From Pete Walton
Atlanta, GA – November 24, 2012 – Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas used a sweep of all three United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear sprint car divisions and fifteen feature wins in thirty-two starts to capture his first USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour National Championship. Crawley entered every 2012 USCS contest in the Ward Racing Lucas Oil sponsored #88 winged sprint car owned by a former USCS regional series Champion, Mike Ward from Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to the fifteen USCS feature wins he had 28 top five finishes. His other four feature race finishes were all in the top ten positions. He collected 4937 National points plus two regional series titles in the USCS Mid South Thunder and USCS Southern Thunder divisions’ en-route to the National crown.
The 2011 and ten-time USCS National Champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee finished in the runner-up position in the National standings in this year’s title chase with 4690 points. Gray had twenty-two top five feature race finishes including a feature race win on March 30th at Batesville Motor Speedway. He finished a total of twenty-seven times in the top ten drivers in main events.
The 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson also from Bartlett, Tennessee, had twenty-one top five and twenty-seven top ten finishes plus a main event on the series second visit of the season at Batesville Motor Speedway in July to finish in the third position in the final 2012 National standings with 4631 points.
The 2010 USCS National Rookie of the Year, nineteen year-old Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee was the only female sprint car driver near the top of the standings and she collected 4508 Championship points. Turpen had twenty-seven top ten and twelve top five feature race finishes plus a feature win (her career third) at Toccoa Speedway on September 2nd. Those performances were good enough for fourth place in the final 2012 National standings.
Five-time 2012 USCS presented by Goodyear feature winner, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas, who was the series’ 2006 Rookie of the Year, rounded out the top five drivers in the National standings with 3889 points. Hagar had wins at Smoky Mountain Speedway; he also won twice at Clayhill Motorsports, once at East Alabama Motor Speedway and won during the season finale USCS Fall Nationals at Riverside Speedway. He also had sixteen top five and twenty-four top ten tallies in 2012 USCS competition.
The 2010 USCS Southern Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year, seventeen year-old Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina led the next group with 3867 points to finish in sixth place. Third year sprint car racer Jerod Roller from Olive Branch, Mississippi who was the 2010 USCS Mid South Thunder Tour Rookie of the Year had two feature wins in 2012 at 411 Motor Speedway in May and at Sugar Creek Raceway on Labor Day weekend. Roller collected 2895 points on his way to seventh place in the National point standings.
Rookie driver Jeff Willingham from Ripley, Mississippi bounced back from a rough start with a blown engine and crash that totaled his car in the season opener that kept him on the sidelines until June, but he collected enough points to finish eighth in the national standings with 2264 points. The 2009 USCS Rookie of the Year, Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee who also ran a limited National schedule followed Willingham in ninth position with 2173 points. Carver had ten top ten finishes including a feature win at Greenville Speedway during the USCS Sprint Speedweek 2012.
Past USCS regional series Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina who won the USCS Southern Thunder regional series Carolina Thunder Nationals season finale event at Carolina Speedway on September 28th rounded out the top ten drivers in the National standings with 2045 points. Bridges ran a mostly Southern Thunder regional schedule and ventured West to the Mid South region on a limited basis.
At the regional level Tim Crawley headed the top of the standings in the highly competitive USCS Mid South Thunder Tour that competes primarily in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The 2012 National Champion tallied 2455 points while besting Derek Hagar by 73 points. Hagar’s total of 2382 point’s was good enough to finish narrowly ahead of the regional series’ 2011 Champion, Terry Gray with 2377 points. Anthony Nicholson claimed the fourth position in the Mid-South just 16 points behind Gray with 2363 points. Morgan Turpen rounded out the top five by collecting 2253 points for her efforts. Jerod Roller finished sixth in the Mid-South standings with 1830 points. Young gun Eric Riggins, Jr. was seventh with 1703 points followed by Justin Carver in eighth place in the standings with 1505 points. Rookie Jeff Willingham finished with 1263 points to finish ninth in the region and veteran USCS sprint car racer Ronny Howard rounded out the USCS Mid South 2012 regional series point standings top ten with 1216 points. Seventy-eight different drivers were awarded Championship points for competing during USCS Mid South Thunder regional series events.
