Terry Phillips has won a lot of big races in his 25 years racing Modifieds and Late Models.

Phillips has likely never been more relieved to win a big race than he was a year ago at Deer Creek Speedway on the final night of the United States Modified Touring Series' Fall Jamboree.

"It's a big deal to win that one," Phillips said Tuesday from his shop in Springfield, Mo. "I tell people it's like the World 100 (a big-time Late Model race held each September at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio) of Modified racing."

The Jamboree win last year, for which Phillips earned $9,000, felt like it was a long time coming for the veteran driver. He has been one of the drivers to beat at the Jamboree for four years, but he hadn't won it until last year, despite coming painfully close.

In 2010, Phillips won both preliminary features at the Jamboree, but placed 10th in the big-money show on the final night.

That came on the heels of a crushing finish for Phillips in the 2009 Jamboree A Main. He led nearly all of the 50-lap A Main, but was slowed over the last 15-20 laps of the race. USMTS veteran Jason Hughes tracked him down with about four laps to go and finally passed Phillips coming out of Turn 4 with the checkered flag flying. Hughes beat Phillips to the finish line by five-thousandths of a second.

"Things happen. I've been around racing a long time," Phillips said. "I got hit in the back (during the race) and had a quarter panel rubbing a tire. It started vibrating and jumping up and down with about 15 to go. I just tried to hold on."

Phillips will be one of the drivers to beat at this year's Jamboree, which is scheduled to begin Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway. Racing is set to start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

More than 100 of the top Modified drivers in the country are expected to attend. USRA B-Modifieds will complement the USMTS Mods each night.

"When you have that many people and that many (drivers) it really makes it fun," Phillips said. "It's just like any athlete, when you compete in front of a lot of people it gets you going. It's no different for us. Racing in front of a lot of people really fires us up."

While Phillips would love nothing more than to defend his Jamboree crown this weekend, he won't hold back during the preliminary shows on Thursday and Friday. Thursday's A Main carries a $3,000 winner's purse, while Friday's show carries a $4,000 winner's purse. Saturday's A Main will pay $6,000 to the winner.

"We'll go all-out all three days," Phillips said. "You just do what you have to do to get the win."

Though Phillips only races a couple of times a year at Deer Creek, he's quickly figured out how to set up his No. 75 GRT car to be one of the best at the track.

"It's just a good racey track," Phillips said. "When they get it set up right you can race all over it. Some tracks there's no room to pass, but there's always a lot of room to pass. I really like coming up there."