Inside Line Promotions – GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (May 24, 2016) – Derek Hagar powered to a trio of podium finishes last weekend, including his first non-wing sprint car victory of the season.
The action began on Friday at Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo., where Hagar did double duty by driving his winged sprint car in ASCS Warrior Region competition and a non-wing sprint car for David Korte with the WAR Sprint Car Series.
“We started the night off real good in the winged car,” said Hagar, who won a heat race from the pole and started the main event fourth. “I got up to second pretty early and chased the leader down. I didn’t have a shot at throwing anything at him. I got close, but the caution came out when we got to lapped traffic. When we went back green we stayed nose to tail. We got into traffic toward the end of the race. I got under him in turns one and two and there was a lapped car in my way so I had to back off. I chased him back down and threw a big move going into turn three on the last lap. I pulled beside him and we drag raced to the line. He got me by about a car length.”
Hagar placed second in the main event, which was his third runner-up result of the season.
He had similar success in non-wing action as Hagar advanced from fifth to fourth place in a heat race before capitalizing on a late-race red flag during the main event.
“We had a long red and we made a lot of changes,” he said. “I went from seventh to third in the last eight laps. The changes we made really helped. If we could have had another late caution we could have had second.”
Hagar finished third for the fifth time this season.
The weekend wrapped up on Saturday at Valley Speedway, where Hagar and Korte teamed up for another non-wing event. Hagar charged from eighth to third place in a heat race, which lined him up on the inside of the fourth row for the main event.
“I got up to third pretty quick, got up to second and then had some good runs in traffic catching the leader,” he said. “We had a caution a little over halfway. The leader didn’t really take off like a normal start and I got into him going into turn one. It wasn’t anything real bad and he slipped off the bottom. I opened my entry into the corner, turned underneath and shot under him. He turned down and my right rear ran over his left front. He was upset, but it wasn’t anything intentional.”
Hagar led for the remainder of the race to capture his sixth total triumph and 14th podium finish this season.
Hagar will kick off the first half of the USCS Speedweek with races on Friday at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, Miss.; Saturday at Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss.; Sunday at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, Miss., and Monday at Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, Tenn.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 20 – Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. (winged sprint car) – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 2 (4).
May 20 – Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. (nonwing sprint car) – Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 3 (7).
May 21 – Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. (nonwing sprint car) – Heat race: 3 (8); Feature: 1 (7).
SEASON STATS –
20 races, 6 wins, 15 top fives, 16 top 10s, 17 top 15s, 18 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, Miss.; Saturday at Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss.; Sunday at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, Miss., and Monday at Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, Tenn., for the first half of the USCS Speedweek
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HagarDerek
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Fragola Performance Systems
Housed in Southington, Conn., Fragola Performance Systems manufactures fittings, lines and hoses for the racing industry. For more information, visit http://www.FragolaPerformanceSystems.com.
“Fragola Performance Systems are all in all a good fitting and line manufacturer,” Hagar said. “They make really good lightweight hose. I prefer them over anybody else as far as a good pressure hose.”
Hagar would also like to thank B&D Towing, Dynotech Performance, DHR Suspension, J&J Auto Racing, Xtreme Race Graphics, FSR Radiators, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Hinchman Racewear, Wings Unlimited, FK Rod Ends and Ti64 for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.