By Gary Daughtrey
Special to the News-Herald

Suffolk’s Scott Prillaman grabbed the top spot in the two top races during Arena Racing USA’s night at the Richmond Coliseum on Friday.

Prillaman took the lead on lap 2 and sailed to his sixth Pro Series victory of the season in the 50-lap Top Dog race, the featured event of Friday evening’s FeedMore 200 for Arena Racing USA at the Richmond Coliseum.

The win was Prillaman’s second in Top Dog competition and second of the night, as he picked up the A Main victory earlier in the evening. With the Top Dog/A Main sweep, he kept the pressure on series points leader Travis Wall, heading into the season finale on April 7.

Robbie Davis drew the pole for the start of the event, sharing the front row with Prillaman. Jason Styron and Tyler Hughes filled Row 2, while Wall and Cody Carlton launched from Row 3.

As the race got under way, Davis and Prillaman dueled for the lead with Davis nosing ahead at the end of the opening circuit. Prillaman rallied on lap 2, however, and surged ahead as they passed beneath the flagstand. Davis settled into second, followed by Wall, Hughes and Carlton.

The first caution flag flew on lap 14 when Jason Manes looped his machine in Turns 1 and 2.

On the double-file restart, Prillaman powered ahead of Davis, who soon found Wall to his inside. After three laps of door-to-door action, Davis regained command of the runner-up spot and left the door open for Carlton, Hughes and Jordan Wood, who all freight-trained Wall back to sixth.

The second caution flag appeared on lap 26, when B Main winner Troy Doggett spun in Turn 4. The third yellow flag waved on the ensuing restart, when second-place Davis nearly overturned in Turn 4 with help from Hughes. The incident sent Davis to the sidelines and Hughes to the back of the pack.

Restarting to Prillaman’s outside, Carlton was a little too quick on the accelerator and prompted the fourth yellow flag as the field slowed.

Back under green, Prillaman dispensed with Carlton and opened the door for Wood, who motored underneath Carlton in a bid for second. Wood cleared Carlton on lap 41, only to see Carlton change lanes and move back underneath him.

Before the Wood/Carlton battle could play out further, the fifth, and final, caution flag was unfurled on lap 44 as Matt Midgett and Scott Allen tangled off Turn 4, resulting in heavy damage to Midgett’s car.

With caution laps now being scored, the field girded for a “green-white-checkered” finish. Prillaman and Wood shared the front row for the double-file restart, followed by Carlton and Wall in Row 2. Under green for the final time, Prillaman bolted ahead, while Carlton moved up to resume his duel with Wood.

At the finish, Prillaman was the winner by half a straightaway over Wood, who nipped Carlton by half a car-length for second. Wall was fourth and Manes completed the top five.

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Prillaman moved out front on the 46th circuit and rolled to his fifth win of the season in the caution-filled, 50-lap Insurance Doctor A Main.

On lap 46, Prillaman cleared Robbie Davis in Turns 1 and 2. As he drove away, a multi-car mess broke out in his mirror, triggered by Davis and Cody Carlton, both of whom earned trips to the back of the pack.

Facing a “green-white-checkered” sprint to the finish, Prillaman eased ahead of Tyler Hughes as they roared into Turn 1 on the last restart. While Hughes dropped into a tussle for second with Travis Wall, Prillaman widened his advantage.

At the finish, Prillaman was the winner by three car-lengths over Wall. Hughes was third, followed by Jordan Wood and Jason Styron.

Complete results of all races were as follows:

• PRO SERIES TOP DOG (50 laps): 1. Scott Prillaman; 2. Jordan Wood; 3. Cody Carlton; 4. Travis Wall; 5. Jason Manes; 6. Tyler Hughes; 7. Scott Allen; 8. Austin Jefferson; 9. Matt Midgett; 10. Robbie Davis; 11. Troy Doggett; 12. Jason Styron; 13. Daniel Thomas; 14. Dylan Loving. Pole: Davis.
• PRO SERIES A MAIN (50 laps): 1. Scott Prillaman; 2. Travis Wall; 3. Tyler Hughes; 4. Jordan Wood; 5. Jason Styron; 6. Austin Jefferson; 7. Cody Carlton; 8. Robbie Davis; 9. Pete Hunt; 10. Mike Weddell; 11. Tommy Jackson Jr. Pole: Hughes.
• PRO SERIES B MAIN (50 laps): 1. Troy Doggett; 2. Scott Allen; 3. Jason Manes; 4. Matt Midgett; 5. Dylan Loving; 6. Daniel Thomas; 7. Lin O’Neill; 8. Cayton Hornberger; 9. Nathan Thomas; 10. Josh Thomas. Pole: Hornberger.
•  YOUTH SERIES (38 laps): 1. Macy Causey; 2. Tripp Thurston; 3. Savannah Cook; 4. Jordan Valdes; 5. Brooke Causey. Pole: Thurston.