June 14, 2008 - Winona, MS: Past O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series Champion, Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas scored his first feature win of the 2008 season in the 30-lap O'Reilly USCS Mid South Thunder main event at Central Mississippi Speedway in Winona, Mississippi on Saturday night. Skinner battled his Speedweek 2008 Co-Champion and rival Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas for the entire 30 laps in the thriller. Crawley finished 2 car lengths back in the runner-up spot.
Skinner started from the outside front row next to Lee Sowell from Nesbit, Mississippi, who finished in third place in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat and then was awarded the K&N Pole Position when Engler Machine and Tool First Heat winner, Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee drew a six in the K&N Filters Pole Draw. Skinner drag raced Sowell to turn one and won that challenge twice. On the initial start Don Young and Raymond Stull from Independence, Mississippi tangled both spun to cause a re-start.
On the second start, Skinner had a comfortable lead of several car lengths on lap one. Sowell trialed in the runner-up spot. On lap two Crawley who started fourth moved into the runner-up spot. Sowell followed in third place with defending series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee in fourth position and 2007 CMS winner Derek Hagar rounding out the top five.
Crawley challenged Skinner on every lap for the final; 29 circuits. Skinner was mostly racing a line around the guardrail using the cushion fortraction. Crawley slide in low and drifted up in front of Skinner to momentarily take the lead only to have Skinner coolly drive back by to lead at the start finishline on every lap. But, Crawley kept it exciting in his "never say never" and "I'm only here for first place money" driving style. In the post race comments, Crawley who has five 2008 series wins said, "I threw everything at Skinner but, the kitchen sink, trying to pass him, but I just didn't have one of those in the car."
Behind the lead duo Sowell , Gray and Hagar had their own show going on. Hagar who won the series' race at Central Mississippi in 2007 on a late race pass of Tim Crawley, started third then lost groud to fifth position for 19 laps before making a late race charge past Gray on lap 20 and then passed Sowell for third place on lap 25. Gray slipped around Sowell on lap 28 for the fourth postition and Sowell rounded out the top five at the finish.
Ronny Howard who started fifteenth charged through the field to finish sixth and garnered the Huggins Cams Hard Charger Award. Rookie of the Race Anthony Nicholson frm Bartlett, Tennessee followed in seventh place. Raymond Stull recovered from that first lap incident to finish in the eighth position. Another top rookie driver, Justin Carver from Drummons, Tennessee was ninth in the finishing order and Greg Merritt from Nesbit, Mississippi rounded out the top ten.
Crawley kicked off the evening's activities by winning the Lucas Oil Power Dash. Don Young won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Terry Gray got the victory in the 10-lap Butlerbuilt Second Heat.Hoosier Tire Young Guns went to 17 year-old Derek Hagar. Anthony Nicholson garnered the Rookie of the Race honors.