From Pete Walton
HATTIESBURG, MS – June 2, 2023 – Derek Hagar of Marion, AR won his fifth straight United Sprint Car Series Speedweek race on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway driving the Ameripanel Special after leading all 30 laps of the Feature Race. Hagar will have the broom in his hand tomorrow as he tries to make history.
This year is the 18th Annual USCS Speedweek Presented by Engler Machine and Tool. In the history of the USCS Speedweek, no driver has ever won every race. Hagar has won USCS Speedweek races at Lexington (TN) 104 Speedway on May 26, Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR on May 27, and at Old No. 1 Speedway in Harrisburg, AR on May 28.
After a three-day break, Hagar stayed hot by keeping the streak alive on Thursday night with a win at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL. Hagar will try to sweep the six-race USCS Speedweek on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS
Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS has finished second to Hagar in four of the first five races, including the Friday night race at Hattiesburg Speedway. Hayden Martin of Olive Branch, MS took the third spot and fourth went to Ryan Roberts of Aurora, NE. Koty Adams of Haughton, LA was fifth and Brandon Blenden of Gulfport, MS came home in the 6th spot.
The defending and 14-time USCS National Champion, current USCS National point leader, and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN finished seventh, and Michael Miller of Pascagoula, MS was eighth. Chase Howard of Nesbit, MS took the ninth spot and Ronny Howard of Nesbit, MS rounded out the top ten after starting 19th for the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger honors.
In preliminary action, Hagar won the 6-lap Hoosier Racing Tire Speed Dash after starting third to earn the pole position for the Feature Race. The three eight-lap Heat Races were won by Hagar in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat, Martin in the JJ Supply of NC Second Heat, and Miller in the DHR Third Heat.
Hagar took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Ryan Roberts, Dale Howard, Martin and Blenden. Dale Howard came from the third starting spot to pass Roberts for second on lap seven. By lap ten, Hagar held a .576 second lead over Dale Howard and Martin passed Roberts to take over the third position.
Yellow flag on laps 11, 14, and 15 kept the field bunched up, but Hagar was able to pull away by a half second to keep Dale Howard behind him. At the completion of lap 15 at the halfway point of the race, Hagar held a 1.257 second lead over Dale Howard. The fourth caution flag of the race came out on lap 22, but after the restart, Hagar had opened up a 1.165 second lead.
The field was slowed for the final time on lap 27 when Shane Morgan of Gulfport, MS blew an engine and dumped a large amount of oil on the track to bring out the red flag. After the stoppage, Hagar wound it up once again for the four-lap dash to the finish and took a 1.551 second margin of victory over Dale Howard under the checkered flag.
The 2023 USCS Speedweek Presented by Engler Machine and Tool finale will be at Whynot Motorsports Park on Saturday night. In his effort to sweep USCS Speedweeks, Hagar leads Dale Howard by 20 points in the Speedweek standings, and Gray is in the third spot, 18 points behind Howard.
Along with the USCS Sprint Cars, the Whynot Motorsports Park CRUSA Late Model, CRUSA Late Model Sportsman, CRUSA Street Stock, Factory Stock, Modified, and Enduro Divisions will also be in action on Saturday night.
For more information about the 18th Annual USCS Speedweeks Presented By Engler Machine & Tool visit the United Sprint Car Series web site at www.uscsracing.com, or call Pete Walton at 770-865-6097. The USCS Facebook Page is located at www.facebook.com/uscs.racing.
United Sprint Car Series Marketing Partners are K&N Filters, Engler Machine & Tool, Hoosier Racing Tire, Hero Graphics, DMI, J&J Supply of NC, Racing Electronics, JE Pistons, DHR Suspension, Wilwood Disc Brakes, KSC Racing Products, PRO Shocks, Schoenfeld Headers, and Arizona Sport Shirts.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 5 OF THE UNITED SPRINT CAR SERIES SPEEDWEEK PRESENTED BY ENGLER MACHINE AND TOOL AT HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY IN HATTIESBURG, MS ON 6/2/23:
FEATURE RACE – 30 Laps: 1. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR; 2. Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS; 3. Hayden Martin, Olive Branch, MS; 4. Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE; 5. Koty Adams, Haughton, LA; 6. Brandon Blenden, Gulfport, MS; 7. Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN; 8. Michael Miller, Pascagoula, MS; 9. Chase Howard, Nesbit, MS; 10. Ronny Howard, Nesbit, MS: 11. Terry Witherspoon, Jacksonville, FL; 12. Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC; 13. Spencer Meredith, Hernando, MS; 14. Jeff Smith, Gulfport, MS; 15. Jake Brashier, Denham Springs, LA; 16. Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS; 17. Rusty Sanford, Seminary, MS; 18, Shane Morgan, Gulfport, MS; 19. Lane Whittington, Denham Springs, LA; 20. John Howard, Byhalia, MS; 21. Dewayne White, Byhalia, MS; 22. Scott Craft, Purvis, MS; 23. Brad Bowden, Hernando, MS; 24. Ben Bishop, Clinton, LA; 25. Paul Jones, Casper, WY.
HOOSIER RACING TIRE SPEED DASH – 6 Laps: 1. Hagar; 2. Martin; 3. D. Howard; 4. Roberts; 5. Miller; 6. Blenden,
HEAT RACES – 8 Laps:
ENGLER MACHINE AND TOOL HEAT 1: 1. Hagar; 2. D. Howard; 3. Whittington; 4. Gray; 5. White; 6. C. Howard; 7. R. Howard; 8. Willingham; 9. Bishop.
JJ SUPPLY OF NC HEAT 2: 1. Martin; 2. Roberts 3. Bowden; 4. Witherspoon; 5. Adams; 6. Brashier; 6. J. Howard; 8. Sanford DNS.
DHR HEAT 3: 1. Miller; 2. Blenden; 3. Moss; 4. Morgan; 5. Meredith; 6. Craft; 7. Smith; 8. Jones.
Photo/ caption #9jr.:
Derek Hagar raced to a record 5th win in as many rounds of the USCS Sprint Car Speedweek at Hattiesburg Speedway on Friday night. (USCS Photo Pam Stephenson).