By Gary Daughtrey

Special to the News-Herald

Scott Prillaman assumed the lead on lap 44 and sailed to the victory in the 50-lap A-Main Arena Racing USA event at the Richmond Coliseum on Saturday. The win was his fifth overall and fourth straight in the A-Main competition.

Robbie Davis drew the pole for the start of the event and paced the first 43 circuits, with Prillaman and Tyler Hughes in tow.

On lap 44, though, Tyler Daniels and Dylan Loving tangled in Turn 4, just ahead of the leaders. As the race’s fourth caution flag waved, Davis and Prillaman came to a halt to avoid contact. Reviewing the incident, officials determined that Davis didn’t stop quite quickly enough to stay out of the melee and he was directed to the rear of the field, handing the top spot to Prillaman.

Hughes lined up in second place, followed by Cody Carlton and Pete Hunt. For the ensuing restart, Carlton opted to launch from the outside lane, alongside Prillaman. Back under green, Prillaman made short work of Carlton and left the inside lane open for Hughes. Exiting Turn 2, Hughes pinched Carlton into the outside wall, causing extensive suspension damage on Carlton’s No. 94 machine. Carlton slowed to a crawl in Turns 3 and 4, prompting the last of the race’s five yellow flags. Carlton was eliminated from the contest, while Hughes was relegated to the back of the pack.

On the final restart, Prillaman easily outdistanced Jason Styron and won by 1.108 seconds — more than half a straightaway. Styron was second to the line, followed by Davis, who rebounded from his earlier misfortune to take third. Pete Hunt and Troy Doggett rounded out the top five. Hughes, Loving and Cayton Hornberger were sixth, seventh and eighth, in that order, and joined the top five in advancing to the Top Dog finale.

Prillaman notched his fourth Pro Series pole award in late afternoon qualifying. He lapped the tenth-mile oval in 7.865 seconds to trim Troy Doggett by 37-thousandths of a second. Tyler Hughes, Robbie Davis and Pete Hunt rounded out the top five. Twenty-one drivers posted timed laps, with 1.665 seconds separating the fastest and slowest.

In Youth Series time trials, Arena Racing newcomers Camden Testerman and Timmy Tyrrell showed the way. Testerman claimed the pole award, stopping the clock in 8.661 seconds. Tyrrell was 76-thousandths of a second off the pole winner’s pace. Ryleigh Lemonds, Olivia Florian and Garrett Manes were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the rundown.