WINCHESTER, Ind. — Darren Hagen survived a late-race tangle with second-place Chris Windom to win the 30-lap Rich Vogler Classic for the USAC National Sprint Car Series Sunday at Winchester Speedway.
Windom had been gaining on Hagen during the late stages of the race when he attempted a pass as they exited the fourth turn. The pair’s wheels touched, causing Hagen’s Keith Kunz Motorsports Bullet Chassis to slide sideways and lock wheels with Windom’s car.
Hagen restarted in the lead after the restart order reverted to the last completed lap. Windom was out of competition for the day.
“I can’t thank these guys enough,” Hagen said of his Kunz Motorsports crew. “We have been trying to win here for the last two years. We had a second and a third and now a win.”
On the final restart, Hagen pulled away while Dave Darland got around Tracy Hines to claim second. Brady Bacon was fourth and early leader Brian Gerster fifth.
Darland said his car was tight early in the day, but he kept working with crew chief Bubby Jones to make improvements. Darland and Jones tested their Pace Brothers a week ago and made even more changes on Sunday.
Hines, the day’s fastest qualifier, said his Tony Stewart Racing entry was having “little issues on restarts” and did not take off quickly on the final restart. Hines believed the tire stagger was slightly off.
“It made the difference,” said Hines. “I think we could have held on to second before the restart. It was a great race for everybody.”
The summary:
Qualifications: 1. Tracy Hines, Stewart 21, 14.143; 2. Chris Windom, Windom 17, 14.154; 3. Darren Hagen, Kunz 67, 14.310; 4. Levi Jones, Stewart 20, 14.455; 5. Dakoda Armstrong, C & A 7a, 14.506; 6. Brian Gerster, Davis/Gerster 27, 14.534; 7. Dave Darland, Pace 44, 14.550; 8. Brady Bacon, Kahne 99, 14.576; 9. Jerry Coons, Jr., Dynamics 69, 14.623; 10. Eric Gordon, Bowman 51, 14.628; 11. Jacob Wilson, Wilson 07, 14.702; 12. Cole Whitt, Kunz 67x, 14.724; 13. Mike Murgoitio, Murgoitio 80, 14.805; 14. Brad Sweet, Kahne 9, 14.837; 15. Shane Cottle, Contos 4, 14.909; 16. Jesse Hockett, VKCC 75, 15.074; 17. Aaron Pierce, Pierce 26, 15.385; 18. Brady Short, Short 36, 15.388; 19. Rex Norris III, Norris 63, 15.477; 20. Kenny Biro, Biro 22, 15.644; 21. Robert Ballou, MPHG 81, 15.646; 22. Damion Gardner, Leffler 71, 15.904; 23. Hunter Schuerenberg, Triple Crown 1h, 16.563; 24. Jim Swain, Swain 46, 16.706; 25. Brian Gingras, Ram 50m, no time; 26. Cole Whitt, Kunz 67k, no time.
First Heat  (10 laps): Darland, Hines, Murgoitio, Hockett, Gordon, Jones, Gardner, Norris.
Second Heat (10 laps): Pierce, Sweet, Bacon, Windom, Wilson, Gingras, Armstrong, Biro.
Third Heat (10 laps): Cottle, Short, Coons, Hagen, Gerster, Whitt, Ballou, Swain.
Feature (30 laps): Hagen, Darland, Hines, Bacon, Gerster, Wilson, Whitt, Armstrong, Jones, Gordon, Coons, Hockett, Murgoitio, Cottle, Short, Pierce, Gingras, Gardner, Biro, Sweet, Windom, Norris, Ballou.