What won the race: Leading 40 laps from outside the front row, reigning series champ Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., grabbed a $5,000 MARS Championship Series victory at Highland Speedway. Feger's first tour victory of 2024 was the 24th of his career as he primarily hugged the quarter-mile oval's hub. The race's critical caution came on lap 17 when groove-swapping Dillon McCowan and Daryn Klein tangled at the end of the frontstretch while battling second, knocking both out of the race.

Quotable: "We've had a lot of bad luck luck lately," Feger said. "We've been really, really fast (and) should have won a lot of races and we just keep having flat tires and bad luck. But hopefully the monkey's off our back."

Key notes: Feger finished 1.030 seconds ahead of series points leader Allen Weisser. ... Before their departures, Dillon McCowan and Daryn Klein pressured Feger frequently until their lap-17 tangle. ... McCowan, winner of Friday's opener at Kankakee County Speedway, momentarily led lap seven before the move was erased by a caution. ... Feger, McCowan and Klein went three-wide at the flagstand on the first lap and Klein briefly lost control, cutting the turn-one corner and coming back out on the track without issue. ... Saturday's feature was slowed by six separate incidents and lasted 31 minutes. ... Fourth-running Justin Duty slowed with right-side damage after hitting the frontstretch wall on the 37th lap. .... Fourth-running Gordy Gundaker slowed on the 23rd lap. ... Ryan Unzicker required a tow after getting hung up with Darrel Moser on lap 11. ... Matt Bailey rallied to finish fifth after spinning to draw a caution on lap six. ... Six drivers (Adam Tischhauser, Daniel Adams, Duty, Tommy Sheppard, Shannon Kuhn and Jason Suhre) were part of a turn-two stackup on the third lap that drew a red flag. ... Alabama driver Chase Oliver made his series debut, finishing 10th.

On the move: Tail-starting Kye Blight of Bunbury, Western Australia, finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Feger’s Longhorn Chassis has a Jay Dickens Racing Engine with sponsorship from Titan Industries, Digital Copy Systems, Hoker Trucking, The Big Cheese MM, Floyd’s Waste Systems, Remtek Enterprises, RLM Enterprises, Cheap Cars, FK Rod Ends, Keyser Manufacturing, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, VP Racing Fuels and Griffin Signs.

Points chase: After Highland: 1. Allen Weisser (187); T2. Jason Feger (168); T2. Bob Gardner (168); 4. Kye Blight (157); 5. Mitch McGrath (152); 6. Tommy Sheppard Jr. (145).

Current weather: Clear, 79°F

Car count: 36

Fast qualifier: Allen Weisser

Time: 13.045 seconds

Polesitter: Dillon McCowan

Heat race winners: Allen Weisser, Daryn Klein, Jason Feger, Dillon McCowan

Consolation race winners: Mark Voigt, Michael Kloos

Provisional starters: Ryan Unzicker, Kye Blight

Next series race: May 25, Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, IL) $5,000