Derek Hagar made the trip to victory lane with a win in Saturday night’s USCS Sprint Car Series action at Jackson Motor Speedway. Photo courtesy USCS Media
Derek Hagar only led two laps during Saturday night’s USCS Sprint Car Series 10th annual Sprint Speedweek opener at Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, MS. The good news was they were the final two, as Hagar scored the win and a $2500 payday.
After watching polesitter Johnny Herrera tag the wall twice with under five laps to go in front of him, Hagar darted low with two laps to go when Herrera jumped the cushion in turn two and lost his momentum. Hagar took the lead by eight car lengths and never looking back on his way to his first trip to USCS victory lane of the 2015 season.
For Hagar, the win was the milestone 30th victory of his USCS career, coming after he had tried on three late-race restarts to pass Herrera with no success.
“We kept having caution after caution, but I finally found some rubber with about ten to go,” Hagar explained. “I didn’t want to show my cards too early, because if you show Johnny something he’ll use it against you – he knows its time to get down and race.
“We had that late caution in three and four and it hurt us. The dust settled down and made it tough. If it wasn’t for him messing up in turn two, I wouldn’t have gotten back by him. Sometimes it pays to run second and tonight was one of those nights where it all worked out.”
Herrera hung on to come home second after leading laps 13 to 28, but said after the event that a combination of his car running light on fuel and the intensity of the battle between he and Hagar was enough to cause the pivotal mistake that allowed Hagar to get by.
“(Hagar) gave me everything I needed (late in the race),” Herrera said. “He was better than me on the restarts for a lap or two, but once we could get some clean air on the wing and wind up some momentum we’d get away a little bit. There at the end, we were a little light on fuel. It started cutting out in the corners and got us in trouble.
“No excuses, he won the race fair and square – beat me and it is what it is. We put on a show though, so I hope the fans enjoyed that.”
Marshall Skinner rounded out the podium in third place. Behind Skinner, Channin Tankersley finished in fourth, with Brandon Hanks in fifth.
Ronny Howard was the first driver to have major problems during the 30-lap main event, when he ended up underneath the No. 17 of Lane Whittington at the exit of turn four. While Whittington was pulled off of Howard’s mangled machine and restarted, Howard was done for the night with a crushed wing and bent chassis. He was unhurt in the crash.
Tim Crawley was racing Herrera for the lead in turn three when the two made contact on lap 14, sending Crawley spinning. He ended up going to the pits with a mechanical failure that ended his night. Terry Gray also had problems, spinning with five laps to go and having to charge from the back late. Gray was able to rebound to finish 13th.
In total, the race was slowed by caution seven times, with three lead changes between three different drivers over the course of the 30-lap main event.
Gray kicked off the evening’s racing action by winning the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, and Justin Webb scored the win in the first heat. Marshall Skinner rolled to the victory in the second heat. Blake Hahn took the victory in the third heat, and A.G. Raines won in the fourth heat.
Andy McElhannon charged to the victory in the first B-Main, while Morgan Turpen collected the second B-Main win after a spirited five-lap battle with points leader Eric Riggins, Jr.
Johnny Herrera was the provisional pole position after scoring the most passing points in preliminary action. After first heat winner, Justin webb drew a zero in the inversion draw, Herrera also received the K&N Filters Pole Award.
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USCS Sprint Car Series
Jackson Motor Speedway – Byram, MS
Race Results – May 23, 2015
1. #9JR – Derek Hagar – Marion, AR
2. #4X – Johnny Herrera – Albuquerque, NM
3. #26 – Marshall Skinner – Marion, AR
4. #14 – Channin Tankersley – Highlands, TX
5. #84 – Brandon Hanks – Burlison, MS
6. #23 – Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA
7. #52 – Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK
8. #42 – Andy McElhannon – Nesbit, MS
9. #3 – A.G. Raines – West Memphis, AR
10. #116 – Nick Snyder – Marco Island, FL
11. #10M – Morgan Turpen – Cordova, TN
12. #5 – Jerod Roller – Hernando, MS
13. #10 – Terry Gray – Bartlett, TN
14. #19 – Klint Angelette – Thibodeaux, LA
15. #47 – Eric Riggins, Jr. – Charlotte, NC
16. #32B – Taylor Tidmore – Hernando, MS
17. #16 – Anthony Nicholson – Bartlett, TN
18. #28 – Jeff Willingham – Ripley, MS
19. #17 – Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA
20. #31 – Justin Webb – Drummonds, TN
21. #4M – Michael Miller – Ocean Springs, MS
22. #88 – Tim Crawley – Benton, AR
23. #44 – Ronny Howard – Nesbit, MS
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