MERIDIAN, Miss. - Derek Hagar captured his sixth USCS Sprint Car Series win of the season on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Miss.
It marks Hagar’s sixth win of the season and his 41st series career Series victory.
Hagar led every lap in the race, moving him in to contention for the USCS National Championship. He now sits third in the points standings behind defending champion Morgan Turpen and 11-time series champion Terry Gray.
In turn, a second-place finish by Gray moved him to within two points of Turpen, who ran near the front until her car suffered fuel system trouble. She wound end her night with an 11th place finish.
Marshall Skinner finished in third, with Curt Terrell in fourth and Lee Moore in fifth.
Tristan Lee, Jeff Willingham, Danny Sams III, Joe Larkin and Cody Kahl rounded out the top ten.
Hagar took the lead at the start of the 30-lap main event after earning the K&N Filters Pole Award followed by Gray, Turpen, Moore, and Skinner. The race leader set a fast pace, as Hagar caught the cars on the tail end of the lead lap on lap four.
The first of three caution flags came out on lap eight when Don Warren spun in turn three. Hagar led Gray, Turpen, Skinner and Terrell down for the restart. Skinner was able to pass Turpen for the third spot on the ninth lap, as Turpen began to slow on the race track. Turpen’s car stalled in turn four on lap 10 to bring out the second caution flag. Turpen was able to get back going in time for the restart.
Hagar once again pulled away from the field until the caution flew for a third time when Warren spun for a second time. Back under green, Turpen’s engine began to stumble on the restart, and she dropped out on lap 24.
Meanwhile, Hagar went on to post the win, his sixth of the USCS Sprint Car Series 2016 season.
In preliminary race action, Skinner won the six-lap Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, while Hagar and Gray scored heat race wins.
The USCS Sprint Car Series returns to its home state next weekend, with a double bill weekend in Georgia. The weekend opens on Friday night, July 15 at Lavonia Speedway in Lavonia, Georgia, and then travels to Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia, on Saturday night, July 16 for the weekend finale.
For more information, visit USCSRacing.com.
USCS Sprint Car Series
Whynot Motorsports Park – Meridian, MS
Race Results – July 9, 2016
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN
1. 1 9jr Derek Hagar Marion, AR
2. 2 10 Terry Gray Bartlett, TN
3. 6 26 Marshall Skinner Marion, AR
4. 5 27 Curt Terrell Bartlett, TN
5. 3 1a Lee Moore Tuscaloosa, AL
6. 8 00 Tristan Lee Biloxi, MS
7. 7 28 Jeff Willingham Ripley, MS
8. 9 24d Danny Sams III Englewood, FL
9. 14 33 Joe Larkin Suwanee, GA
10. 13 20 Cody Kahl Gulfport, MS
11. 4 10m Morgan Turpen Cordova, TN
12. 10 99 Dan Warren Oak Grove, KY
13. 11 12m Greg Merritt Nesbit, MS
14. 12 25 Ray Bugg Iuka, MS
