Comer stops Gillmore on Casey's General Stores Night at Springfield
Joplin's Justin Comer took advantage of a five-row redraw and held off a late-race surge from Clint Johnson in grabbing the 20-lap Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature presented by Reliable Chevrolet Saturday night at the Springfield Raceway, putting a halt to Ryan Gillmore's three-race win streak.
Springfield uses an open draw for qualifying heats, and then has the last heat race winner pull a row invert with as many as six rows. Defending track champion Jackie Dalton won the second heat and pulled a five-row inversion which flipped the top 10.
Young gun Dillion McCowan failed to make the call to grid in time and Comer was slid to the pole position.
With heavy rains all week long, the track was really hooked up as Comer quickly shot to the lead with Johnson following in a dog fight for position with a five-car pack.
With Comer keeping his Hood's Truck Stop/Victory Circle/Hatfield Engines No. 112 right in the middle groove, action heated up as all eyes were on Gilmore's ENS Services/Martin Trucking/Yeoman Engines/Hoffman Race Cars No. 66 after rolling off from the eight spot and Dalton in his Auto Express/Garrison Performance/GMPP/Hoffman Race Cars No. 21 as he rolled from the ninth spot.
The three-way battle for second with Johnson holding off Gilmore and Dalton for the spot as Comer was driving away. Only one caution waved when Donnie Aust spun in turn 3, which allowed McCowan, who came out late, a chance to get with the pack.
On the restart, Johnson picked the top lane as Comer quickly opened the distance as Dalton and Gilmore were waging war with Johnson for second place. With five laps to go, Comer seemed to slow his rapid pace as Johnson was reeling in the leader and with two to go and had closed up to three car-lengths while Gilmore and Dalton continued to battle fast and hard while McCowan was slicing through to the front.
Comer was able to capture his first win of the season in his first start at Springfield this season.
"Last year towards the end of the season we wrecked our car and had this new car in the shop and Jason Rayle, my car owner, and myself started working on it for 2019," Comer said. "We were surprised Springfield was going to run with all the rain this past week, but when they announced early Saturday morning they were racing it was time to make it back to our home track. It makes it great to have the family here and to win in front of them makes it even sweeter as my son is getting ready to start a karting schedule."
Taylor Moore and Dalton topped the qualifying heats.
Out-Pace USRA B-Mod action presented by Reliable Chevrolet continues next Saturday, May 11, with Military Appreciation Night. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m.
For more information visit and like the track's Facebook page and our website at SpringfieldRaceway.com.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.
OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS
Heat #1:
1. (4) 00T Taylor Moore, Bois D'Arc, Mo.
2. (6) 66 Ryan Gillmore, Springfield, Mo.
3. (2) 9 Sam Petty, Marshfield, Mo.
4. (8) 39 Rusty Rickard, Shell Knob, Mo.
5. (7) 86 Cory Johnson, Kimberling City, Mo.
6. (5) 101 Matt Rose, Liberal, Mo.
7. (9) 4W Mark Wolfe, Joplin, Mo.
8. (1) 32 Kelly Hicks, Pea Ridge, Ark.
9. (3) 34 Donnie Aust, Mount Vernon, Mo.
Heat #2:
1. (2) 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
2. (4) 37X Clint Johnson, Neosho, Mo.
3. (5) 55B Bill Schahuber, Springfield, Mo.
4. (7) 112 Justin Comer, Joplin, Mo.
5. (6) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
6. (8) 37 Nathan Horn, Nixa, Mo.
7. (1) 33 Danny Martin, Republic, Mo.
8. (3) 11T James Thompson, Springfield, Mo.
Feature:
1. (3) 112 Justin Comer, Joplin, Mo.
2. (7) 37X Clint Johnson, Neosho, Mo.
3. (8) 66 Ryan Gillmore, Springfield, Mo.
4. (9) 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
5. (1) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
6. (2) 86 Cory Johnson, Kimberling City, Mo.
7. (4) 39 Rusty Rickard, Shell Knob, Mo.
8. (10) 00T Taylor Moore, Bois D'Arc, Mo.
9. (5) 55B Bill Schahuber, Springfield, Mo.
10. (14) 33 Danny Martin, Republic, Mo.
11. (11) 101 Matt Rose, Liberal, Mo.
12. (13) 4W Mark Wolfe, Joplin, Mo.
13. (15) 32 Kelly Hicks, Pea Ridge, Ark.
14. (17) 34 Donnie Aust, Mount Vernon, Mo.
15. (6) 9 Sam Petty, Marshfield, Mo.
16. (12) 37 Nathan Horn, Nixa, Mo.
17. (16) 11T James Thompson, Springfield, Mo.
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