Crawley also captured the Championship in the USCS Southern Thunder presented by Goodyear regional series that contests its’ events primarily in Eastern Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Eastern Tennessee with a Championship total of 2529 points. Terry Gray was his closest competitor in that regional series points’ battle with 2425 points for the runner-up spot. Although the USCS Southern Thunder Championship was decided by 104 points, the race for the runner-up spot was much closer as Morgan Turpen finished just 28 points behind her veteran team-mate (Terry Gray) in third place with 2392 points. Anthony Nicholson finished just three points behind her with 2389 points in fourth place. The 2010 USCS presented by Goodyear Southern regional series Rookie of the Year, Eric Riggins from Charlotte, North Carolina rounded out the top five in the regional series standings with 2348 points.
Nick DeFeo from Marietta, Georgia earned 1910 points to finish sixth in the final 2012 Southern regional series standings. He was followed by Johnny Bridges with 1805 points in seventh place. Derek Hagar piloted three different cars for three different owners to accumulate 1639 points to place eighth in the regional standings. Joe Larkin from Suwannee, Georgia earned 1474 points to finish in ninth place in the standings while Florida sprint car veteran Bob Auld from Largo, Florida rounded out the regional series point standings top ten with 1390 regional series Championship points. Fifty-five different drivers earned points in the USCS Southern Thunder regional series competition.
One hundred and four different drivers competed in the thirty-two USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by Goodyear events held at twenty different tracks in eight states. Thirteen different drivers won 2012 USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main events. Those included Tim Crawley who led the series victory column with fifteen wins in 2012. Crawley was followed by Derek Hagar with five feature wins. Jerrod Roller won two times.
Ten other drivers collected one feature win during the 2012 season. Those included: Jason Sides from Bartlett, Tennessee who won the season opener at Magnolia Motor Speedway. Dustin Barks from Farmington, Missouri got his first USCS win at Malden Speedway in March. The 2011 USCS Rookie of the Year, Jordan Mallett won at Carolina Speedway in April. Justin Carver won at Greenville Speedway in May. The 2000 USCS Rookie of the Year Michael Miller from Ocean Springs, Mississippi got his career third USCS win in the Randy Helton Memorial Race at East Alabama Motor Speedway in June. The 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson got a win at Batesville Motor Speedway on a hot July night. Morgan Turpen bested Crawley, Roller and Company at Toccoa Speedway for her one win of the 2012 season. Johnny Bridges won the USCS min event at his “home track” Carolina Speedway in September. In the season’s final main event stand-out rookie driver, eighteen year old Brandon Hanks from Burlison, Tennessee collected the final first place trophy and pay check of the season.
Jeff Willingham from Ripley, Mississippi who finished in eighth place in the 2012 USCS National point standings and ninth in the USCS Mid-South regional series points. That was the highest finish from a nember of eligible rookie drivers who competed in USCS events on the season. That was good enough to earn Willingham 2012 USCS presented by Goodyear Rookie of the Year. That distinction goes to the top finishing driver in the USCS standings that started the 2012 season with less than twenty-five races entered in 360 winged sprint car competition.
The sixteenth anniversary USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by Goodyear kicked off on Saturday, March 3rd at Magnolia Motor Speedway and concluded at Riverside Speedway on Sunday, November 4th. For complete and archived results from these events please visit the series Official website at www.uscsracing.com .
The United Sprint Car Series thanks the 2012 USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour supporting sponsors including: Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Company and USCS victory lane sponsor www.RockAuto.com plus Bulldog Rear Ends/DMI, DSR Fuel Systems, Engler Machine and Tool, JE Pistons, K&N Filters, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, KSE Racing Products, Pro Shocks, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products and Wilwood Engineering.
The 2013 (17th Anniversary) USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour kicks off at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Mississippi on Friday and Saturday, March 1st and 2nd. A full schedule of 2013 USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint car events will be available soon.
For series rules and other info please visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223.
