Bryan Hulbert
ELDON, Mo. (September 4, 2022) A massive cushion and technical bottom, and the result is “The Guy” Derek Hagar racing his way to the front of the field at Lake Ozark Speedway with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
Derek’s 11th win of the season and 8th with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series since 2014, Lake Ozark Speedway, is the fifth track that Hagar has collected a win at and the fourth trip to Victory Lane in the state of Missouri.
Different from most, Hagar avoided the cushion, and the strategy paid off. Asked about the line choice, Derek said, “I told my guys I wasn’t messing with the top. I’m working middle to bottom, and that’s where we shine. We can float the middle, and these DynoTech Engines, they run good, and I feel I can just about out drag race anyone down the straightaway.”
Battling through the first half of the A-Feature to get into the top five, Hagar put his plan to work, while Dylan Westbrook and Chase Randall battled for the lead. On the point through the opening eight circuits, Westbrook would go on defense as Waco’s Chase Randall raced by for the lead. Trading numerous slide jobs before getting room over the Hills Racing No. 47x, that advantage was dashed on Lap 15 as Randall slammed the Bush’s Chicken No. 9 off the ever-growing cushion.
Having used the Lap 8 restart for Sam Hafertepe, Jr. to his advantage, Hagar, in third, chased the battle and was closing quickly.
On the pair and aiming for the top spot as the red lights displayed on Lap 17 after Randall slipped the cushion and grabbed the wall, the restart saw Hagar roll by the No. 47x, who flew the left side tires through the third and fourth turns.
Slowed working Lap 19, the DHR Suspension No. 9jr continued to trek the gutter of the one-third-mile oval. Growing his lead to over a second, that was all about to change as 18th starting Joe B. Miller ripped on, and at times, over the cushion to grab second on Lap 20.
Fresh off the POWRi 410 win, Miller raced all out to catch Hagar.
Putting himself 0.172-seconds away from the lead at the white flag, the No. 51b took to the cushion one more time, but a small mistake caught and upset the car. Able to stay upright, that was all that was needed to seal the deal for Derek Hagar, who crossed with 1.016-seconds to spare.
Joe B. Miller held on for second, while Sam Hafertepe, Jr. made a wild rebound from 22nd to third in the Hills Racing No. 15h, following his Lap 8 stoppage. Blake Hahn ended up fourth, with Wayne Johnson rebounding from a Saturday crash to complete the top five.
Dale Howard, in sixth, had Jason Martin rolling up 10 spots to grab seventh. A few shots off the cushion through the closing laps moved Dylan Westbrook back to eighth, with Tim Crawley and Matt Covington completing the top ten.
The Sunday field consisted of 34 drivers at Lake Ozark Speedway. SCE Gaskets Heat Race wins went to Dylan Westbrook, Dale Howard, Blake Hahn, and Matt Covington. BMRS B-Features were topped by Jason Martin and Joe B. Miller. Provisionals were used by Brandon Anderson and Gunner Ramey. The night’s quick qualifier was Chase Randall at 12.104-seconds.
The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network races next on Thursday, September 8, at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., and Caney Valley Speedway on Saturday, September 10.
The 2022 season will mark the 31st year of competition for the American Sprint Car Series. Spearheaded by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network, the ASCS Nation includes Regional Tours that encompass both wing and non-wing competition.
For fans not able to attend, the series can be seen live on two platforms, with RaceOnTexas.com on FloRacing.com featuring National Tour events in tandem. Both are subscription-based sites. FloRacing.com is $20 per month, billed annually at $150 per year. RaceOnTexas.com All Access is $39.99 per month.
For other news, notes, and information on any of the tours under the ASCS banner, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@LucasOilASCS).
Race Results:
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
ASCS Warrior Region
Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, Mo.)
