By Roby Helm
SUMMERTOWN, TN – May 2, 2026 – Derek Hager of Marion, AR made quick work of the 30-lap Hoosier Racing Tire United Sprint Car Series 30th Anniversary Outlaw Thunder Tour Presented by XC Gear 30-lap Feature Race by taking his first series win of the season on Saturday night at Thunderhill Raceway.
Hagar started fourth and took the lead on lap eight of the caution free race that took just six minutes and 28.587 seconds to complete. Hagar was also the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger of the Race. The USCS National point leader, 15-year-old Coen McDaniel of Gaffney, SC, led the first seven laps of the race and finished second.
Landon Britt of Memphis, TN took the third spot and former USCS National Champion Jordon Mallett of Greenbrier, AR was fourth. The defending USCS National Champion Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS drove to a fifth-place finish.
The sixth spot went to Howard Moore of Memphis, TN, and 16-time USCS National Champion and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN finished seventh. B.J. Simmerman of Batesville, MS was eighth and Trent Moss of Medon, TN took the ninth spot. Joe Larkin of Suwanee, GA rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, the two eight-lap Heat Races were won by Howard in the Engler Machine & Tool First Heat, and Hagar in the XC Gear Second Heat. The top six drivers in passing points drew for their starting spots in the first three rows of the Feature Race Starting Ling-Up, and McDaniel drew the Pole Position.
McDaniel took the lead at the start of the race followed by Hagar, Britt, Howard, and Gray in the top five. Howard passed Britt for third on lap two, while Hagar stayed within striking distance of McDaniel at the front of the pack. Just before the leaders reached the cars at the tail end of the lead lap, Hagar made his move and passed McDaniel for the lead on the eighth lap.
Mallett made his first appearance in the top five by passing Gray for the fifth spot on lap 17. Britt reclaimed the third spot by passing Howard on lap 21. The leaders stayed in lapped traffic for the last ten laps of the race, and McDaniel stayed close to Hagar, but couldn’t make a challenge to retake the lead.
Mallett passed Howard for the fourth spot on the last lap, and Hagar took a .328 second margin of victory over McDaniel under the checkered flag. The top two cars had over a four second advantage over Britt in the third spot.
The next two races for Hoosier Racing Tire United Sprint Car Series Presented By XC Gear 30th Anniversary Outlaw Thunder Tour will be on Friday night, May 15 and Saturday night, May 16 at Hunt The Front Southern Raceway in Milton, FL. 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 HOOSIER RACE TIRE UNITED SPRINT CAR SERIES PRESENTED BY XC GEAR 30TH ANNIVERSARY OUTLAW THUNDER TOUR EVENT AT THUNDERHILL RACEWAY IN SUMMERTOWN, TN ON 5/2/26:
FEATURE RACE – 30 Laps: 1. 9jr Derek Hagar, Marion, AR (4); 2. 48 Coen McDaniel, Gaffney, SC (1); 3. 10L Landon Britt, Memphis, TN (2); 4. 3 Jordon Mallett, Greenbrier, AR (7); 5. 47 Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS (3); 6. 40 Howard Moore, Memphis, TN (8); 7. 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN (6); 8. 4x B.J. Simmerman, Batesville, MS (5); 9. 88 Trent Moss, Medon., TN (9); 10. 33 Joe Larkin, Suwanee, GA (11); 11. 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS (10); 12. 16m Hannah Merritt, Nesbit, MS (12); 13. Hayden Martin, Olive Branch, MS (14); 14. 18 Paul Jones, Kokomo, MS (13).
HEAT RACES – 8 Laps:
ENGLER MACHINE & TOOL HEAT 1: 1. Howard; 2. McDaniel; 3. Mallett; 4. Moore; 5. Willingham; 6. Larkin; 7. Jones.
XC GEAR HEAT 2: 1. Hagar; 2. Gray; 3. Simmerman; 4. Britt; 5. Moss; 6. Merritt; 7. Martin DNS.