COLUMBUS, Miss. - Seth Bergman charged to a convincing win in the USCS Sprint Car Series 20th anniversary season opener Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss.
The Snohomish, Wash. driver started from the fourth position, then avoided a tangle that took out Derek Hagar and three other drivers. On the restart, Bergman charged past pole sitter Anthony Nicholson on lap two and raced his way to the his first series win and a $2500 payday.
The first lap wreck occurred when Hagar spun, collecting Howard Moore, A.G. Raines, and Buster Dickerson. Hagar was able to continue after the restart but, the evening was over for the other three drivers.
After the restart, Bergman raced past Nicholson, who held down the runner-up spot on lap two. Nicholson held the spot until lap seven when Matt Covington raced past to assume the position. On lap 10, Danny Smith moved to second.
On the next lap Covington got the spot back for keeps. At the same time, Hagar moved back into fourth place after recovering from going to the back of the 22 car field. Brandon Hanks also moved into the top five positions.
By lap 15, Nicholson replaced Hanks in the top five for good. On lap 21, Hagar got past Danny Smith for the third position while Bergman charged through lapped cars in dominating fashion.
At the finish line it was Bergman taking the win, with Covington in second, followed by Hagar in third place. Danny Smith finished fourth, with Anthony Nicholson in fifth.
Brandon Hanks, Marshall Skinner, Andy McElhannon, Terry Gray and Morgan Turpen rounded out the top ten.
Hagar kicked off the evening’s racing action by scoring the win in the first heat. Nicholson charged to victory in the second heat, while Bergman took the win in the third heat.
Bergman was the provisional pole sitter after he scored the most passing points in heat race action. After a four was rolled on the inversion, Nicholson received the K&N Filters Pole Award and pole position for the start of the 30-lap event.
The USCS Sprint Car Series returns to action on Friday, April 1 at the new All Tech Raceway in Lake City, Florida. The series completes a two-night Sunshine State double-header with an event on Saturday, April 2 at Bubba Raceway Park n Ocala, Florida.
For more information, visit USCSRacing.com.
USCS Sprint Car Series
Magnolia Motor Speedway - Columbus
Race Results - February 27, 2016
1. #23 Seth Bergman - Snohomish, WA
2. #95 Matt Covington - Tulsa, OK
3. #9JR Derek Hagar - Marion, AR
4. #4 Danny Smith - Chillicothe, OH
5. #16 Anthony Nicholson - Millington, TN
6. #84 Brandon Hanks - Burleson, TN
7. #26 Marshall Skinner - Marion, AR
8. #42 Andy McElhannon - Nesbit, MS
9. #10 Terry Gray - Bartlett, TN
10. #10M Morgan Turpen - Cordova, TN
11. #1X Eddie Gallagher - Olive Branch, MS
12. #3 A.G. Raines - West Memphis, AR
13. #29 Kyle Amerson - Montgomery, AL
14. #116 Nick Snyder - Marco Island, FL
15. #24 Danny Sams III - Englewood, FL
16. #25 Ray Bugg - Iuka, MS
17. #1K Dewayne White - Memphis, TN
18. #59III Johnny Petrozelle - Lexington, NC
19. #28 Jeff Willingham - Ripley, MS
20. #40 Howard Moore - Memphis, TN
21. #86 Buster Dickerson - Caledonia, MS
22. #07 Brandon Taylor - Cumming, GA
