What won the race: Winning the first MARS DIRTcar Series event held at Thunderbird Speedway since 2013, six-time series champion Terry Philips of Springfield, Mo., took the lead on the opening lap and raced to his series-leading 92nd career victory on the tour. The fourth-starting Phillips earned $3,000 for his 0.624-second win over Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo.

Quotable: “It started rubbering around the bottom, so, you know, I guess being the old veteran I am, I just started slowing down getting in (the turns). I knew he (Tony Jackson Jr.) couldn’t drive around me, and I tried to save my tire,” said Phillips. “At the end I thought it was blistering but I had a door hanging in my left rear so it kinda tore the tire up. I learned something from Larry Phillips one time. When you’re in the lead you can just slow down when it’s one laned. Don’t get in too big a hurry. That’s kinda what I did.”

Key notes: Phillips, who started fourth, made a three-wide pass exiting turn two to go from fourth to second on the first lap and then caught Jackson in turn three, making his pass for the lead as they raced down the front stretch on the opening circuit of the 30-lapper. ... Phillips won his first MARS feature since Aug. 12-13, 2016 when he swept a doubleheader at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. ... It was Phillips' first series win since MARS split into two divisions for the '17 season. ... Friday’s race marked the re-opening of Thunderbird Speedway, which hasn’t hosted racing in a couple of seasons. … A total of 97 cars entered across five classes. ... The program also served as a benefit for Michael Hornback, a local racing veteran who was critically injured in a vehicle accident at Peak and York recently and remains hospitalized. … There have been nine winners in 10 series events this season. Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., is the only repeat winner. ... R.C. Whitwell won the modified feature. ... While automobile racing began at Thunderbird Speedway in 1955, the track located at the Muskogee Fairgrounds first opened as a horse track in 1903.

On the move: B.J. Robinson Bossier City, La., started 15th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Phillips drives a Black Diamond Chassis with an Andy Durham Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Andy's Frozen Custard, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Don Babb Motorsports, New Vision Graphics, Integra Shocks, Keyser Mfg., Peterson Fluid Systems, Performance Bodies and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: Tony Jackson Jr. (556 points) of Lebanon, Mo., entered the race atop the series standings, followed by Mason Oberkramer (427), Joe Godsey (401), Jeff Roth (394) and Austin Rettig (392).

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Tony Jackson Jr.

Time: 21.604 seconds

Heat race winners: Tony Jackson Jr., Kyle Beard, Jon Mitchell

Next series race: June 10, Springfield Raceway (Springfield, MO) $3,000