Final 2012 USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by Goodyear National point standings (32 events)
Pos. Car# Driver
1 88 Tim Crawley
2 10 Terry Gray
3 16 Anthony Nicholson 4631
4 80 Morgan Turpen
5 9Jr Derek Hagar
6 47 Eric Riggins Jr 3867
7 5 Jerod Roller
8 28W Jeff Willingham – Rookie 2264
9 87 Justin Carver
10 07 Johnny Bridges
11 96D Nick DeFeo
12 14 Jordon Mallett
13 33 Joe Larkin
14 0X Clint Weiss
15 83 Bob Auld
16 13 Tristan Tidmore – Rookie 1373
17 31 Justin Webb
18 44 Ronnie Howard
19 1X Matt Linder
20 58 Wade Oliver
21 C4 Casey Rowland
22 33M Stacy Mashburn – Rookie 1006
23 25 Ray Bugg
24 12M Greg Merritt
25 3H Brandon Hanks – Rookie 880
26 1 Eddie Gallagher
27 82 Danny Martin, Jr 794
28 43 Terry Witherspoon
29 39 Brad Bowden
30 4 Nathan Cook – Rookie 758
31 12D Dalton Davis
32 94 Jeff Swindell
33 2 Alex Pettas
34 51 Lee Sowell
35 4m Michael Miller
36 67 Brian Thomas
37 7 Mike Herrington
38 3 A.G. Raines
39 4Q Jason Day
40 8Z Zack Pringle
tie 31G Johnny Gardner
42 20 Joey Moughan
43 46 Kyle Amerson – Rookie 584
44 91 Marshall Skinner
45 23 Brian Bell
46 40 Ernie Ainsworth
47 7S Jason Sides
48 66 Alex Shanks
49 46 Ryan Devitt
tie 13 Todd Fayard
51 9 Timmy Thrash
52 92h Richie Harris
53 23 Lance Moss
54 61 Cody Howard
55 26 Howard Moore
56 27 Curt Terrell
57 1A Lee Moore
58 1G Cody Gardner
59 17 Mike Pack
60 67 Jake McLain
61 1X Gary Taylor
62 87 Aaron Reutzel
tie 21 Aubrey Black
64 38 Ryan Moore
65 22 Shawn Murray
66 17d Bruce Durden
67 7 D Dylan DeJournett
68 10 P Jim Perriconne
69 15 Tony Wilson
70 44 Gary Troutman
71 52 Blake Hahn
72 7 X David DeJournett
73 55 Greg Clemmons
74 14H Paul Hart
75 3A AJ Maddox
76 66 Geoff Dodge
tie 14T Jimmy Bridgeman
tie 20 Jody Rowland
tie 44c Wesley Shepherd
80 22 Dustin Barks
81 55 Dave Ely
82 9d Kevin Darling
83 05 Brad Loyet
tie 35AU Jamie Veal
tie 14K Kyle Bellm
86 8X Chris Williams
tie 12 Jerrod Hull
tie 26S Jon Stinson
89 94 Jan Howard
90 59III Johnny Petrozelle
91 01 Mike Trent
92 1B Nic Jenkins
tie 11 Troy Severin
tie 44c Ty Young
95 22 Kevin Kilpatrick
96 11 Jake Roach
tie 59III John Petrozelle
tie 32k Robert Richardson
99 06 Jason Breeland
tie 1 M Jim Moughan
tie 15 Justin McKenzie
102 0 Andy McElhannon 100
tie 04 Brad Graham
tie 21 Michael Tolley
tie 89 Robbie Stillwagon
Final 2012 USCS Mid-South Thunder point standings:
Pos. Car# Driver
1 88 Tim Crawley
2 9Jr Derek Hagar
3 10 Terry Gray
4 16 Anthony Nicholson
5 80 Morgan Turpen
6 5 Jerod Roller
7 47 Eric Riggins Jr
8 87 Justin Carver
9 28W Jeff Willingham – Rookie 1263
10 44 Ronny Howard
11 13 Tristan Tidmore – Rookie 1168
