PARAGOULD, AR – July 1, 2016 – The teacher had one trick left for the student on Friday night in United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour action as “The Lawman” Marshall Skinner of Marion, AR outran his protégé Derek Hagar of Marion, AR to pick up his first trip of the 2016 season to the www.RockAuto.com USCS Victory Lane in “Rumble at The Ridge V” at Crowley’s Ridge Raceway to open the Summer Heat Series for USCS.
The former USCS National Champion Skinner battled early and often for the lead with Brad Bowdon of Hernando, MS before taking the lead in lapped traffic on lap 24 with an inside move. Hagar charged from the eighth starting spot to follow his mentor by Bowdon into the second spot.
A late-race caution in the 30-lap feature race set up a close finish, as Skinner got off the inside and sailed around the top on the restart. Hagar tried to throw the slider in an effort to take the lead and his fifth USCS win of the season, but to no avail.
“It seems like I’ve finished second to him (Hagar) a lot this season, so it feels good to win one,” Skinner said. “The bottom was good early and we got by Bowdon to take the lead in lapped traffic. There’s nothing better than a black dirt track, and Crowley’s Ridge is now my favorite race track. I love this place!”
Skinner became the ninth different winner this season on the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour Presented By K&N Filters. Finishing in third behind Skinner and Hagar was Zach Pringle of Bryant, AR, who came from the 17th starting position to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The defending USCS National Champion Morgan Turpen of Cordova, TN finished fourth and 2015 Riverside Int. Speedway Champion Andy McElhannon from Hernando, MS took the fifth spot.
A.G. Raines of West Memphis, AR led the next group in sixth place and Joe B. Miller of Millersburg, MO finished seventh. The 2011 USCS Rookie of the Year, Jordan Mallett of Greenbrier, AR came home in the eighth spot, with Bowdon in ninth, while 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year Anthony Nicholson of Millington, TN rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, Morgan Turpen won the six-lap Hoosier Tire Speed Dash,. In the four eight lap heat races, Cody Gardner of Benton, AR won the Engler Machine and Tool 1st Heat Race, McElhannon won the Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 2nd Heat Race, Skinner took the Schoenfeld Headers 3rd Heat Race, and Tim Crawley of Benton, AR won the JE Pistons 4th Heat Race. The 12-lap Saldana Racing Products B-Main Race was won by third-generation driver Joey Moughan of Springfield, IL.
Skinner took to the low road from the K&N Filters Pole Position to take the lead at the drop of the green flag to start the race. Bowdon worked the high line from his outside front row starting spot. The lead duo swapped the point several times each lap, keeping the standing-room-only crowd not needing a seat!
Bowdon took the lead on lap six, and kept Skinner behind him at the start/finish line for the next 16 laps. In the meantime, Hagar made a big move on lap 20 to move up to the third spot, and he followed Bowdon and Skinner into heavy lapped traffic on lap 24. Skinner took over the lead, and brought Hagar with him up to the second spot.
The caution flag came out on lap 27 for a multi-car tangle in turn two, which set up an exciting three-lap dash to the finish. When the green came out, everyone expected Skinner to hug the bottom groove. As Hagar tried to set up for an outside move, Skinner didn’t budge from the high side.
Hagar, who was fourth in the Nation in 2016 sprint car wins, then changed direction and dove for the bottom to try a slide job pass that came up short. Skinner took his pupil to school one more time, held on to the lead for three more tours around the tight quarter-mile clay oval, and came home to take the win.
In preliminary action, Morgan Turpen won the six-lap Hoosier Tire Speed Dash,. In the four eight lap heat races, Cody Gardner of Benton, AR won the Engler Machine and Tool 1st Heat Race, McElhannon won the Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 2nd Heat Race, Skinner took the Schoenfeld Headers 3rd Heat Race, and Tim Crawley of Benton, AR won the JE Pistons 4th Heat Race. The 12-lap Saldana Racing Products B-Main Race was won by third-generation driver Joey Moughan of Springfield, IL.
Local favorite, Keith Hammett of Jonesboro, AR won the 20-lap USCS K&N Filters Modified Outlaw Series main event. To the disappointment of some race fans, featured competitor Ken Schrader from Concord, NC got collected in a first turn/first lap multi-car wreck and had to retire to the pits wreck
The USCS Outlaw Tour presented by K&N Filters sprint car drivers will now move to Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR for Night 2 of the Summer Heat Series on Saturday night. The finale of the three-race series will be Sunday night at Diamond Park Speedway in Nashville, AR.
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 2016 and 20th anniversary USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour: K&N Filters,www.rockauto.com, Hoosier Race Tires, Engler Machine and Tool, Butlerbuilt, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Saldana Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends. Hero Graphics, KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, DSR Fuel Systems, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions and DHR Suspensions.
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. You can also like the United Sprint Car Series Facebook page at USCS Racing.
FEATURE RACE – 30 LAPS:
POS START CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN
1. 1 26 Marshall Skinner Marion, AR
2. 8 9jr Derek Hagar Marion, AR
3. 17 8z Zach Pringle Bryant, AR
4. 5 10m Morgan Turpen Cordova, TN
5. 3 42 Andy McElhannon Hernando, MS
6. 11 3 A.G. Raines West Memphis, AR
7. 16 51b Joe Miller Millersburg, MO
8. 4 14 Jordan Mallett Greenbrier, AR
9. 2 39 Brad Bowdon Hernando, MS
10. 18 40 Anthony Nicholson Millington, TN
11. 13 07 Brandon Taylor Cumming, GA
12. 14 32 Robert Richardson Pengburn, AR
13. 12 27 Curt Terrell Bartlett, TN
14. 20 44 Ronny Howard Olive Branch, MS
15. 7 88 Tim Crawley Benton, AR
16. 15 5 Joey Moughan Springfield, IL
17. 22 21 Brandon Hinkle Cabot, AR
18. 6 88r Cody Gardner Benton, AR
19. 19 28 Jeff Willingham Ripley, MS
20. 21 44t T.J. Hughes Hernando, MS
21. 10 25 Ray Bugg Iuka, MS
22. 9 10 Terry Gray Bartlett, TN
23. 23 24d Danny Sams III Englewood, FL (DNS)