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

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 12) -- Chesapeake, Va.'s Robbie Davis led flag-to-flag to post his second straight victory in the 50-lap Top Dog race for Arena Racing USA's Pro Series, the featured event of Saturday evening's program at the Richmond Coliseum. Making his first start of the new season, Nathan Thomas was due to start the night's final race from the pole. He opted to fall to the rear of the field, though, joined by Jason Styron. Three other Top Dog qualifiers -- Scott Allen, Albert Falk and Cayton Hornberger -- were unable to take the green flag. In the reconstituted lineup, Tommy Jackson Jr. moved up to the pole slot, flanked by Davis. Tyler Hughes and Jason Manes shared the second row, while Troy Doggett and Francis Jarrelle III occupied Row 3. On the original start, Jackson leaped ahead of Davis. Officials weren't satisfied with the launch, however, and the field was immediately brought under the caution flag for a complete restart. Under green for a second time, Davis nosed ahead of Jackson to take the lead. The two remained side-by-side for the first three circuits with Davis surging ahead at the stripe each time. On lap 4, Davis cleared Jackson along the backstretch. Jackson settled into second, followed by Hughes, Scott Prillaman, who started seventh, and Doggett and Manes, who were door-to-door for fifth. On lap 6, Manes got the better of Doggett to grab the spot. By lap 11, Davis had opened a four-length edge over Jackson, who enjoyed a similar margin over Hughes and Prillaman. On lap 14, Prillaman slipped underneath Hughes in Turns 1 and 2 and nosed into third at the line. Hughes battled back on lap 15, but Prillaman returned the favor on lap 16, eventually pulling ahead on the 18th circuit. At the front, Davis pulled away by half a straightaway as Jackson found himself mired in traffic. With Jackson struggling, Prillaman closed in. On lap 25, Prillaman eased ahead of Jackson for second. The two would swap the runner-up position a few more times with Prillaman gaining the clear-cut advantage on lap 30. The Prillaman/Jackson tussle allowed Davis to pad his lead to a full straightaway. Closing in on the final 10 circuits, Prillaman was chipping away at Davis' margin. Without some help, though, he wasn't narrowing the gap quickly enough. For Prillaman, aid came on lap 40 in the form of a three-car tangle in Turn 2, which prompted the last the race's two caution flags. On the double-file restart, Davis eked out a half-length lead over Prillaman, who was planted on his outside flank. On lap 41, Davis cleared Prillaman and, joined by third-place Hughes, the top three bolted from the pack. After laying back a car-length or so for a few laps, Prillaman pulled nose-to-tail with Davis as the white flag went in the air. Rather than rough up his teammate, Prillaman followed in Davis' tire tracks for most of the final lap before ducking low off the last corner. At the line, Davis was the winner by 0.130-second -- barely a car-length. Prillaman came home in second, followed by Hughes, Manes and Jackson. Doggett was sixth, the final driver to complete the entire distance. Jarrelle was seventh, while Dystany Spurlock, Jason Styron, Tripp Thurston and Thomas rounded out the rundown. Though they didn't start, Allen, Falk and Hornberger still received one point for qualifying for the Top Dog race. In the Pro Series standings, Davis has pulled into a tie with Hughes for the top spot. Both drivers have accumulated 95 points. Prillaman is five points behind, in third, while Styron and Jackson rank fourth and fifth, in that order.

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Scott Prillaman of Suffolk, Va., moved out front on a restart at lap 23 and sailed to his second straight win in the 50-lap Insurance Doctor A Main. Cayton Hornberger drew the pole for the start, but gave way to his front-row mate, Tyler Hughes, as the race got under way. Cody Carlton took over the second spot, while Hornberger dropped to third. Meanwhile, Prillaman and Pete Hunt were door-to-door for fourth. The first caution flag flew on lap 5 when Albert Falk overturned in the second corner. Back under green, Hughes fought off a bid by Carlton to maintain the lead. Nearing the halfway mark, Hughes opened a two-length advantage as Carlton scrambled to hold off Prillaman and Robbie Davis. The last of the race's two caution flags waved on lap 23 when Hornberger spun on the backstretch, just ahead of the leaders. Hughes slipped past, but Carlton wasn't as fortunate. He was collected in the incident and relegated to the sidelines. Bunching for the ensuing restart, Hughes opted for the outside lane, ceding the inside groove to Prillaman. The gamble failed to pay off for the leader, though, as Prillaman grabbed the top spot off Turn 2. By lap 30, Prillaman had increased his lead to half a straightaway over Hughes and Davis, who were nose-to-tail for second. That margin continued to swell over the final 20 circuits. At the finish, Prillaman was the winner by 1.325 seconds -- nearly a full straightaway -- over Hughes. Davis was third, followed by Jason Styron and Troy Doggett. Francis Jarrelle III, Hornberger and Falk were sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, claiming the final Top Dog transfer spots. Hunt and Carlton were shown in ninth and 10th, in that order, while mechanical problems forced Dylan Loving to the infield during the parade laps.

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In the 50-lap Pete Rose Landscape Products B Main, Tommy Jackson Jr. of Poquoson, Va., swiped the lead from pole-sitter Dystany Spurlock on the opening circuit and cruised to his second win in a row, staying ahead of six caution-causing incidents. Jason Manes grabbed second place from Scott Allen on a restart at lap 23 and tailed Jackson to the finish, crossing the line a little more than a car-length back. Allen was third, followed by Tripp Thurston, Spurlock and Nathan Thomas, who overcame a pair of rollovers to claim the final Top Dog transfer position. John Seward, John Alford, Tyler Daniels and Lin O'Neill were shown in the seventh through 10th positions and missed out on the Top Dog finale.

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In a 30-lapper for the Youth Series, Garrett Manes of Powhatan, Va., regained the lead on the 29th circuit and extended his season-opening winning streak to three. Manes drew the pole and held sway for the first 24 laps. On lap 25, though, he and second-place Ryleigh Lemonds tangled off Turn 2, passing the lead to Aubrey Hill. On the ensuing restart, Lemonds and Manes got together again, sidelining Lemonds for the evening. Gathering for what would turn out to be the final restart, only Hill, Manes and Olivia Florian remained from the six-car starting field. Back under green for a sprint to the finish, Manes tailed Hill until the next-to-last circuit. Exiting Turn 2 on lap 29, he ducked low and flashed past Hill as the two reached the third corner. By the checkers, Manes had stretched his winning margin to 1.063 seconds -- nearly half a straightaway -- over Hill. Florian was third, while Lemonds, Hunter Taylor and Autumn Weaver were credited with fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

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QUALIFYING RESULTS:
Scott Prillaman topped the afternoon qualifying session to earn his second Pro Series pole award of the season, stopping the clock at 7.875 seconds. Tyler Hughes was second-quickest, 22-thousandths of a second off Prillaman's standard. Robbie Davis, Cody Carlton and Troy Doggett completed the top five.

In Youth Series time trials, Ryleigh Lemonds qualified in 8.728 seconds to nab her first pole award, bringing a halt to Garrett Manes' early-season pole streak. Manes was the runner-up in Saturday's session, 0.175-second off Lemonds' pace. Olivia Florian, Aubrey Hill, Autumn Weaver and Hunter Taylor rounded out the rundown.