12 58 Wade Oliver
13 C4 Casey Rowland
14 31 Justin Webb – Rookie 1000
15 14 Jordon Mallett
16 12m Greg Merritt
17 25 Ray Bugg
18 1 Eddie Gallagher
19 39 Brad Bowden
20 3H Brandon Hanks – Rookie 766
21 4 Nathan Cook – Rookie 758
22 12D Dalton Davis
23 2 Alex Pettas
24 7 Mike Herrington
25 3 A.G. Raines
26 8Z Zack Pringle
tie 31G Johnny Gardner
28 20 Joey Moughan
29 51 Lee Sowell
30 91 Marshall Skinner
31 40 Ernie Ainsworth
32 94 Jeff Swindell
33 23 Brian Bell
34 7S Jason Sides
35 66 Alex Shanks
36 9 Timmy Thrash
37 92h Richie Harris
38 61 Cody Howard
39 27 Curt Terrell
40 1A Lee Moore
41 1G Cody Gardner
42 17 Mike Pack
43 1X Gary Taylor
44 7 Johnny Bridges
45 0X Clint Weiss
46 7 D Dylan DeJournett
47 46 Kyle Amerson
48 10 P Jim Perriconne
49 15 Tony Wilson
50 52 Blake Hahn
51 7 X David DeJournett
52 55 Greg Clemmons
53 14H Paul Hart
54 26s Howard Moore
55 66 Geoff Dodge
tie 14T Jimmy Bridgeman
tie 20 Jody Rowland
tie 44c Wesley Shepard
59 22 Dustin Barks
60 05 Brad Loyet
tie 35AU Jamie Veal
tie 14K Kyle Bellm
63 8X Chris Williams
tie 12 Jerrod Hull
tie 26S Jon Stinson
tie 13 Todd Fayard
67 94 Jan Howard
68 01 Mike Trent
69 1b Nic Jenkins
tie 44c Ty Young
71 22 Kevin Kilpatrick
72 11 Jake Roach
tie 32k Robert Richardson
74 06 Jason Breeland
tie 1 M Jim Moughan
tie 15 Justin McKenzie
77 0 Andy McElhannon
tie 04 Brad Graham
Final 2012 USCS Southern Thunder point standings:
Pos. Car# Driver
1 88 Tim Crawley
2 10 Terry Gray
3 80 Morgan Turpen 2392
4 16 Anthony Nicholson 2389
5 47 Eric Riggins Jr 2348
6 96D Nick DeFeo
7 07 Johnny Bridges 1805
8 9Jr Derek Hagar
9 33 Joe Larkin
10 83 Bob Auld
11 0X Clint Weiss
12 5 Jerod Roller
13 1X Matt Linder
14 28W Jeff Willingham – Rookie 1055
15 33M Stacy Mashburn – Rookie 1006
16 82 Danny Martin, Jr 794
17 43 Terry Witherspoon 782
18 87 Justin Carver
19 4m Michael Miller 664
20 67 Brian Thomas
21 4Q Jason Day
22 14 Jordon Mallett
23 46 Ryan Devitt
24 46 Kyle Amerson – Rookie 372
25 23 Lance Moss
26 94 Jeff Swindell
27 13 Tristan Tidmore – Rookie 279
28 67 Jake McLain
29 87 Aaron Reutzel
30 21 Aubrey Black 266
31 31 Justin Webb
32 38 Ryan Moore
33 13 Todd Fayard
34 22 Shawn Murray 262
35 25 Ray Bugg
36 17 Bruce Durden
37 44 Gary Troutman
38 3A AJ Maddox
39 3H Brandon Hanks 148
40 91 Marshall Skinner 146
41 23 Brian Bell
42 55 Dave Ely
43 C4 Casey Rowland 140
44 9d Kevin Darling
45 58 Wade Oliver
46 26s Howard Moore 136
47 12D Dalton Davis
48 59 Johnny Petrozelle 130
49 11 Troy Severin
50 59 John Petrozelle
51 51 Lee Sowell
52 7S Jason Sides
53 21 Michael Tolley 100
54 89 Robbie Stillwagon 100
55 44 Ronny Howard 100