From Pete Walton
Senoia, Georgia – August 26, 2011 – Sport Allen from Pinellas Park, Florida raced from his K&N Filters Pole Position starting position into the USCS www.RockAuto victory lane twenty laps later in the United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear portion of the USCS Senoia Summer Nationals II at New Senoia Raceway on Friday night. Defending USCS Champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee raced past Brian Thomas from Pendergrass, Georgia on lap eight into the runner-up position. He then challenged Allen over the final twelve laps but couldn’t gain the momentum for a pass attempt. Allen endured a restart on lap seventeen with Gray and Thomas on his rear bumper, but pulled away to a four car length advantage at the checkers.
Brian Thomas followed Gray to the finish line to garner the K&N Filters Podium Award third place position. Past USCS regional series Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina followed in fourth place in his Roush-Yates Ford powered sprint car. The 2010 USCS Senoia Summer Nationals Champion Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia rounded out the top five drivers.
The next group was headed by the only female racer in the field, eighteen year-old 2010 USCS Rookie of the Year, Morgan Turpen from Cordova, Tennessee in sixth place. Lance Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina followed in seventh position. Veteran Ray Bugg from Iuka, Mississippi finished in eighth place after starting eighteenth. The 2000 USCS Rookie of the Year, Michael Miller from Ocean Springs, Mississippi finished ninth. Clint Weiss from Columbus, Georgia rounded out the top ten finishers.
Eric Riggins, Jr. kicked off the evening’s winged sprint car action with a win in the 6-lap Goodyear Speed Dash. Brian Bell from Cordova, Tennessee who won the previous USCS main event at Clayhill Motorsports on August 13th won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Nine-time series Champion Terry Gray rolled to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Ageless Ray Bugg who passed ten cars in the main event garnered the Wilwood Engineering Hard Charger Award. Jeff Willingham garnered the Goodyear, Rookie of Race honors.
The next United Sprint Car Series event, is the USCS Senoia Summer Nationals Finale on Saturday, August 27th at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia. For more information on that event please visit www.newsenoiaraceway.com or call 770-599-6161. For rules and 2010 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 II Round One at New Senoia Raceway 8/26/11:
Goodyear Speed Dash: Eric Riggins, Jr., Matt Linder, Terry Gray, Morgan Turpen, Brian Thomas and Johnny Bridges.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Brian Bell, Matt Linder, Brian Thomas, Johnny Bridges, Eric Riggins, Jr., Nick Defeo, Jeff Willingham, Joe Larkin and Ray Bugg.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Terry Gray, Lane Moss, Sport Allen, Morgan Turpen, Michael Miller, Terry Gray, Clint Weiss and Lee Moore and A.J. Maddox DNS.
USCS presented by Goodyear Feature Race results (20 laps) New Senoia Raceway – Friday, August 26, 2011.
1 – 82 Sport Allen, Pinellas Park, FL
2 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN Rookie
3 – 67 Brian Thomas, Pendergrass, GA
4 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
5 – 1X Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
6 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Bartlett, TN
7 – 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
8 – 25 Ray Bugg, Iuka, MS
9 – 4m Michael Miller, Ocean Springs, MS
10 – 0x Clint Weiss, Columbus, GA
11 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
12 – 23b Brian Bell, Cordova, TN
13 – 96 Nick DeFeo, Marietta, GA
14 – 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS – Rookie
15- 1A Lee Moore, Tuscaloosa, AL
16 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA
17 – 04 Tim Perry, Mooresville, NC
18 – 3a A.J. Maddox, Brandon, FL – DNS
GOODYEAR SPEED DASH WINNER: #47 Eric Riggins, Jr.
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: #82 Sport Allen
Wilwood Engineering HARDCHARGER AWARD: #25 Ray Bugg (18th to 8th passed 10 cars).
GOODYEAR RACING TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Morgan Turpen
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: #28 Jeff Willingham
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: #82 Sport Allen (1st place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: #67 Brian Thomas
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: #07 Johnny Bridges
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #1x Matt Linder
DMI/Diversified Machine Top Ten Award: #0x Clint Weiss
ENTRIES: 18
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS = Sport Allen Laps 1-20