HAGAR HUSTLES TO EIGHTH USCS WIN OF THE SEASON AT "THE DITCH"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEST MEMPHIS, AR - August 19, 2023 - Derek Hagar of Marion, AR hustled from the eighth starting spot to take his eighth United Sprint Car Series win of the season on Saturday night at Riverside International Raceway, and his second USCS win of the season at the historic track also known as “The Ditch.”
Hagar took the lead with three laps to go in the 30-lap Feature Race when Brad Bowden of Hernando, MS dropped out of the lead and the race with engine issues on lap 27 of 30.
The K&N Polesitter Marshall Skinner of Marion, AR led the first four laps of the race and finished second. Third went to Hayden Martin of Olive Branch, MS, and Landon Crawley of Benton, AR took the fourth spot.
Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS was the Hard Charger of the Race after starting 17th and finishing fifth.
Tucker Boulton of Brighton, TN was sixth, and 14-time USCS National Champion, current point leader and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN finished seventh.
Ernie Ainsworth of Bartlett, TN took the eighth spot, and Prestin Dalton of Millington, TN was ninth. The previous night's feature winner at Lexington 104 Speedway, Lance Moss of Cherryville, NC rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, Skinner earned the K&N Pole position for the Feature Race by winning the six-lap Hoosier Racing Tire Speed Dash. The three eight-lap Heat Races were won by Bowden in the Engler Machine & Tool First Heat, Skinner in the JJ Supply of NC Second Heat, and Gray in the DHR Third Heat.
Skinner took the lead at the start of the race followed by Bowden, Martin, Gray and Hagar. Bowden got by Skinner to take the lead on lap five with Martin, Hagar and Gray running third through fifth respectively.
Hagar got busy in his march to the front of the pack in the last ten laps of the race.
Hagar moved up to third on lap 20 with a pass on Martin. Hagar then made what would be the winning move on lap 26 when he passed Skinner for the second spot.
When Bowden dropped out on lap 27, Hagar took the lead and held it to the checkered flag on lap 30 in a race that took nine minutes and 45 seconds to complete.
The next two races for USCS will take place on August 25 and 26 at Clayhill Motorsports Park in Atwood, TN.
For more venue information call 731-613-4770, or visit the track website at clayhillmotorsportspark.com, or the USCS website at uscsracing.com. You can also like them both on Facebook.
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 UNITED SPRINT CAR SERIES EVENT AT RIVERSIDE INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY IN WEST MEMPHIS, AR ON 8/19/2023:
FEATURE RACE – 30 Laps: 1. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR; 2. Marshall Skinner, Marion, AR; 3. Hayden Martin, Olive Branch, MS; 4. Landon Crawley, Benton, AR; 5. Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS; 6. Tucker Boulton, Brighton, TN; 7. Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN; 8. Ernie Ainsworth, Bartlett, TN; 9. Prestin Dalton, Millington, TN; 10. Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC; 11. Jake Brashier, Denham Springs, LA; 12. Brad Bowden, Hernando, MS; 13. Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS; 14. D.L. Brashier, Ethel, LA; 15. Hannah Merritt, Nesbit, MS; 16. Koty Adams, Haughton, LA; 17. Dusty Young, Benton, AR DNS; 18. Ronny Howard, Nesbit, MS DNS.
HOOSIER RACING TIRE SPEED DASH – 6 Laps: 1. Skinner; 2. Bowden; 3. Adams; 4. Martin; 5. Gray; 6. Moss.
HEAT RACES – 8 Laps:
ENGLER MACHINE & TOOL FIRST HEAT: 1. Bowden; 2. Martin; 3. Hagar; 4. Willingham; 5. Dalton; 6. R. Howard DNS.
JJ SUPPLY OF NC SECOND HEAT: 1. Skinner; 2. Adams; 3. Crawley; 4. Boulton; 5. Ainsworth; 6. D. Howard.
DHR THIRD HEAT: 1. Gray; 2. Moss; 3. J. Brashier; 4. D. Brashier; 5. Merritt; 6. Young.
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Submitted by ROBY HELM – Helm Communication – 865-207-4157