By Roby Helm
MAGNOLIA, MS – March 27, 2026 – Tasker Phillips of Pleasantville, IA dominated the 25-lap Feature Race for the Hoisier Race Tire United Sprint Car Series 30th Anniversary Outlaw Thunder Tour Presented By XC Gear on Friday night at Kye Kelley’s Pike County Speedway. Phillips led wire-to-wire from the Pole Position to score the win in the 2026 USCS National Points Opener and Night 1 of the Magnolia State Sprint Car Showdown.
Derek Hagar of Marion, AR finished second and Hayden Wise of Huntersville, NC took the third spot after starting tenth to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger of the Race Award. The defending USCS National Champion Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS drove to a fourth-place finish and Sawyer Phillips of Pleasantville, IA was fifth.
Former USCS National Champion Morgan Turpen-Havener of Cordova, TN finished sixth and seventh went to Christopher Townsend of Tarkington, TX. Chase Howard of Nesbit, MS was eighth and Shane Morgan of Gulfport, MS took the ninth spot. The 16-time USCS National Champion and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, Tasker Phillips won the six-lap Hoosier Racing Tire Speed Dash to earn the Pole Position for the 25-lap Feature Race. The three eight-lap Heat Races were won by Hagar in the Engler Machine & Tool First Heat, Turpen-Havener in the XC Gear Second Heat, and Morgan in the Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat.
Tasker Phillips took the lead at the start of the race followed by Hagar, Sawyer Phillips, Turpen-Havener, and Dale Howard. Tasker Phillips held a 3.779 second lead over Hager by lap five. Dale Howard passed Turpen-Havener for the fourth spot on lap six.
The only caution flag of the race was unfurled on lap eight when Coen McDaniel of Gaffney, SC stalled on the front straightaway. Tasker Phillips gave up a 4.4 second lead over Hagar when the yellow flag slowed the field for the restart with Sawyer Phillips, Dale Howard, and Turpen-Havener in third through fifth respectively.
The top five drivers got busy when the field went back to green flag action with Dale Howard passing Sawyer Phillips for the third spot on lap nine. Lap ten saw Sawyer Phillips get back by Howard for third on lap ten. Dale Howard reclaimed the third spot from Sawyer Phillips on lap 11 and Hayden Wise moved into the top five and got by Sawyer Phillips for fourth on lap 12.
With ten laps to go, Tasker Phillips held a 3.137 second lead on Hagar, who shaved a full second off that deficit by lap 20. Wise was able to get around Dale Howard for the third spot on lap 22. Tasker Phillips took a 1.119 second margin of victory under the checkered flag over Hagar in a race that was completed in 9 minutes and 3.434 seconds.
The United Sprint Car Series Presented By XC Gear 30th Anniversary Outlaw Thunder Tour returns to Kye Kelley’s Pike County Speedway on Saturday night for Round 2 of the Magnolia State Sprint Car Showdown. For more information about USCS, visit their website at uscsracing.com and the series Facebook page.
United Sprint Car Series Marketing Partners are XC Gear, Engler Machine & Tool, Hoosier Racing Tire, Huggins Cams, Hero Graphics, DMI/Bulldog, Racing Electronics, JE Pistons, DHR Suspension, Wilwood Disc Brakes, AR Dyno Specialties, KSE Racing Products, PRO Shocks, Schoenfeld Headers, and Arizona Sport Shirts.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE UNITED SPRINT CAR SERIES PRESENTED BY XC GEAR OUTLAW THUNDER TOUR EVENT AT KYE KELLEY’S PIKE COUNTY SPEEDWAY IN MAGNOLIA, MS ON 3/27/26:
FEATURE RACE – 25 Laps: 1. 1 Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (1); 2. 9 Derek Hagar, Marion, AR (3); 3. 94 Hayden Wise, Huntersville, NC (10); 4. 47 Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS (8); 5. 7 Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (2); 6. 10m Morgan Turpen-Havener, Gallatin, TN (4) 7. 71 Christopher Townsend, Tarkington, TX (9); 8. 5 Chase Howard, Nesbit, MS (12); 9. 01 Shane Morgan, Gulfport, MS (5); 10. 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN (7); 11. 1a Lee Moore, Moundville, AL (6); 12. 88 Trent Moss, Medon, TN (11); 13. 06 Jason Breeland, Columbia, MS (14); 14. 13x Jake Brashier, Denham Springs, LA (17); 15. 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS (13); 16. 28s Rusty Sanford, Seminary, MS (16); 17. 56 D.L. Brashier, Ethel, LA (15); 18. 48 Coen McDaniel, Gaffney, SC (19); 19. 23w Conner Wray, Olive Branch, MS DNS.
HOOSIER RACING TIRE SPEED DASH – 6 Laps: 1. T. Phillips; 2. S. Phillips; 3. Hagar; 4. Turpen-Havener; 5. Morgan; 6. Moore.
HEAT RACES – 8 Laps:
ENGLER MACHINE & TOOL HEAT 1: 1. Hagar; 2. S. Phillips; 3. Townsend; 4. D. Howard; 5. C. Howard; 6. Sanford.
XC GEAR HEAT 2: 1. Turpen-Havener; 2. Moore; 3. Wise; 4. Moss; 5. Breeland; 6. J. Brashier; 7. Wray DNS.
SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT 3: 1. Morgan; 2. T. Phillips; 3. Gray; 4. Willingham; 5. D. Brashier; 6. McDaniel DNS.