By Pete Hagar
Maryville, TN – May 4, 2012 – The 2006 United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear Rookie of the Year, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas raced into the www.RockAuto.com USCS victory lane before the largest crowd of the season at Smoky Mountain Speedway on Friday night. Hagar who started third in the original line-up passed 2010 USCS Rookie of the Year Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee for the lead on lap thirteen of the 25-lap contest and raced to his first USCS win of the 2012 season. Turpen and 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson from Bartlett, Tennessee followed Hagar to the podium.
The evening’s Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard charger and Southern Thunder regional series points leader, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas raced home in the fourth position after starting deep in the field in the eleventh position. The 2009 USCS presented by Goodyear rounded out the top five in the highest finishing Ford powered sprint car.
The 2010 USCS Mid South regional series Rookie of the Year, Jerod Roller from Olive Branch, Mississippi led the next group to the line with a sixth place finish. The 2011 USCS presented by Goodyear, Rookie of the Year, Jordan Mallett from Greenbrier, Arkansas followed Roller in seventh place. Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina finished in eighth place. USCS veteran sprint car racer Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia finished ninth. Young gun, Justin Webb also from Drummonds, Tennessee rounded out the top ten.
Additional race details:
A second lap crash that started when the cars of Terry Gray and Brian Bell collided entering turn one possibly changed the complexion of the main event. At least seven cars including those of Gray, Bell, Eric Riggins, Jr., Tim Crawley, Texan Aaron Reutzel, Matt Linder and Justin Webb. All of those cars except the #10 of defending series Champion, Terry Gray were able to restart the main event from the rear of the field with two laps complete.
Terry Gray kicked off the evenings sprint car action by streaking to a win in the Goodyear Speed Dash. Brian Bell from Cordova, Tennessee won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Johnny Bridges won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Anthony Nicholson collected the K&N Filters Podium Award for his third place finish in a row. The qualifying heat race point’s leader, Johnny Bridges was awarded the K&N Filters Pole Position after first heat winner Brian Bell drew a zero inversion in the K&N Filters inversion draw.
Tim Crawley was rewarded for his hard charging efforts with the Wilwood Hard Charger Award for the driver who advances the most positions in the main event after improving seven positions in the main event. The JE Pistons Top Guns Award that rotates from first through fifth place at each event was earned by the winner, Derek Hagar. Carver garnered the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award and Justin Webb collected the Diversified Machine/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award.
The next USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by Goodyear events is the USCS “Thunder in the Smokies” Round #2 on Saturday, May 5th at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tennessee (www.411motorspeedway.net ) . For more 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 Outlaw Thunder results: Smoky Mountain Speedway , Friday, May 4, 2012.
Goodyear Speed Dash: Winner = Terry Gray, Justin Carver, Tim Crawley, Morgan Turpen, Eric Riggins, Jr., and Anthony Nicholson.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Winner = Brian Bell, Terry Gray, Jerod Roller, Eric Riggins, Jr., Tim Crawley, Aaron Ruetzel, Matt Linder, Justin Webb and Joe Larkin.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Winner = Johnny Bridges, Morgan Turpen, Derek Hagar, Jordon Mallett, Anthony Nicholson, Justin Carver, Brian Thomas and Nick DeFeo.
USCS presented by Goodyear results Feature 25- laps Smoky Mountain Speedway May 4, 2012:
1 – 9jr. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
2 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
3 – 16 Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
4 – 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
5 – 87 Justin Carver, Drummonds, TN
6 – 5 Jerod Roller, Olive Branch, MS
7 – 14 Jordon Mallett, Greenbrier, AR
8 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
9 – 1x Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA 07,
10 – 31 Justin Webb, Drummonds, TN
11 – 96d Nick DeFeo, Marietta, GA
12 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA NC
13 – 23 Brian Bell, Cordova, TN
14 – 67 Brian Thomas, Pendergrass, GA
15 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
16 – 87 Aaron Ruetzel, Clute TX
17 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
USCS Sprint Car Race Awards:
Goodyear Speed Dash winner: Terry Gray www.racegoodyear.com
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Award: Brian Bell www.englermachine.com
Butlerbuilt Second Heat Award: Johnny Bridges www.butlerbuilt.net
K&N Filters Pole Award: Johnny Bridges www.knfilters.com
Wilwood Eng. Hard Charger Award: Tim Crawley (started 11th finished 4th) www.wildwood.com
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: Derek Hagar (1st place) www.jepistons.com
K&N Filters Podium Award: Anthony Nicholson (3rd place) www.knfilters.com
Keizer Wheels Top Five Award: Justin Carver www.keizerwheels.com
Diversified Machine Inc. Top Ten Award: Justin Webb www.diversifiedracing.com