Sunday, September 4, 2022
Car Count: 34
Event Count: 39
The Driver’s Project Group Qualifying
The Drivers Project Qualifying 1 (3 Laps): 1. 9-Chase Randall, 12.104[4]; 2. 21-Gunner Ramey, 12.220[3]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 12.234[7]; 4. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, 12.326[5]; 5. 2C-Wayne Johnson, 12.380[1]; 6. 187-Landon Crawley, 12.642[2]; 7. 97-Scotty Milan, 12.676[6]; 8. 1XX-Brad Ryun, 13.071[8]; 9. 32D-Daryn Langford, 14.544[9]
The Drivers Project Qualifying 2 (3 Laps): 1. 1X-Tim Crawley, 12.298[9]; 2. 9JR-Derek Hagar, 12.512[8]; 3. 47-Dale Howard, 12.595[3]; 4. 10-Landon Britt, 12.598[4]; 5. 55B-Brandon Anderson, 12.650[1]; 6. 51B-Joe B Miller, 12.651[2]; 7. 77-Jack Wagner, 12.669[7]; 8. 24-Jeffrey West Jr, 12.833[6]; 9. 1JR-Steven Russell, 13.153[5]
The Drivers Project Qualifying 3 (3 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman, 12.214[7]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn, 12.257[1]; 3. 36-Jason Martin, 12.378[8]; 4. 98P-Miles Paulus, 12.587[2]; 5. 86-Timothy Smith, 12.663[4]; 6. 10P-Dylan Postier, 12.685[3]; 7. 31-Casey Wills, 12.934[5]; 8. 12X-Brennon Blair, 13.140[6]
The Drivers Project Qualifying 4 (3 Laps): 1. 45X-Kyler Johnson, 12.270[6]; 2. 95-Matt Covington, 12.286[8]; 3. 14-Jordon Mallett, 12.627[1]; 4. 14E-Kyle Bellm, 12.666[4]; 5. 17B-Ryan Bickett, 12.755[7]; 6. 73-Samuel Wagner, 12.886[5]; 7. 12M-Greg Merritt, 12.937[3]; 8. 00-Broc Elliott, 13.268[2]
SCE Gaskets Heat Races (Top 16 in combined Qualifying/Passing Points advance to the A-Feature)
SCE Gaskets Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[1]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[2]; 3. 9-Chase Randall[4]; 4. 2C-Wayne Johnson[5]; 5. 21-Gunner Ramey[3]; 6. 187-Landon Crawley[6]; 7. 97-Scotty Milan[7]; 8. 32D-Daryn Langford[9]; 9. 1XX-Brad Ryun[8]
SCE Gaskets Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 47-Dale Howard[2]; 2. 10-Landon Britt[1]; 3. 9JR-Derek Hagar[3]; 4. 77-Jack Wagner[7]; 5. 1X-Tim Crawley[4]; 6. 51B-Joe B Miller[6]; 7. 55B-Brandon Anderson[5]; 8. 1JR-Steven Russell[9]; 9. 24-Jeffrey West Jr[8]
SCE Gaskets Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 52-Blake Hahn[3]; 2. 98P-Miles Paulus[1]; 3. 23-Seth Bergman[4]; 4. 36-Jason Martin[2]; 5. 10P-Dylan Postier[6]; 6. 86-Timothy Smith[5]; 7. 31-Casey Wills[7]; 8. 12X-Brennon Blair[8]
SCE Gaskets Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 95-Matt Covington[3]; 2. 14-Jordon Mallett[2]; 3. 14E-Kyle Bellm[1]; 4. 45X-Kyler Johnson[4]; 5. 17B-Ryan Bickett[5]; 6. 73-Samuel Wagner[6]; 7. 12M-Greg Merritt[7]; 8. (DNS) 00-Broc Elliott
BMRS B-Features (Top 3 from each advance)
BMRS B-Main 1 (12 Laps): 1. 36-Jason Martin[1]; 2. 10P-Dylan Postier[2]; 3. 187-Landon Crawley[3]; 4. 97-Scotty Milan[5]; 5. 1JR-Steven Russell[7]; 6. 73-Samuel Wagner[4]; 7. 12X-Brennon Blair[8]; 8. 12M-Greg Merritt[6]; 9. 1XX-Brad Ryun[9]
BMRS B-Main 2 (12 Laps): 1. 51B-Joe B Miller[3]; 2. 17B-Ryan Bickett[2]; 3. 86-Timothy Smith[4]; 4. 21-Gunner Ramey[1]; 5. 31-Casey Wills[5]; 6. 55B-Brandon Anderson[6]; 7. 32D-Daryn Langford[7]; 8. 24-Jeffrey West Jr[8]; 9. 00-Broc Elliott[9]
A-Feature
Lucas Oil A-Main (25 Laps): 1. 9JR-Derek Hagar[9]; 2. 51B-Joe B Miller[18]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[7]; 4. 52-Blake Hahn[6]; 5. 2C-Wayne Johnson[14]; 6. 47-Dale Howard[4]; 7. 36-Jason Martin[17]; 8. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[1]; 9. 1X-Tim Crawley[16]; 10. 95-Matt Covington[5]; 11. 77-Jack Wagner[12]; 12. 14E-Kyle Bellm[15]; 13. 45X-Kyler Johnson[13]; 14. 10-Landon Britt[11]; 15. 17B-Ryan Bickett[20]; 16. 55B-Brandon Anderson[23]; 17. 10P-Dylan Postier[19]; 18. 187-Landon Crawley[21]; 19. 23-Seth Bergman[2]; 20. 9-Chase Randall[3]; 21. 21-Gunner Ramey[24]; 22. 86-Timothy Smith[22]; 23. 98P-Miles Paulus[10]; 24. 14-Jordon Mallett[8]
Lap Leader(s): Dylan Westbrook 1-8, 16-18; Chase Randall 9-15; Derek Hagar 19-25
Hard Charger: Joe B. Miller +16
Quick Time: Chase Randall – 12.104
High Point Driver: Blake Hahn
Provisional(s): Brandon Anderson (Points) / Gunner Ramey (Regional)