Final race, say, under arc lights for starters (8)
I believe the answer is:
eventual
'final' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'race say under arc lights for starters' is the wordplay.
'race say' becomes 'event' (race is a kind of event).
'for starters' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letters of 'under arc lights' is 'ual'.
'event'+'ual'='EVENTUAL'
(Other definitions for eventual that I've seen before include "'Inevitable, with time (8)'" , "Coming at last, ultimate" , "Happening in due course" , "Occurring at the end, ultimate" , "Occurring after some time" .)