By Pete Walton
Senoia, Georgia – August 18, 2012 – United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear National points leader, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas again raced from his outside front row starting position into the USCS www.RockAuto victory lane thirty-laps later to complete a sweep of the sprint car portion of the USCS Senoia Summer Nationals III at Senoia Raceway on Saturday night. It was Crawley’s eleventh 2012 USCS feature win. The K&N Filters Pole Position starter, 19 year-old Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee, the only female sprint car racer in the field, chased Crawley for the entire distance to finish in the runner-up spot. Turpen, the 2010 USCS National Rookie of the Year, closed several times on Crawley but could not pass the hard charging Arkansan. Turpen’s team-mate and defending series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee, chased the flying duo home in the K&N Filters Podium Award third position. The 2010 USCS Southern Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year, Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina followed the veteran in fourth place. Four-time 2012 USCS presented by Goodyear feature winner Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas rounded out the top five drivers.
raced past defending USCS Champion Terry Gray also from Bartlett, Tennessee after a lap twenty-three re-start into the runner-up position. He then chased Crawley to the finish line but couldn’t gain the momentum for a pass attempt. 2010 USCS National Rookie of the Year Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee followed that trio to the finish line in fourth place.
The next group was headed by 2008 USCS presented by Goodyear Rookie of the Year, and Friday night’s runner-up, Anthony Nicholson from Bartlett, Tennessee in sixth place. Past USCS Southern regional series Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina followed in seventh place. Rookie driver Howard Moore from Memphis, Tennessee made an impressive run and finished in eighth place. Another rookie driver, Jeff Wilingham from Ripley, Mississippi finished in the ninth place. USCS regular Nick DeFeo from Marietta, Georgia rounded out the top ten finishers.
Morgan Turpen best her all male rivals 6-lap Goodyear Speed Dash. Anthony Nicholson won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Crawley raced to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Howard Moore garnered the Goodyear, Rookie of Race honors.
The next United Sprint Car Series events are the four day “Red Dirt Rumble” 2012 mini-series at four dirt oval tracks only 90 minutes apart over the Labor Day holiday weekend. The four night/ four track swing includes a stop on Friday, August 31st at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia for Round One. On Saturday, September 1st the series invades Sugar Creek Raceway in Blue Ridge, Georgia for Round Two. On Sunday, September 2nd the USCS makes it’s second visit to the historic Toccoa Speedway in Toccoa, Georgia for Round Three. The four night Labor Day Weekend Classic concludes on Monday (Labor Day) September 3rd at Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina. For rules and 2012 schedule info on the USCS please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.
USCS results for USCS Summer Nationals III Finale at Senoia Raceway 8/18/12:
Goodyear Speed Dash: Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Tim Crawley, Eric Riggins, Jr., and Anthony Nicholson.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Anthony Nicholson, Terry Gray, Derek Hagar, Howard Moore, Danny Martin,Jr., Joe Larkin and Nick Defeo.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Tim Crawley, Morgan Turpen, Eric Riggins, Jr., Jeff Willingham, Johnny Bridges, Clint Weiss and Bob Auld..
USCS presented by Goodyear Feature Race results (30 laps) Senoia Raceway – Saturday, August 18, 2012.
1 – 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
2 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Bartlett, TN
3 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN Rookie
4 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
5 – 1A Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
6 – 16 Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
7 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
8 – 26 Howard Moore, Memphis, TN
9 – 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS – Rookie GA
10 – 96 Nick DeFeo, Marietta, GA
11 – 0x Clint Weiss, Columbus, GA
12 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA
13 – 82 Danny Martin, Jr., Sarasota, FL
14 – 83 Bob Auld, Largo, FL
GOODYEAR SPEED DASH WINNER: #80 Morgan Turpen
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: #80 Morgan Turpen
Wilwood Engineering HARDCHARGER AWARD: #1A Derek Hagar
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: #28 Jeff Willingham
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: #10 Terry Gray (3rd place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: #10 Terry Gray
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: #Eric Riggins, Jr.
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #1A Derek Hagar
DMI/Diversified Machine Top Ten Award: #96 Nick DeFeo
ENTRIES: 14
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS = Tim Crawley… Laps 1-30