By Pete Walton
HATTIEBURG, MS. – May 27, 2016 – The 2013 USCS National Champion, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas charged from outside the front row into the lead in turn one on Friday night and never looked back in route to the www.rockauto,com USCS Victory Lane at the end of the 30-lap United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N 11th annual Sprint Speedweek opener at Hattiesburg Speedway.
Hagar bested a 36 car field of entries from 10 states that included friend and fellow Marion, Arkansas resident Marshall Skinner who started in the K&N Filters Pole Position, but chased Hagar the entire race and finished in the runner-up spot. 2012 USCS National Champion, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas followed in the K&N Filters Podium Award third place after starting sixteenth. Mid South hot shoe Cody Gardner from Benton, Arkansas followed Crawley in the fourth place and 2015 Riverside Speedway Champion, Andy McElhannon from Nesbit, Mississippi rounded out the top five drivers.
2011 USCS Rookie of the Year, Jordon Mallett from Greenbrier, Arkansas led the next group of drivers with a sixth-place finish, followed by 5-time 2015 USCS feature winner, Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina in seventh. Former Riverside Speedway and I-30 Speedway track Champion, A.G. Raines, from West Memphis, Arkansas followed Riggins in eighth place. Young guns Howard Moore from Memphis, Tennessee and rookie contender Kyle Amerson from Montgomery, Alabama finished in the ninth and tenth positions respectively
Derek Hagar kicked off the evening’s preliminary racing action by winning the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, Shane Morgan scored the win in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Brian Bell rolled to the victory in the BMRS Second Heat. 2011 USCS Rookie of the Year Jordon Mallett took the victory in the Wilwood Disc Brakes Third Heat, Derek Hagar also triumphed in the www.rockauto.com Fourth Heat. Marshall Skinner won the JE Pistons Fifth and final heat race. Jerod Roller charged to the victory in the Saldana Racing Products First B-Main, while Tim Crawley collected the Hero Graphics Second B-Main win.
Brian Bell was the provisional pole position starter after scoring the most passing points in preliminary action, After first heat winner, Shane Morgan drew a six in the K&N Filters Inversion Draw, Marshall Skinner then received the K&N Filters Pole Award. Third place finisher Tim Crawley passed the most cars (13) in the A-main to grab the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters USCS Sprint Speedweek presented by Hoosier Race Tire continues along with the 2016 and 20th season schedule with Round #2 of the 11th annual USCS Sprint Car Speedweek on Saturday May 28 at the Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, Mississippi.
For rules and updated schedule information about the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour, please visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.
United Sprint Car Series
Hattiesburg Speedway
Hattiesburg, MS
Friday May 27, 2016
Feature:
1. 9JR – Derek Hagar
2. 26 – Marshall Skinner
3. 88 – Tim Crawley
4. 88R – Cody Gardner
5. 42 – Andy McEllhannon
6. 14M – Jordan Mallett
7. 47 – Eric Riggins Jr.
8. A.G. Rains
9. 40 – Howard Moore
10. 29 – Kyle Amerson
11. 10M – Morgan Turpen
12. 10 – Terry Gray
13. 24D – Danny Smith
14. 07 – Brandon Taylor
15. 28 – Jeff Winngham
16. 91 – Steven Russell
17. 01 – Shane Morgan
18. 23B – Brian Bell
19. 116 – Nick Snyder
20. D6 – Dakota Gaines
21. 16 – Anthony Nicholson
22. 5 – Jarrod Roller
23. 38 – Ryan Moore