WINONA, Miss. — Past O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series Champion, Marshall Skinner scored his first feature win of the 2008 season Saturday in the 30-lap O’Reilly USCS Mid South Thunder main event at Central Mississippi Speedway.
Skinner battled his Speedweek 2008 co-champion and rival Tim Crawley for the entire 30 laps in the feature. Crawley finished two car-lengths back in the runner-up spot.
Crawley challenged Skinner on every lap for the final 29 circuits. Skinner was mostly racing a line around the guardrail, using the cushion for added traction. Crawley slid in low and drifted up in front of Skinner to momentarily take the lead at least 10 times, only to have the poised Skinner coolly drive back by to lead at the start- finish line on every lap.
“I threw everything at Skinner but the kitchen sink, trying to pass him,” said Crawley. “I just didn’t have one of those in the car.”
While Skinner and Crawley battled in front, Derek Hagar won a three-way battle behind the leaders to finish third ahead of Terry Gray in fourth and Lee Sowell in fifth.
The finish:
Marshall Skinner, Tim Crawley, Derek Hagar, Terry Gray, Lee Sowell, Ronny Howard, Anthony Nicholson, Raymond Stull, Justin Carver, Greg Merritt, Buster Dickerson, Don Young, Chris Williams, Kenny Coke, Roger Oakes.