City | 765 |
| Robbie Bryant-Willard | 745 |
| Brian Green-Pierce City | 674 |
USRA B Modifieds
| Scott Drake-Webb City | 1118 |
| Jon Yeoman Jr-Granby | 958 |
| Kaleb Copher-Webb City | 896 |
| Mike Hailman-Reed Spring | 767 |
| Jeremy Thulin-Miami, Okla | 740 |
| Jared Thulin-Miami,Okla | 736 |
| Blake Ellis-Sarcoxie | 647 |
| Thomas Hylton-Avilla | 632 |
| Bobby Maggard Jr-Republic | 626 |
| Don Luna-St James | 616 |
Legends
| Justin Comer-Joplin | 230 |
| Wayne Johnston-Rolla | 222 |
| Mike Hailman-Reed Springs | 215 |
| Billy Cottrill-Joplin | 189 |
| Caleb McDugle-Quapaw,Okla | 180 |
| James McDugle-Quapaw,Okla | 157 |
| Matt Gruenburg-Joplin | 144 |
| Calvin Garner-Sarcoxie | 139 |
| Jay Reynolds-Springfield | 134 |
| Rod Baird-Oldfield | 112 |
Midwest Modz
| Trevor Drake-Webb City | 281 |
| Rusty Forrest-Ozark | 238 |
| Todd McGregor-Clever | 197 |
| Taylor Moore-Bois D’Arc | 188 |
| Gary Krebs-Clever | 163 |
| Bobby Gough-Joplin | 151 |
| Matthew Thulin-Miami,Okla | 138 |
| Ken Walker-Springfield | 132 |
| Austin Johnson-Joplin | 129 |
| Craig Keeter-Webb City | 126 |
Pure Stocks
| Bret Testerman-Miami,Okla | 261 |
| Jack Hamer-Ava | 244 |
| Tyler Thulin-Miami, Okla | 215 |
| Philip Schloesser-Everton | 201 |
| Lenny Bell-Willard | 156 |
| Danny Vasquez-Branson West | 136 |
| Elizabeth Jolley-Billings | 132 |
| Darrell Storment-Bolivar | 118 |
| Tanner Sitton-Bolivar | 116 |
| Josh Bell-Willard | 80 |
Street Stocks
| Jim Reid-Springfield | 230 |
| Wayne Morris-Miami, Okla | 216 |
| Wayne Bysor-Bolivar | 170 |
| Shawn Schmidt-Springfield | 150 |
| Daniel Deason-Bolivar | 103 |
| Kim Kaasa-Springfield | 103 |
| Rex Sawyer-Ava | 90 |
| Bryan Tillman-Branson | 87 |
| Joe Girardi-Bolivar | 63 |
| Bob Maggard Sr-Brighton | 47 |
Young Lions Legends(Under 16)
| Wesley Smith-Nixa | 235 |
| Kylan Garner-Sarcoxie | 214 |
| Graysn Cox-Joplin | 194 |
| Ty McWhirter-Bentonville, Ark | 134 |
| Jeremy Watson-Billings | 54 |
Category: Missouri, Springfield Raceway
