By Pete Walton
Seymour, TN – May 5, 2012 – The 2010 United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear Mid-South Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year, Jerod Roller from Hernando, Mississippi raced the final twenty-seven laps into the www.RockAuto.com USCS victory lane for his career-first sprint car feature win before a capacity crowd at 411 Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Roller who started outside the front row, passed defending USCS sprint car Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee for the lead on lap four of the 30-lap speed contest and raced to a career-first USCS win of the 2012 season. Roller crossed the finish line five car lengths in front of eighth starting Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas, young gun Aaron Ruetzel from Clute, Texas, the previous night’s winner, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas and Gray. Roller is the seventh different USCS presented by Goodyear feature winner in seven 2012 events.
The evening’s Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard charger and series point’s 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 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson from Bartlett, Tennessee led the next group to the line with a sixth place finish. Former USCS Southern Thunder regional Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina followed Nicholson in seventh place in the highest finishing Ford powered sprint car. The 2010 USCS presented by Goodyear, Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, from Charlotte, North Carolina finished in eighth place. The night’s Butlerbuilt Second Heat race winner and the only female in the sprint car field Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee who was the 2010 USCS National Rookie of the Year, finished in ninth place. West Tennessee young gun, Justin Webb from Drummonds, Tennessee rounded out the top ten finishers in the main event.
Additional race details:
Tim Crawley kicked off the evenings sprint car action by charging to a win in the Goodyear Speed Dash. Johnny Bridges won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Morgan Turpen won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Aaron Ruetzel collected the K&N Filters Podium Award for his third place finish. The qualifying heat race point’s leader, Terry Gray was awarded the K&N Filters Pole Position after first heat winner Johnny Bridges drew a zero inversion in the K&N Filters inversion draw.
Tim Crawley was rewarded for the second night in a row 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 six positions in the main event. The JE Pistons Top Guns Award that rotates from first through fifth place at each event was earned by, Tim Crawley as well. Gray garnered the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award and Justin Webb collected the Diversified Machine/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award for the second night in a row.
The next USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by Goodyear scheduled event is Round #1 of six of the USCS “Speedweek” on Saturday, May 26th at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas. Other USCS presented by Goodyear Sprint Car Speedweek events are also scheduled for Sunday, May 27th at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, Mississippi for Round #2. Round #3 is set for Memorial Day Monday, May 28th at Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, Tennessee.
The eight-day long mini-series then takes a two-day break for repairs before picking up again with Round #4 at Clarksville Speedway in Clarksville, Tennessee on Thursday, May 31st. An event location is to be announced for Round #5 for Friday, June 1st after the recent closing of North Alabama Speedway. The Round #6 USCS presented by Goodyear Sprint Car Speedweek 2012 finale is scheduled for Saturday, June 2nd at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, Mississippi.
Each USCS presented by Goodyear Sprint Car Speedweek 2012 event pays the winning driver $2000 to reach the www.rockauto.com USCS victory first. The mini-series points fund for the week also pays $1000 to the Champion. Including feature wins, the Champion’s share of the points fund, Goodyear Speed Dash events and bonuses, and contingency awards one driver has the possibility of collecting over $15,000 in cash and awards.
For rules and/or 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:
411 Motor Speedway, Saturday, May 5, 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 = Johnny Bridges, Terry Gray, Jerod Roller, Justin Carver, Justin Webb, Matt Linder, Joe Larkin and Nick DeFeo. Brian Bell, Eric Riggins, Jr., and.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Winner = Morgan Turpen, Aaron Ruetzel, Derek Hagar, Tim Crawley, Anthony Nicholson, Jordon Mallett and Eric Riggins, Jr..
USCS presented by Goodyear results Feature 30-laps 411 Motor Speedway May 5, 2012:
1 – 5 Jerod Roller, Olive Branch, MS
2 – 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
3 – 87 Aaron Ruetzel, Clute TX
4 – 9jr. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
5 – 67 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
6 – 16 Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
7 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
8 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
9 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
10 – 31 Justin Webb, Drummonds, TN
11 – 14 Jordon Mallett, Greenbrier, AR
12 – 87 Justin Carver, Drummonds, TN
13 – 96d Nick DeFeo, Marietta, GA
14 – 1x Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
15 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwannee, GA
USCS Sprint Car Race Awards:
Goodyear Speed Dash winner: Tim Crawley 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: Tim Crawley (started 8th finished 2nd) www.wildwood.com
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: Tim Crawley (2nd place) www.jepistons.com
K&N Filters Podium Award: Aaron Ruetzel (3rd place) www.knfilters.com
Keizer Wheels Top Five Award: Terry Gray www.keizerwheels.com
Diversified Machine Inc. Top Ten Award: Justin Webb www.diversifiedracing.com