By Pete Walton
Gastonia, NC – October 2, 2010 – Second generation sprint car star, Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia charged from his sixth place starting position past early race-leader, Sport Allen from Seffner, Florida into the lead on lap twenty of the 30-lap United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear to claim the victory in the winged sprint car Championship round of the Carolina Thunder Nationals 2010 on Saturday night at Carolina Speedway. The win was Linder’s third in USCS competition this season. His #1x J&J Auto Racing sprint car is wrenched by National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Father, Fred Linder. Seventeen year-old female sprint car star and USCS rookie point’s leader Morgan Turpen from Bartlett, Tennessee won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race then followed Linder home in the runner-up spot in the main event.
Turpen started from the K&N Filters Pole Position after earning the most passing points on the evening and then drew a zero inversion in the K&N Filters inversion drawing. The Butlerbuilt Second Heat winner Sport Allen started outside of her for the initial green flag. Allen charged into the lead in turn one of the initial lap with Turpen and Erin Crocker from Mooresville, North Carolina in hot pursuit of the top spot. Defending series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee, Matt Linder and C.J. Miller from Denver, North Carolina followed the trio in that order.
On lap fifteen Linder moved past Gray into the top four. Three laps later, on lap eighteen, Linder charged past Erin Crocker into third place. On lap nineteen he squeezed past Morgan Turpen into the runner-up spot. On the following lap he took over the lead from Sport Allen who had led the first nineteen circuits.
A lap-25 caution flag slowed the field after twenty five caution-free circuits. This bunched the field behind, Linder. On the re-start for the final five-lap dash to victory lane he proved no one had anything for him on this evening. He was followed across the finish line by two of the country’s top female sprint car racers, Morgan Turpen in the runner-up spot and Erin Crocker in third place. The previous night’s main event winner, Terry Gray finished in the fourth. Fifteen year-old Rookie of the Year candidate, Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina charged all the way from back in eighteenth stating position to round out the top five drivers.
The next group of finishers was led by the evenings’ Goodyear Speed Dash winner, Lance Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina in sixth place. Early race-leader, Sport Allen followed him in seventh place. C.J. Miller finished in the eighth position. Miller was followed across the finish-line by the 2008 USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour Rookie of the Year, Adam Jackson from Timmonsville, South Carolina in ninth place. The 2008 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina completed the top ten.
Lance Moss captured the evening’s six cars, six-laps Goodyear Speed Dash. Morgan Turpen won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Sport Allen charged to victory in the 10-lap Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Eric Riggins, Jr., garnered the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award passing thirteen cars in the main event. Morgan Turpen, garnered the Goodyear, Rookie of Race honors.
The next United Sprint Car Series event is on Saturday October 23rd on pavement at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway for the USCS Asphalt Thunder 2010 Finals. For more information on that event please visit www.hickorymotorspeedway.com or call 828-464-3655. 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 Finals – Carolina Speedway 10/02/10
Goodyear Speed Dash:
Lance Moss, Matt Linder, Terry Gray, Jake McLain, Morgan Turpen and Eric Riggins, Jr.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Morgan Turpen, Lance Moss, Matt Linder, C.J. Miller, Adam Jackson, Jake McLain, Brandon Rekow, Brian Carter, Joe Larkin and Eric Riggins, Jr.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Sport Allen, Terry Gray, Erin Crocker, Aubrey Black, Ray Bugg, Darren Clark, Holly Jackson and Nick Bashford. David Clark DNS and A.J. Maddox DNS.
USCS presented by Goodyear Feature Race results (30 laps)
1 – 1X Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
2 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Bartlett, TN – Rookie
3 – 98 Erin Crocker, Mooresville, NC
4 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
5 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC – Rookie
6 – 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
7 – 3a Sport Allen, Seffner, FL
8 – 9 C.J. Miller, Denver, NC
9 – 46 Adam Jackson, Timmonsville, SC
10 – 67 Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
11 – X Nick Bashford, China Grove, NC
12 – 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC
13 – 21b Aubrey Black, Lookout Mtn., GA
14 – 6c Brian Carter, Concord, NC
15 – 20 Darren Clark, Huntersville, NC
16 – 21 David Clark, Huntersville, NC
17 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA
18 – 25 Ray Bugg, Iuka, MS
19 – 45 Holly Jackson, Timmonsville, SC – Rookie
20 – 81 A.J. Maddox, Brandon, FL – DNS
GOODYEAR SPEED DASH WINNER: Lance Moss
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: Morgan Turpen
KSE Hard Charger AWARD: Eric Riggins, Jr. (passed 13 cars)
GOODYEAR ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Morgan Turpen
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: Matt Linder ( 1st place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: Erin Crocker
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: Terry Gray
DYNOTECH TOP FIVE AWARD: Eric Riggins, Jr.
ENTRIES: 20
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS: Sport Allen Lap 1-19, Matt Linder Laps 20-30.