By Pete Walton
Gastonia, NC – October 1, 2010 – Defending United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee raced from his second place starting position into victory lane in the twenty-lap Friday night preliminary Carolina Thunder Nationals main event. It was Gray’s seventh USCS win of the 2010 season in his familiar black #10 Rislone Engine Treatment sponsored, Wesmar powered, J&J Auto Racing winged sprint car.
Fifteen year-old rookie hot-shoe Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina charged from his sixth place starting position into the second position at the finish to record his fifth top three finish in the last six races including three runner-up finish. The evening’s Engler Machine and Tool First Heat winner, Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia, who is a two-time 2010 USCS feature winner finished in the third position.
Seventeen -year-old rookie points leader Morgan Turpen from Bartlett, Tennessee won the J.E. Pistons Third Heat Race then followed Linder home in fourth place in the main event. Lance Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina who was making his first USCS appearance since a May racing injury rounded out the top five.
The next group was headed by 2008 Southern Thunder rookie of the Year, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina in sixth place. Englishman, Adam Jackson from Timmonsville, South Carolina followed in seventh position. Nick Bashford from China Grove, North Carolina finished eighth. Brian Carter from Concord, North Carolina finished ninth. Veteran Ray Bugg from Iuka, Mississippi rounded out the top ten finishers.
Sport Allen from Seffner, Florida lead the first lap around the 4/10 mile speedway before the caution flew for rookie Troy Severin’s spin off turn four on lap two. After the restart during lap two, Allen hooked a rut in turn one then bicycled and flipping out of the speedway bringing out the only red flag of the main event. After Allen was deemed okay and his car was removed from just beyond the turn one retaining wall, Gray led the field to the green flag from the first place position. One other caution period occurred when Joe Larkin spun in turn one on lap six.
Nick Bash ford kicked off the evening’s action by gunning his Roush Yates ford powered #X car to a win in the six car, six lap Goodyear Speed Dash. Matt Linder won the 8-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Eventual feature winner Terry Gray rolled to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Gray’s team-mate Morgan Turpen captured the win in the J.E. Pistons Third Heat. Adam Jackson garnered the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award passing eight cars in the main event. Veteran sprint car racer Ray Bugg also advanced eight positions in the main event. Eric Riggins, Jr., garnered the Goodyear, Rookie of Race honors.
The next United Sprint Car Series racing event is on Saturday night back at Carolina Speedway for the Thunder Nationals Finals. For more information on that event please visit www.carolinaspeedway.net or call 704-869-031. For rules and info on the USCS please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.
USCS results Carolina Thunder Nationals Round 1 – Carolina Speedway 10/01/10
Goodyear Speed Dash:
Nick Bashford, Terry Gray, Morgan Turpen, Darren Clark and Brandon Rekow.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat:
Matt Linder, Eric Riggins, Jr., Brian Carter, Brian Maddox, David Clark, Darren Clark and Johnny Bridges DNS.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat:
Terry Gray, C.J. Miller, Erin Crocker, Nick Bashford, Jake McLain, Ray Bugg and Brandon Rekow.
J. E Pistons Third Heat:
Morgan Turpen, Sport Allen, Lance Moss, Troy Severin, Adam Jackson, Joe Larkin and Holly Jackson.
USCS presented by Goodyear Feature Race results (20 laps)
1 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
2 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC – Rookie
3 – 1X Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
4 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Bartlett, TN
5 – 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
6 – 67 Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
7 – 46 Adam Jackson, Timmonsville, SC
8 – X Nick Bashford, China Grove, NC
9 – 6c Brian Carter, Concord, NC
10 – 25 Ray Bugg, Iuka, MS
11 – 9 C.J. Miller, Denver, NC
12 – 45 Holly Jackson, Timmonsville, SC
13 – 3A Brain Maddox, Brandon, FL – DNS
14 – 21 David Clark, Huntersville, NC
15 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA
16 – 20Darren Clark, Huntersville, NC
17 – 98 Erin Crocker, Mooresville, NC
18 – 82 Sport Allen, Seffner, FL
19 – 11 Troy Severin, Ashland, VA – DNS
DNS – 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC
DNS – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
GOODYEAR SPEED DASH WINNER: Nick Bashford
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: Terry Gray
KSE Hard Charger AWARD: Adam Jackson (passed 8 cars)
GOODYEAR RACING TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Eric Riggins, Jr.
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Eric Riggins, Jr.
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: Lance Moss ( 5th place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: Matt Linder
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: Morgan Turpen
DYNOTECH TOP FIVE AWARD: Lance Moss
ENTRIES: 21
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS: Sport Allen Lap 1-11, Terry Gray Laps 2-20