October 15, 2013 – By Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio and Race Chaser Online – Poplar Bluff, MO – Derek Hagar knows how to make the clutch plays when they count.
And for the 22-year-old out of Marion, Arkansas, he made a pivotal play in his quest for the 2013 United Sprint Car Series championship count during the outlaw sprint car portion of Saturday night’s Cotton Boll Cup at Poplar Bluff Speedway. Hagar rocketed from the K&N Pole Position and proceeded to hold off the advances of former series champions Terry Gray and Tim Crawley over the course of the 30-lap A-main to score his 20th career USCS feature win and 10th of the 2013 season.
For Hagar, the win not only meant becoming the only driver in the USCS ranks this season to reach the double-digit threshold in terms of victories, it also meant an extension on his national points lead that has, at times over the past couple of races, appeared slightly tenuous.
“We did what we had to do tonight,” Hagar said following the event. “We beat the guys we needed to beat, and against guys like Terry (Gray) and Tim (Crawley), to beat them means you have to put it in the winner’s circle. And we did that tonight.”
Gray, who ran second for the first two-thirds of the event, was picked off by Crawley, the defending USCS national champion, late in the going and the two veterans ultimately completed the podium, with the Mike Ward-owned #88 finishing second and Gray’s familiar #10 coming home third.
Morgan Turpen, the 2010 USCS national Rookie of the Year, finished fourth, and Jerrod Roller completed the top five.
Terry Gray began the night’s racing action with a victory in the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash. Lee Sowell won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat, and Gray followed up his dash victory with a win in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Morgan Turpen advanced the most positions in the main event to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The next USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour event will be the season finale USCS Fall Nationals at Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, Arkansas) on November 1st and 2nd. The event includes the traditional Flip Flop 50 double features for the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour. The special format features the first main event starting based on time trials, with the second main event fully inverted from the finish of the first main event. A $2,500 bonus is up for grabs to a driver who can win both main events.
For rules, updated schedules and other info on the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour, visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-865-6097.
Photo Credit: United Sprint Car Series
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour results at Poplar Bluff Speedway on Saturday, October, 12, 2013:
Hoosier Speed Dash Race Results: #10 Terry Gray, #9JR Derek Hager, #88 Tim Crawley, #5 Jerod Roller, #10M Morgan Turpen and #16 Anthony Nicholson
Engler Machine and Tool Heat #1 Race Results: #2 Lee Sowell, #88 Tim Crawley #27 Curt Terrell, #5 Jerod Roller, #10M Morgan Turpen, #22 Dustin Barks, #26 Marshall Skinner, #3-H Brandon Hanks, #13 Taylor Tidmore and #25 Ray Bugg.
Butlerbuilt Heat #2 Race Results: #10 Terry Grey, #9JR Derek Hager, #16 Anthony Nicholson, #11 Jake Roach, #28 Jeff Willingham, #7d Dylan DeJournett, #606 Carl Finder, #9 Kevin Petty and #31 Justin Webb.
USCS presented by K&N Filters Feature Race Results (30-laps)
Poplar Bluff Speedway, Poplar Bluff, MO
1. #9JR Derek Hager, Marion AR
2. #88 Tim Crawley, Benton AR
3. #10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
4. #10M Morgan Turpen, Cordova, TN
5. #5 Jerod Roller, Hernando, MS
6. #16 Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
7. #2 Lee Sowell, Nesbit, MS
8. #26 Marshall Skinner, Marion, AR
9. #27 Curt Terrell, Bartlett, TN – Rookie
10. #3H Brandon Hanks, Burleson, TN
11. #22 Dustin Barks, Farmington, MO
12. #13 Taylor Tidmore, Hernando, MS
13. #25 Ray Bugg, Iuka, MS
14. #7D Dylan DeJournett, Essex, MO
15. #11 Jake Roach, Sardis, TN – Rookie
16. #606 Carl Finder, Farmington, MO
17. #9 Kevin Petty, Farmington, MO
18. #28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
19. #31 Justin Webb, Drummonds, TN
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour Race Awards:
K&N Filters Pole Award: 9JR, Derek Hagar
K&N Filters Podium Award: 10, Terry Gray
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: 10M, Morgan Turpen
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: 3H, Brandon Hanks
