(Photo Courtesy of Derek Hagar Racing)
Inside Line Promotions – MOBERLY, Mo. (Sept. 8, 2015) – Derek Hagar captured his first career 410ci nonwing sprint car feature victory on Sunday to wrap up a stout weekend in Missouri.
Hagar took the lead on the opening lap from his third starting position and he led the distance of the nonwing feature in the Jack Hockett/Dave Korte owned car at Randolph County Raceway, where he capped three straight nights of racing.
“We finally got a win in the Jesse Hockett car,” he said. “It made it pretty special to win the race the day before his birthday, too.”
The triumph was one of five podium finishes during the weekend for Hagar, who also competed all three nights in his own winged sprint car with the ASCS Warrior Region.
“It went great overall,” he said. “It was a handful to start out. On Friday night we jumped out of one car in hot laps and then into the other without taking my helmet off. All in all, we had top-three finishes all weekend. I wish every weekend went as well as last weekend.”
Hagar kicked off the weekend on Friday by making his debut at Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. He won his winged sprint car heat race from the pole, which locked him into the feature redraw. Unfortunately, he pulled the highest number – eight – to start the main event on the outside of the fourth row.
“It was a busy night all night long,” he said. “I got plenty of track time and got to learn a lot running both cars. That race track was really, really wide. You could do some good slide jobs and momentum around people on the top. We ended up salvaging a third-place finish out of it.”
Hagar had similar success in the nonwing car. After advancing from fifth to fourth place in a heat race, he powered from his seventh starting position to the lead late in the main event.
“We took the lead with about six laps to go and led about a lap and a half,” he said. “Then we had a mysterious caution and they put the guy that I passed two laps before in front of me. He was blocking the rest of the race. I finally got a good run on him coming to the checkered, but it was too late.”
Hagar posted a second-place finish before shifting to Randolph County Raceway for Saturday’s competition.
He opened the winged sprint action by charging from seventh to third place in a heat race to make the feature redraw. This time he pulled the No. 4 to start on the outside of the second row.
“The track started out good and slick,” he said. “We were fighting a free issue getting into turns three and four. We got into some good lapped cars and it started to get into slide job city. Right at the end of the race I slid Wayne (Johnson) for second at the white flag. He took the line going into turn one and I crossed him back and was able to get that spot.”
Hagar’s second-place result locked him into Sunday’s feature redraw. Unfortunately, the team found a mechanical issue during maintenance on Sunday that was solved thanks to help from locals.
“We redrew the No. 3 and started on the bottom lane and the track was real slick,” he said. “The guys on the outside had the advantage. By the time I got where I needed to be I was running fifth. I got by a guy to fourth and then the track started taking rubber. I tried to save the tires. I tried to use some of the silver crown experience.”
Hagar gained one more position to close with a third-place finish.
The nonwing finale on Sunday was prefaced by preliminary action on Saturday, when Hagar qualified second quickest before rallying from seventh to win a heat race. That lined him up on the inside of the second row for Sunday’s main event.
“I took the lead going into turn one and never looked back,” he said. “We went 16 laps green and had a caution with nine laps to go. I had a couple lapped cars between me and the second-place guy, which gave me a good cushion. I knew I just had to hit my marks. It was pretty smooth sailing.”
The victory was Hagar’s ninth overall this season.
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 4 – Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. (winged sprint) – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 3 (8).
Sept. 4 – Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. (nonwing sprint) – Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 2 (7).
Sept. 5 – Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo. (winged sprint) – Heat race: 3 (7); Feature: 2 (4).
Sept. 5 – Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo. (nonwing sprint) – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (7).
Sept. 6 – Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo. (winged sprint) – Feature: 3 (3).
Sept. 6 – Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo. (nonwing sprint) – Feature: 1 (3).
SEASON STATS –
36 races, 9 wins, 24 top fives, 28 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 31 top 20s
UP NEXT –
TBD
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, Xtreme Race Graphics, FSR Radiators, Fragola Performance Systems, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Hinchman Racewear, Wings Unlimited, FK Rod Ends, R.E. Enterprises, Ti64 and B&D Towing for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
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- Shawn Miller on Sep 08, 2015
- Article Date: 9/8/2015 by Inside Line Promotions