WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. - Zach Pringle picked up his first career USCS Sprint Car Series win Saturday night at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.
It was a race that saw not only fireworks in the air, but also sprint cars flying skyward, as five cars flipped in the event, which was shortened from 40 to 30 laps.
But at the end of the night, all was good, as most every driver in the race made a visit to victory lane to offer their congratulations to Pringle, who races on a shoestring budget.
Pringle inherited the lead on lap 20 after early race leader Cody Gardner gave up the point by pitting under a red flag. After the fifth red flag of the race on lap 22, Pringle checked out for the win.
“This win has been a long time coming and we finally got it done, so it will be a fun ride home tonight,” Pringle said. “The car was great tonight. It was easy to drive and it was easy on me, especially through traffic. Once I got out front, I just tried to hit my marks and not make a mistake. To have all of these drivers come over here and congratulate me means a lot to me. This is just awesome.”
For the second straight night, Derek Hagar finished second and Jordon Mallett was third. A.G. Raines finished in fourth, followed by Curt Terrell in fifth.
Brandon Hinkle, Andy McElhannon, Marshall Skinner, Casey Rowland and Terry Gray rounded out the top ten.
When the field took the green flag to start the race, Gardner made a big move from his fourth starting position to take the lead followed by Hagar, Raines, Pringle and Gray. Just when the field seemed to be settling in to a fast and tacky race track, the first of five red flags was waved over the field when Brad Bowdon flipped in turn two. Bowdon climbed out and walked away under his own power uninjured.
Gardner led Hagar, Raines, Pringle, McElhannon, Gray, Mallett, Hinkle, Tim Crawley and Ronny Howard S down for the restart, but just as soon as the green game out the red flew for a second time when Anthony Nicholson flipped in turn two. Nicholson was uninjured.
After a clean restart, Pringle drove around Raines on lap 13 to take over the third spot. Crawley brought out the yellow flag on lap 14 when the suspension collapsed under his race car. The restart saw Gardner leading Hagar, Pringle, Raines, McElhannon, Gray, Mallett, Howard and Terrell.
Gardner pulled away from the field when the green came out again, but behind the leader, Hagar and Pringle fought for second. Pringle moved past Hagar for second on lap 19.
The field was stopped by the third red flag of the race on lap 20 when Howard flipped in turn four. Howard was okay, but Joe Miller wasn’t, as his car caught fire on the backstretch under red. Miller was treated at the track for some burns on his feet and ankles. Race leader Gardner suffered his own misfortune during the red, as he gave up the point and headed for the pit area. Gardner returned to the battle as the last car on the lead lap and restarted in the 11th spot.
After all of that, Pringle found himself leading the field down for the restart followed by Hagar, Raines, McElhannon, Mallett, Hinkle, Terrell, Gray, Skinner, and Roland. Gardner’s charge to the front didn’t last long, as he flipped in turn two on lap 21, bringing out the fourth red flag on the night.
Turn two was not done for the night, as Brandon Taylor of Cumming, Georgia flipped on lap 22, taking some of the turn two catch fencing with him. Another delay in the action forced officials to cut the race to 30 laps. The race went clean and green the rest of the way, as Pringle went on to score the win.
In preliminary action, Hagar won the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, while Raines, Gray, Pringle scored heat race wins.
For more information on the USCS Sprint Car Series, please visit USCSRacing.com.
USCS Sprint Car Series
Riverside International Speedway – West Memphis, AR
Race Results – July 2, 2016
POS START CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN
1. 5 8z Zach Pringle Bryant, AR
2. 2 9jr Derek Hagar Marion, AR
3. 6 14 Jordon Mallett Greenbrier, AR
4. 1 3 A.G. Raines West Memphis, AR
5. 13 27 Curt Terrell Bartlett, TN
6. 9 21b Brandon Hinkle Cabot, AR
7. 8 42 Andy McElhannon Hernando, MS
8. 10 26 Marshall Skinner Marion, AR
9. 11 4 Casey Roland Nesbit, MS
10. 3 10 Terry Gray Bartlett, TN
11. 16 91 Ernie Ainsworth Bartlett, TN
12. 20 10m Morgan Turpen Cordova, TN
13. 23 28 Jeff Willingham Ripley, MS
14. 17 07 Brandon Taylor Cumming, GA
15. 22 Zone Kevin Hinkle Cabot, AR
16. 4 88r Cody Gardner Benton, AR
17. 7 44 Ronny Howard Olive Branch, MS
18. 21 2 Brandon Kilpatrick Calhoun, MS
19. 19 51 Joe Miller Monticello, AR
20. 14 88 Tim Crawley Benton, AR
21. 12 39 Brad Bowdon Hernando, MS
22. 15 40 Anthony Nicholson Millington, TN
23. 18 25 Ray Bugg Iuka, MS
