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ARENA RACING USA - Interstate Batteries 200

ARENA RACING USA at Richmond (Va.) Coliseum
Interstate Batteries 200
Race Report

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 5) -- Robbie Davis of Chesapeake, Va., led wire-to-wire to capture the win in the 50-lap Top Dog feature, the headlining event of Saturday evening's Interstate Batteries 200 for Arena Racing USA's Pro Series at the Richmond Coliseum.
Due to start fifth on the 14-car grid, Davis got a break when Cayton Hornberger and John Seward, who were slated to start first and third, opted to drop to the rear of the field. Tyler Hughes shared the front row with Davis, while Pete Hunt and Jason Styron lined up in Row 2. A Main winner Scott Prillaman launched from the fifth spot.
As the race got going, Davis leaped out front. Hughes settled into second, followed by Hunt and Styron, who were door-to-door for third. On lap 4, Styron got the better of Hunt and left the outside lane open for Prillaman, who took over fourth. On lap 10, Prillaman nosed ahead of Styron for third.
The first caution flag waved on lap 12 when newcomer John Seward overturned off Turn 4. The incident wiped out Davis' lead, which had grown to a straightaway over Hughes. The second yellow flag appeared on the ensuing double-file restart when Hughes beat Davis to the green flag.
On the next restart, Davis got a boost from Prillaman and quickly cleared Hughes. Prillaman tagged along with his teammate and took over second, while Cody Carlton moved up to third, dropping Hughes to fourth.
Caution flag #3 flew on lap 20 for a three-car tangle in Turn 2. Davis and Prillaman occupied the front row for the ensuing restart, followed by Carlton and Hughes.
As the race resumed, Davis and Carlton dashed ahead of Prillaman, who fell to third. Behind the lead trio, Hunt and Hughes scuffled for fourth. At the halfway mark, Davis owned a two-length edge over Carlton, while Prillaman lurked a car-length behind Carlton.
The fourth caution flag was displayed on lap 29 when rookie John Alford stopped in Turn 3 after contact with the backstretch wall.
Back under green, Davis and Carlton dueled for a lap before Davis edged out front. Prillaman swiped second from Carlton, while Hughes and Hunt resumed their battle for fourth.
Two more caution flags, the race's sixth and seventh, appeared in the final five laps as a fifth-place scrap involving Hunt and Tommy Jackson Jr. flared up. Officials ended up parking Jackson before the final restart when he made contact with Hunt under the caution flag.
Under green for the last time, Davis motored ahead of Prillaman, who soon found Carlton to his inside. The two went side-by-side until lap 48 when Prillaman gained the upper hand.
At the finish, Davis was the winner by 0.592-second -- about three lengths -- over Prillaman. Carlton, making his season debut, was third, while Buzz Moore and Hughes completed the top five. Jason Manes was sixth, followed by Hunt, Jackson, Alford and Seward. Styron and Hornberger were shown in 11th and 12th, in that order. Scott Allen and Troy Doggett were unable to make the start. For qualifying for the event, though, they still picked up a bonus point apiece.
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.

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Bouncing back from an opening night disappointment, Scott Prillaman of Suffolk, Va., took the lead for good on lap 28 and stormed to his first victory of the new campaign in the 50-lap A Main.
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.
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.

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Tommy Jackson Jr. of Poquoson, Va., moved out front on lap 12 and rolled to his first victory in the 50-lap B Main, a caution-filled affair.
Scott Allen started on the pole, but gave way to his front-row mate, Youth Series graduate Tripp Thurston, as the race got under way. With Allen in tow, Thurston set the pace for the first 11 circuits.
On lap 12, Thurston got crossed up off Turn 2. Allen checked up and Jackson ducked low and passed both Allen and Thurston to take over the top spot. Allen quickly brought out the second caution flag with a spin into Turn 3.
Back under green, Jackson bolted from the pack, while Thurston and Cayton Hornberger tussled for second. That battle ended on lap 22 when Thurston got out of shape in Turn 4 and collected Jason Manes. Thurston took the brunt of the exchange and was relegated to the sidelines.
The caution flag flew three more times, on laps 30, 38 and 45, as the event inched toward its conclusion.
On the final restart, Jackson got a friendly shove from Manes and cleared Allen as they raced into Turn 1. While Manes and Allen dueled for second, Jackson pulled away, winning by 1.279 seconds. Allen was second to the line, followed by Manes, Hornberger and John Alford. John Seward nabbed sixth place, the final Top Dog transfer position. Lin O'Neill, Dystany Spurlock and Thurston didn't make it to the finish and were left on the sidelines for the Top Dog race.

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Garrett Manes of Powhatan, Va., grabbed the lead on lap 8 and roared to his second straight victory in a 30-lapper for the Youth Series.
Aubrey Hill started on the pole and led the first six laps. Amidst slower traffic, Ryleigh Lemonds moved out front on lap 7, only to see Manes flash past on the following circuit.
The only caution flag appeared on lap 11 when Hunter Taylor plowed into the inside barricade along the backstretch. Hill also exited the festivities during the ensuing caution period.
Back under green, Manes and Lemonds quickly distanced themselves from Autumn Weaver and Olivia Florian. Little by little, Manes pulled away from Lemonds, extending his margin to three lengths.
On lap 17, Manes ran up on slower traffic and Lemonds closed in. Her charge was derailed, though, when she and Weaver tangled in Turn 1 on lap 20, allowing Manes to open a full-straightaway advantage.
Nearing the finish, Manes decided not to risk another foray into traffic. He gave up some of his healthy margin, but still won by nearly half a straightaway -- 0.802-second, to be exact. Lemonds was second for the second week in a row, followed by Weaver, Florian, Hill and Taylor.

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QUALIFYING RESULTS:
In late afternoon qualifying, Chesapeake's Cody Carlton claimed the pole award, lapping the tenth-mile layout in 8.049 seconds. Scott Prillaman was second-fastest, only 51-thousandths of a second off Carlton's pace. Troy Doggett, Robbie Davis and Tyler Hughes rounded out the top five. Eighteen drivers posted timed laps and less than a second separated the fastest and slowest.

Garrett Manes nabbed his second straight pole award in Youth Series time trials, clocking in at 9.393 seconds. Ryleigh Lemonds was next in the qualifying results, 0.206-second behind Manes. Olivia Florian, Autumn Weaver, Aubrey Hill and Hunter Taylor completed the rundown.