Gastonia, NC – April 15, 2011 – Erin Crocker (Evernham) from Cornelius,
North Carolina made USCS history by becoming the first female sprint car
driver to reach the www.RockAuto.com United Sprint Car Series presented by
Goodyear victory lane in an A-Main event in the series 15-year history on
Friday night at Carolina Speedway. Ironically the second place finisher was
also female driver as well. The 2010 USCS Rookie of the Year and eighteen
year-old female hot-shoe Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee followed
Crocker across the finish line in second place after leading most of the 30
laps. Crocker placed another unique exclamation point to make her feature
win even more spectacular. She struck a car ( just ahead of her) after
taking the checkered flag and went flipping out of the track in between
turns one and two. She was removed from the car unhurt and appeared in
victory lane without her #98 Evernham Enterprises race car.
K&N Filters Pole Position starter, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North
Carolina led the first eleven laps of the www.RockAuto.com 30-lap main event
before making contact with a lapped car and ending his night on the front
stretch. Morgan Turpen who was pressuring Bridges at the time, then assumed
the point. On the following lap the red flag waved for a spectacular crash
exiting turn four involving 2009 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year
Brandon Rekow from Mooresville, North Carolina and Bob Auld from Largo,
Florida. The wreck damage both cars severely and ended the night for both
drivers.
Turpen continued to lead after that re-start until lap twenty-three when
Crocker came racing by on the high side of the track and surged ahead to an
eight car length lead at the finish line just before she went over the wall.
Behind those two talented female racing pioneers for their gender followed
male drivers Lane Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina in third place, the
defending series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee in fourth
place and Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia, who was the winner on the last
USCS visit to Carolina Speedway rounded out the top five.
Young gun Nick Bashford from China Grove, North Carolina came home in the
sixth position. Finishing in seventh place was well known NASCAR Hall of
Fame Crew Chief and former asphalt Modified racer, but, a a. sprint car
rookie driver, Ray Evernham from Cornelius, North Carolina. Evernham is also
the husband and car owner of the feature winner. The 2010 USCS Southern
Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year, Eric Riggins from Charlotte,
North Carolina followed Evernham in eighth place. 2008 USCS Southern Thunder
Rookie of the Year Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina finished in
the ninth spot and David Clark from Huntersville, North Carolina rounded out
the top ten drivers.
Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, NC won the Engler Machine and Tool First
Heat. Morgan Turpen won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Bridges was awarded the
K&N Filters Pole Position after being the high-point earner and drawing a
zero inversion. Young gun Eric Riggins was rewarded for his efforts with the
Wilwood Hard Charger Award for the driver who advances the most positions in
the main event after improving six positions. .
The next USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour event is at Travelers Rest Speedway
(www.trspeedway.info ) in Travelers Rest, South Carolina on Saturday night.
(April 16th). For information on these and other USCS Outlaw Thunder events
please call 770-460-7223 or visit www.uscsracing.com
United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear USCS Southern Thunder
results:
Carolina Speedway – Friday, April 15, 2011.
Goodyear Speed Dash: winner = Terry Gray, Matt Linder, Morgan Turpen, David
Clark, Eric Riggins and Darren Clark.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: winner = Johnny Bridges, Lance Moss,
Matt Linder, Erin Crocker, Nick Bashford, Ray Evernham, David Thormas and
Darren Clark – DNS.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: winner = Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Brandon Rekow,
Jake McLain, David Clark, Bob Auld, Jason Day and Eric Riggins – DNS.
Feature 30 laps:
1 – 98 Erin Crocker, Mooresville, NC
2 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
3 – 23R Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
4 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
5 – 1x Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
6 – 24x Nick Bashford, China Grove, NC
7 – 19 Ray Evernham, Mooresville, NC
8 – 47 Eric Riggins, Charlotte, NC
9 – 67 Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
10 – 21c David Clark, Huntersville, NC
11 – 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC
12 – 83 Bob Auld, Sarasota, FL
13 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
14 – 5 – David Thorman, Greenville, SC
15 – 4Q Jason Day, Cherryville, NC
16 – 20 Darren Clark, Huntersville, NC
USCS Sprint Car Race Awards:
Goodyear Speed Dash winner: Terry Gray www.racegoodyear.com
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Award: Johnny Bridges
www.englermachine.com
Butlerbuilt Second Heat Award: Morgan Turpen www.butlerbuilt.net
K&N Filters Pole Award: Johnny Bridges www.knfilters.com
Wilwood Eng. Hard Charger Award: Eric Riggins (started 14th finished 8th)
www.wildwood.com
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: Lance Moss (3rd place) www.jepistons.com
K&N Filters Podium Award: Lance Moss (3rd place)
www.knfilters.com
Keizer Wheels Top Five Award: Matt Linder
www.keizerwheels.com
Diversified Machine Inc: Top Ten Award David Clark www.diversifiedracing.com