Prillaman wins Arena race
Published 10:37 pm Friday, January 11, 2013
Bouncing back from an opening-night disappointment, Scott Prillaman of Suffolk took the lead for good on lap 28 and stormed to his first victory of the new campaign in the 50-lap A Main of Arena Racing USA’s Pro Series events in Richmond on Saturday.
Bidding for his second straight A Main win, Tyler Hughes drew the pole and led the first 20 circuits, fighting off Robbie Davis, then Prillaman. On lap 18, though, Prillaman poked a fender alongside Hughes and initiated a battle for the top spot.
Prillaman nosed out front on lap 21, but Hughes remained stout in the outside lane and regained the lead on lap 24. With a slower machine looming ahead, Prillaman reclaimed the point on lap 28 and brought Cody Carlton along with him, to second.
The race’s only yellow flag waved on lap 35, when Dylan Loving and Troy Doggett tangled in Turn 3, while jousting for fifth place. For the ensuing restart, Carlton, Hughes and sixth-place Buzz Moore opted for the outside lane.
Scott Prillaman holds a trophy won in a race last year. Prillaman took the victory in the 50 Lap “A Main” race at the Arena Racing USA events Saturday at the Richmond Coliseum. He went on to finish second in the “Top Dog Race” the final feature. | Bill Carr/MotorSports Photo News Service
Back under green, Prillaman and Carlton went door-to-door until they reached Turn 4. Exiting the corner, Prillaman pulled ahead and began to ease away, while Davis closed in on Carlton, looking to swipe second.
By the finish, Prillaman had stretched his winning margin to 1.087 seconds — nearly half a straightaway — over Carlton, who held off Davis for second. Hughes was fourth to the line, followed by Moore.
Pete Hunt, Jason Styron and Doggett were sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, and claimed the final Top Dog transfer spots. Francis Jarrelle and Loving were early retirees and missed out on a Top Dog opportunity.
Robbie Davis of Chesapeake led wire-to-wire to capture the win in the 50-lap Top Dog feature, the headline event of the evening.
“A Main” winner Scott Prillaman had launched from the fifth spot.
At the finish, Davis was the winner by 0.592 seconds — about three lengths — over Prillaman. Carlton, making his season debut, was third, while Buzz Moore and Hughes completed the top five.
In the Pro Series standings, Hughes, who swept the Top Dog and A Main races on opening night, retained the lead. Davis, though, is just one point behind, 63-62. Hunt, Prillaman and Styron round out the top five.
