By Pete Walton
Blue Ridge, Georgia – September 1, 2012 – United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear 2010 Mid South regional series Rookie of the Year, Jerod Roller from Olive Branch, Mississippi raced to his second feature win of the 2012 season on Saturday night at Sugar Creek Raceway. Roller, who earlier in the evening flipped his car in the Goodyear Speed Dash, charged from his K&N Filters Pole Position into the lead in turn one on the start, then held off National points leader, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas who threw every move in his book at the third year sprint car racer for the entire 25 laps, but couldn’t stop Roller’s second www.RockAuto.com victory lane visit of the 2012 season from happening in possibly the most exciting race of the season.
Crawley finished in the runner-up spot just about two car lengths behind Roller. Seventeen year-old Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina who was the 2010 USCS Southern region Rookie of the Year, followed in third place after starting ninth. The 2010 USCS National Rookie of the Year and only female racer in the field, 19 year-old Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee followed Riggins in fourth place. The 2000 USCS Rookie of the Year, Michael Miller from Ocean Springs, Mississippi started eleventh and raced his way to a fifth place finish.
Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas chased the top five across the finish line in sixth place. The defending and ten-time series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee also flipped in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat and then started last in the field but charged back to seventh place at the conclusion of the main event. The 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson also from Bartlett, Tennessee finished eighth. The evening’s Goodyear Speed Dash winner and past regional series Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina followed in ninth place and Ryan DeVitt from Capistrano Beach, California completed the top ten drivers.
As previously mentioned, Johnny Bridges kicked off the evening’s USCS action with a win in the 6-lap Goodyear Speed Dash. Morgan Turpen then streaked to a win in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Anthony Nicholson got the victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Terry Gray passed the most cars (10) in the main event to earn the Wilwood Engineering Hard Charger Award. Jeff Willingham from Ripley, Mississippi garnered the Goodyear Rookie of Race honors. Michael Miller earned the JE Pistons Top guns Award for his fifth place finish in the main event.
The next United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear event is on Sunday, September 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at the legendary Toccoa Speedway in Toccoa, Georgia. The series then finishes a four night mini-series swing on Labor Day Monday, September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in the evening at Tri County Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina (www.tricountyracetrack.com). For rules and 2011 schedule info on the USCS please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223.
United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear results – Sugar Creek Raceway on Saturday, September 1, 2012:
Goodyear Speed Dash: Johnny Bridges, Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Tim Crawley, Anthony Nicholson and Jerod Roller.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Morgan Turpen, Terry Witherspoon, Jerod Roller, Derek Hagar, Jeff Willingham, Bob Auld, Nick DeFeo, Clint Weiss and Terry Gray.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Anthony Nicholson, Tim Crawley, Ryan Devitt, Todd Fayard, Eric Riggins Jr., Michael Miller, Johnny Bridges and Joe Larkin.
USCS Presented by Goodyear A-Main 25 Laps Sugar Creek Raceway – September 1, 2012:
1 – 5 Jerod Roller, Olive Branch, MS
2 – 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
3 – 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
4 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
5 – 4m Michael Miller, Ocean Springs, MS
6 – 23 Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
7 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
8 – 16 Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
9 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
10 – 46 Ryan DeVitt, Capistrano Beach, CA
11 – 43 Terry Witherspoon, Jacksonville, FL
12 – 83 Bob Auld, Largo, FL
13 – 96d Nick DeFeo, Marietta, GA
14 – 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
15 – 13 Todd Fayard, Saucier, MS
16 – 0x Clint Weiss, Seale, AL
17 – 33 Joe Larkin, Suwanee, GA
GOODYEAR SPEED DASH WINNER: #07 Johnny Bridges
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: #5 Jerod Roller
Wilwood Engineering HARDCHARGER AWARD: #10 Terry Gray
GOODYEAR RACING TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Morgan Turpen
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: #28 Jeff Willingham
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: #4m Michael Miller (5th place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD AWARD: #47 Eric Riggins, Jr.
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: #80 Morgan Turpen
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #4m Michael Miller
DMI/Diversified Machine Top Ten Award: #46 Ryan DeVitt
ENTRIES: 18
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS = Anthony Nicholson laps 1-11 and Tim Crawley Laps 12-25