Columbus, MS – Saturday, March 1, 2014 – The 2013 and defending United Sprint Car Series Champion, Derek Hagar from Marion Arkansas drove his #9Jr. Dynotech powered J&J Auto Racing/R.E. Enterprises sprint car from outside the front row into the www.rockauto.com United Sprint Car Series victory lane at Magnolia Motor Speedway in the sprint car portion of the USCS “Frostbuster 250” presented by Carl Hogan Toyota season opener on Saturday night. It was Hagar’s twenty-first career USCS sprint car win and cast him as the favorite to repeat as the series National Champion during the 18th annual United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour National Championship season.
On the initial start, Hagar out raced Todd Fayard from Saucier, Mississippi into turn one to grab the lead on lap one. He then battled with 2012 series National Champion Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas for the next thirteen laps before Crawley hooked a rut midway through turns three and four and bicycled into the fence to lose ground on the streaking Hagar. Crawley took up the chase again only to have engine problems retire his Eddie Gallagher from Collierville, Tennessee in third place. Talented young gun, Brandon Hanks from Burleson, Tennessee followed in fourth place and veteran sprint car racer, Henry Gustavus from Marion, Arkansas rounded out the top five drivers.
The only female racer in the field, Morgan Turpen from Cordova, Tennessee who finished the 2013 title chase in third place led the next group of drivers to the finishline1 in sixth place. Greg Merritt from Nesbit, Mississippi followed her in seventh place. Lance Hester from Gulfport, Mississippi finished in eighth place followed by Jeff Willingham in ninth position and Todd Fayard rounded out the top ten drivers.
Terry Gray won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Tim Crawley collected the win in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Todd Fayard garnered the K&N Filters Pole Award. Greg Merritt who advanced the most positions in the main event earned the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hardcharger Award.
The next event for the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint cars will be on Saturday, March 15th at Tennessee National Raceway (formerly Hohenwald Motorsports) in Hohenwald, Tennessee. For information on Tennessee National Raceway please visit www.racetn.com or call 931-796-1890. For rules and info on the USCS Outlaw series please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-865-6097.
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters sprint car Main Event 25-laps
USCS Frostbuster 250 presented by Carl Hogan Toyota for USCS Outlaw Thunder winged sprint cars results
At Magnolia Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 1, 2014.
USCS Hoosier Speed Dash – 9jr Derek Hagar, 88 Tim Crawley, 10 Terry Gray, 10m Morgan Turpen, 28 Jeff Willingham.
Heat 1 – 10 Terry Gray, 1x Eddie Gallagher, 10m Morgan Turpen, 1A Lee Moore, 42 Henry Gustavus, 12m Greg Merritt and 13 Taylor Tidmore.
Heat 2 – 88 Tim Crawley, 9jr. Derek Hagar, 3H Brandon Hanks, 13F Todd Fayard, F16 Lance Hester and 28 Jeff Willingham.
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main event – 25 laps:
1. 9jr Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
2. 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
3. 1x Eddie Gallagher, Collierville, TN
4. 3h Brandon Hanks, Burleson, TN
5. 42 Henry Gustavus, Marion, AR
6. 10m Morgan Turpen, Cordova, TN
7. 12m Greg Merritt, Nesbit, MS
8. 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
9. 16f Lance Hester, Gulfport, MS
10. 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
11. 1a Lee Moore, Tuscaloosa, AL
12. 13 Todd Fayard, Saucier, MS
13. 13t Taylor Tidmore, Hernando, MS
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour Race Awards:
Hoosier USCS Sprint Speed Dash: 9Jr. Derek Hagar
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: 10 Terry Gray
Butlerbuilt Second Heat Award: #88 Tim Crawley
K&N Filters Pole Award: #13 Todd Fayard
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: 9Jr. Derek Hagar (1st place)
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: 1x Eddie Gallagher
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hardcharger Award: #12m Greg Merritt
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #42 Henry Gustavus
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: 10m Morgan Turpen
DMI/Bulldog rear Ends top Ten Award: #28 Jeff Willingham
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 2014 and 18th anniversary USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour: K&N Filters, www.rockauto.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Butlerbuilt, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Aero Race Wheels, Saldana Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends. KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, DSR Fuel Systems, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Schaeffer Oil and Safety-Kleen.