Phillips, Beard, Jackson and Comer Trot To Victories At Turkey Classic

Rain, snow, wind and cold conditions have plagued Springfield Raceways’ Turkey Classic over the years, but the sixth running of the event enjoyed near perfect mid-November weather with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-sixties on Saturday.  And the result was a pit area overflowing with Modifieds, 61 A-Mods and 54 B-Mods, along with 21 Late Models and 22 Legend Cars to entertain a large crowd looking to close out the 2012 racing season in style.

Six heats and four B-Mains were needed to set the field for the main event in both Modified divisions with the 20-lap B-Mod feature being first on the evening.  Jon Yeoman Jr. and Kris Jackson started from the fornt ro and it was Jackson who steadily drove away from the field after the drop of the green. With Jackson well out front the battle was for second as the veteran Scott Drake battled Yeoman before taking away the position late in the race. With no cautions in the event Jackson had to negotiate the lapped traffic and he did so with ease as he cruised to victory. Drake was solid in second, Yeoman finished third with Sean Williams and Kaleb Copher completing the top five.

Kris Jackson scored the B-Mod win at Springfield's annual Turkey Classic - Barry Johnson photo

The Late Models were up next for thirty laps that would include some controversy for one of the local favorites. Justin Wells blasted from the pole position to take a comfortable lead before the caution waved for a spinning Matt Zimmerly on lap five. Wells opened up his lead again on the restart, but as he closed in on the lapped car of Zimmerly on lap fourteen Wells dropped off the top of the backstretch and had to climb back onto the track in turn three fading back to fourth. Kyle Beard assumed the lead from Wells and on the next lap contact from the new leader spun the car of Zimmerly again in turn three bringing out the caution.

Kyle Beard tookover the lead mid-race and went on to win the Late Model feature at the Turkey Classic - Barry Johnson photo

During the realignment the third place car of Jesse Stovall stopped on the front stretch to ask the official to check something on his car, but the drivers had been told during before the event that if they stopped under caution they would have to go to the back. After the field circled the track several times Stovall finally was convinced to go to the rear and he then decided to just take his #00 car to the pit area. Beard would bring the field back to green and despite the fact that he had some of the best that the Ozark region had to offer just behind him the driver from the northeastern Arkansas town of Trumann stayed in control the rest of the way for the win. Terry Phillips chased Beard in for second, Wells would have to settle for third, Jack Sullivan took fourth and Matt Johnson filled out the top five.

The Modified feature rolled out onto the quarter-mile oval next with Terry Phillips and Dean Wille set to start on the front row and it was Phillips who snared the lead at the drop of the green. Wille tried to keep pace with Phillips, but instead he had to battle Stovall for the position running side-by-side for several laps.  By the time that Wille was able to shake off Stovall, Phillips was long gone and the Springfield native went flag-to-flag to take the win over Wille and Stovall. Bobby Pearish came from the fifth row to finish in the fourth spot while St. Louis area driver Jeff Lebaube was fifth.

After a runner-up finish in the Late Model main event, Terry Phillips went flag to flag to post the Modified win - Barry Johnson photo

Turkey Stuff….ing…..Several Iowa drivers made the trip south to compete. In the B-Mods Jesse Sobbing was surprisingly a non-factor finishing where he started the main event, in ninth, while Steve Reetz qualified but ran near the back of the main event. In the Modifieds Luke Wanninger finished in seventh and Shane DeMay was 14^th, while Devon Havlik, Craig Reetz and Daniel Hilsabeck all failed to qualify…..Quincy Late Model competitor Matt Bailey had flat tires plague him in both his heat race and the feature where he was up to 13^th before having to pit……All three premier divisions ran without spoilers, something that was publicized pre-race for the Modifieds, but was a race day discovery for the Late Models…….Justin Comer made a late pass to win the Legend car feature…..Racing started right on schedule at 3 p.m. and the final checkers waved just before eight o’clock…..The event was the final event for 2012 in Missouri and the final All Missouri Points will be posted here on Sunday evening.

Justin Comer closed out Springfield's Turkey Classic with a win in the Legend Car feature - Barry Johnson photo

A big thanks to promoters Jerry Hoffman and Doug Bland for their hospitality as it was a perfect day and a perfect way for both Barry and I to close out our 2012 racing season.