Mesquite, TX — (May 14) – Rodney “Hurricane” Henderson held off Johnny Suggs in heavy lapped traffic to take the first Sprint Series of Texas Victory at Devil’s Bowl Saturday night.
Henderson lined up on the inside of the sixth row as the 20 car Sprint Series of Texas field took the green flag. Suggs was two rows back in the 15th starting spot.
Pole sitter Jon Freeman took the lead as the field entered turn three on the opening circuit. Bud Hanna settled into the second position. But Henderson was flying through the field, challenging Hanna for the runner-up spot by the third lap. As they raced into turn one to begin the fourth trip around the half-mile oval, Henderson dove to the bottom of the turn, just a couple inches from the infield marker tire and took the position.
Henderson quickly caught Freeman while Suggs completed his run toward the top by battling Hanna for third as the race passed the half-way mark.
On the ninth lap the leaders caught the back of the field and had to dice through the heavy traffic. Henderson claimed the lead, with Suggs moving up to the second position. For the last five laps, the lead duo was only a car length or two apart as they worked past slower cars. Henderson claimed the win, his first at Devil’s Bowl, by a car length. Danny Merrell took the third position on the 13th lap.