Inside Line Promotions - ELDON, Mo. (Sept. 5, 2018) - Two was the number of the weekend Derek Hagar, who recorded a pair of runner-up results during Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour presented by SawBlade.com competition at Lake Ozark Speedway.
Hagar kicked off the 9th annual LOS 360 Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday by charging from sixth to second place during a heat race.
"We drew the most stacked heat race of the night and I really wasn't expecting to finish second," he said. "I'd be content with passing one or two cars. I pulled my wing back before the green flag and anticipated everyone going to the bottom. I kept my momentum up and got by a couple on the start and passed Brian Brown on the next lap. I knew that was my ticket to being good in points. I got to the bottom as quick as I could and picked up one more spot by the end."
Hagar followed that performance up with a rally from sixth to third in a qualifier, which ranked him third in overall points out of more than 50 drivers. He dropped to fifth early in the race before charging to the runner-up position. By the time he secured it the leader, Sammy Swindell, had a sizeable advantage.
"We fell back to fifth at one point and we had a caution so I was able to regroup," he said. "We did something I normally don't do, which is run the bottom, and we got up to second."
The second-place finish locked Hagar into the feature redraw for Sunday's $10,000-to-win A Main. He pulled the No. 2 during the random redraw to line up on the outside of the front row for the 41-lap feature.
Much like the previous night, Swindell jumped out to the early advantage with Hagar in tow. The duo maintained the positions until the checkered flag was waved. Hagar's runner-up result was his 20th top five of the season and his 16th straight top five during 360ci winged sprint car competition.
"I knew Sammy was behind us and he'd be coming," Hagar said. "I thought if he gets by us I'll try to learn and capitalize in traffic. He got us on the first lap. I followed him and stayed with him in traffic, but he got through cars better than I did. I couldn't maneuver around cars like he could.
"We had a caution with about 18 laps to go and we had eight or nine lapped cars between us. They were fast enough to be there and I couldn't get around them. It's nothing to hang our head about. We finished second to Sammy Swindell. It's a great weekend for us. It's a big confidence boost. To go up there and be on the podium both nights, being second to Sammy Swindell, speaks to the strength of our team."
Hagar also raced a 305ci winged sprint car on Friday at Crowley's Ridge Raceway in Paragould, Ark., where he guided Jerry Caldwell's No. 11 from sixth to second place in a heat race and from sixth to third place in the A Main.
Hagar is scheduled to compete this Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.
QUICK RESULTS -
Aug. 31 - Crowley's Ridge Raceway in Paragould, Ark. - Heat race: 2 (6); Feature: 3 (6).
Sept. 1 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Heat race: 2 (6); Qualifier: 3 (6); Feature: 2 (3).
Sept. 2 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Feature: 2 (2).
SEASON STATS -
31 races, 5 wins, 20 top fives, 21 top 10s, 25 top 15s, 28 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HagarDerek
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - J&J Auto Racing
Located in McKenzie, Tenn., J&J Auto Racing has manufactured sprint car chassis and racing parts for more than 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.JandJAutoRacing.com .
"They've been in the family since J&J Auto Racing started building cars," Hagar said. "My stepdad's dad owned race cars back in the Riverside days. They are good, safe, dependable race cars and great people to deal with."
Hagar would also like to thank Dynotech Performance, DHR Suspension, B&D Towing and Recovery, Xtreme Race Graphics, Fragola Performance Systems, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Weld Wheels, Hinchman Racewear, Wix Filters, Wings Unlimited, FK Rod Ends, Valvoline and Ti64 for their continued support.
Hagar kicked off the 9th annual LOS 360 Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday by charging from sixth to second place during a heat race.
Hagar followed that performance up with a rally from sixth to third in a qualifier, which ranked him third in overall points out of more than 50 drivers. He dropped to fifth early in the race before charging to the runner-up position. By the time he secured it the leader, Sammy Swindell, had a sizeable advantage.
"We fell back to fifth at one point and we had a caution so I was able to regroup," he said. "We did something I normally don't do, which is run the bottom, and we got up to second."
The second-place finish locked Hagar into the feature redraw for Sunday's $10,000-to-win A Main. He pulled the No. 2 during the random redraw to line up on the outside of the front row for the 41-lap feature.
Much like the previous night, Swindell jumped out to the early advantage with Hagar in tow. The duo maintained the positions until the checkered flag was waved. Hagar's runner-up result was his 20th top five of the season and his 16th straight top five during 360ci winged sprint car competition.
"I knew Sammy was behind us and he'd be coming," Hagar said. "I thought if he gets by us I'll try to learn and capitalize in traffic. He got us on the first lap. I followed him and stayed with him in traffic, but he got through cars better than I did. I couldn't maneuver around cars like he could.
"We had a caution with about 18 laps to go and we had eight or nine lapped cars between us. They were fast enough to be there and I couldn't get around them. It's nothing to hang our head about. We finished second to Sammy Swindell. It's a great weekend for us. It's a big confidence boost. To go up there and be on the podium both nights, being second to Sammy Swindell, speaks to the strength of our team."
Hagar also raced a 305ci winged sprint car on Friday at Crowley's Ridge Raceway in Paragould, Ark., where he guided Jerry Caldwell's No. 11 from sixth to second place in a heat race and from sixth to third place in the A Main.
Hagar is scheduled to compete this Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.
QUICK RESULTS -
Aug. 31 - Crowley's Ridge Raceway in Paragould, Ark. - Heat race: 2 (6); Feature: 3 (6).
Sept. 1 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Heat race: 2 (6); Qualifier: 3 (6); Feature: 2 (3).
Sept. 2 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Feature: 2 (2).
SEASON STATS -
31 races, 5 wins, 20 top fives, 21 top 10s, 25 top 15s, 28 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HagarDerek
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - J&J Auto Racing
Located in McKenzie, Tenn., J&J Auto Racing has manufactured sprint car chassis and racing parts for more than 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.JandJAutoRacing.com .
"They've been in the family since J&J Auto Racing started building cars," Hagar said. "My stepdad's dad owned race cars back in the Riverside days. They are good, safe, dependable race cars and great people to deal with."
Hagar would also like to thank Dynotech Performance, DHR Suspension, B&D Towing and Recovery, Xtreme Race Graphics, Fragola Performance Systems, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Weld Wheels, Hinchman Racewear, Wix Filters, Wings Unlimited, FK Rod Ends, Valvoline and Ti64 for their continued support.
