LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas bragging rights reigned supreme Friday night, as Marion’s Derek Hagar worked pastTennessee’s Landon Britt in the closing laps for his second career victory in the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series National Tour at I-30 Speedway.
After starting from fifth position, Hagar would fall to seventh initially, but he made it back to fifth on lap six.
Battling with Wayne Johnson and Aaron Reutzel through lap 10, the restart was brought back immediately as second-running Tim Crawley struck a cone.
Slotting in third behind Ryan Timms, Hagar made quick work of the DriveWFX.com No. 5t to begin focusing on Britt.
Moving his line around the quarter-mile track, Hagar made the move on Britt for the lead on lap 18.
Pulling away from Britt over the closing laps, Hagar hit the finish with 1.541 seconds of breathing room.
“The cautions are what helped me get by Landon. I feel like he had the best car, but once we got in clean air, my car was pretty good,” said Hagar. “I built this kid his first racecar and he’s improved every year, and to be out here leading a National Tour race, his win’s coming. I hate that I had to be the one to pass him, but it’s nice having DHR Suspension and DynoTech Power running one-two tonight.”
The win would be Hagar’s sixth career win overall against the National Tour.
In his fourth A-Feature appearance, Britt notched his first podium in the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. Derek Hagar, 2. Landon Britt, 3. Ryan Timms, 4. Aaron Reutzel, 5. Wayne Johnson, 6. Dale Howard, 7. Brandon Anderson, 8. Howard Moore, 9. Garet Williamson, 10. Seth Bergman, 11. Jason Martin, 12. Blake Hahn, 13. Landon Crawley, 14. Dustin Gates, 15. Tim Crawley, 16. Dylan Westbrook, 17. Christopher Townsend, 18. Ryan Bickett, 19. Chris Martin, 20. Bradyn Baker 21. Cody Gardner, 22. Matt Covington, 23. Jeffrey Newell, 24. Ernie Ainsworth