Crawley takes USCS Speedweek 2014 Finale

Tim Crawley raced to his 5th USCS win-in-a-row in the USCS presented by K&N Speedweek Finale at Riverside International Speedway on Saturday night. (Phil Bowden photo)
Tim Crawley raced to his 5th USCS win-in-a-row in the USCS presented by K&N Speedweek Finale at Riverside International Speedway on Saturday night. (Phil Bowden photo)
Tim Crawley raced to his 5th USCS win-in-a-row in the USCS presented by K&N Speedweek Finale at Riverside International Speedway on Saturday night. (Phil Bowden photo)

From Jacob Seelman

West Memphis, AR — (July 17, 2014) — It’s been a pretty good month to be Tim Crawley. Crawley, the 2012 United Sprint Car Series filtercharged by K&N champion from Benton, Arkansas, started from the K&N Filters Pole Position Saturday night at Riverside International Speedway and stomped the field once again, leading wire-to-wire and rolling into www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane after taking the win in the rescheduled 30-lap USCS Sprint Speedweek Finale. The triumph was Crawley’s fifth straight United Sprint Car Series victory, as well as the 70th career USCS win of his impressive career.

Crawley had to endure three caution flags en route to scoring the win, one on Lap 10 when the #12M of Greg Merritt stopped in Turn 4, the second on Lap 20 when the #13T of Taylor Tidmore spun and collected 1999 series champion Marshall Skinner in the aftermath and the third with four laps to go when Cody Gardner spun into the inside tires and was unable to get restarted. Each time, Crawley marched away on the ensuing restart and was never challenged.

Marion, Arkansas native Jan Howard had a banner night, starting from the second position and chasing Crawley the entire distance to finish second. 2008 series Rookie of the Year Anthony Nicholson, from Bartlett, Tennessee completed the podium in third and Bryant, Arkansas driver Zach Pringle finished fourth. Former series winner and West Memphis native A.G. Rains completed the top five.

Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Brandon Hahn ended the night in sixth, and Memphis rookie driver Howard Moore finished seventh after winning his heat race. Defending series champion Derek Hagar came home in eighth, his first start since winning four USCS features in a row a month ago. Millington, Tennessee’s Dalton Davis crossed the stripe in ninth and veteran racer, Johnny Gardner, from Benton, Arkansas, rounded out the top ten finishers.

Hagar, who won the first three feature events of this year’s USCS Sprint Speedweek, held on to claim his first Speedweek championship over Tim Crawley by 28 points. Crawley used Saturday’s victory to climb to second in the final Speedweek tally.

Crawley kicked off the evening’s racing action with a win in the Hoosier Speed Dash, and then went on to notch the win in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Howard Moore drove to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat, and Cody Gardner netted the Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat win. Jan Howard collected the checkers in the JE Pistons Fourth Heat.

Gardner was the provisional polesitter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, but when first heat winner Crawley pulled a four in the K&N Filters Inversion Draw, Crawley garnered the K&N Pole Award.

Morgan Turpen grabbed the win in Saldana Racing Products B-Main #1, and Terry Gray collected the victory in www.rockauto.com B-Main #2. Anthony Nicholson advanced the most positions in the A-main (seven) to collect the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.

The United Sprint Car Series is back in action on this coming Thursday night, July the 17th, at the Lavonia Speedway for the “USCS Thursday Thriller” after rain forced postponement of the race during the month of June. The series then contests two additional events on the upcoming weekend at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia on Friday night and at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia on Saturday, July 19th.

For rules, schedules and more information on the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour, please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.

RESULTS: United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N;

Riverside International Speedway; West Memphis, AR on July 12, 2014.

Hoosier Speed Dash: Tim Crawley, Zack Pringle, A.G. Rains, Marshall Skinner and Anthony Nicholson.

Engler Machine and Tool First Heat winner: Tim Crawley, Anthony Nicholson, Dalton Davis, Morgan Turpen, Ronny Howard, Dale Howard, Skylar Pipkin and Justin Webb –DNS.

Butlerbuilt Second Heat winner: Howard Moore, A.G. Rains, andy McElhannon, Terry Gray, Brad Bowden, Greg Merritt, Eddie Gallagher and Kevin Hinkle.

Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat winner: Cody Gardner, Marshall Skinner, Brandon Hahn, Zack Pringle, Dustin Barks, Chris Williams and Taylor Tidmore.

JE Pistons Fourth Heat winner: Jan Howard, Jordon Mallett, Johnny Gardner, Derek Hagar, Brandon Hanks, Bryce Vowan and Jeff Willingham.

Saldana Racing Products B-Main #1 winner: Morgan Turpen, Brandon Hanks, Dustin Barks, Ronny Howard, Bryce Vowan, Jeff Willingham, Greg Merritt and Kevin Hinkle – DNS.

www.rockauto.com B-main #2 winner: Terry Gray, Dale Howard, Chris Williams, Eddie Gallagher, Taylor Tidmore, Brad Bowden, Skylar Pipkin and Justin Webb – DNS.

United Sprint Car Series USCS Sprint Speedweek Finale A-main: 30-laps:

1. #88 – Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
2. #46 – Jan Howard, Marion, AR
3. #16 – Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
4. #14Z – Zack Pringle, Benton, AR
5. #3 – A.G. Rains, West Memphis, AR
6. #29 – Brandon Hahn, Tulsa, OK
7. #40 – Howard Moore, Memphis, TN
8. #9JR – Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
9. #12D – Dalton Davis, Millington, TN
10. #31G – Johnny Gardner, Benton, AR
11. #10 – Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
12. #3H – Brandon Hanks, Burleson, TN
13. #22 – Dustin Barks, Farmington, MO
14. #10M – Morgan Turpen, Cordova, TN
15. #8X – Chris Williams, Cordova, TN
16. #42 – Andy McElhannon, Hernando, MS
17. #44 – Ronny Howard, Nesbit, MS
18. #14 – Jordon Mallett, Greenbrier, AR
19. #28 – Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
20. #17G – Cody Gardner, Benton, AR
21. #26 – Marshall Skinner, Marion, AR
22. #13T – Taylor Tidmore, Hernando, mS
23. #91 – Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS
24. #12M – Greg Merritt, Nesbit, MS
25. #1 – Eddie Gallagher, Olive Branch, MS

Did not start the A-Main

26. #2 – Bryce Vowan, Marion, AR
27. #39 – Brad Bowden, Hernando, MS
28. #11 – Skylar Pipkin, Millington, TN
29. #21 – Kevin Hinkle, Cabot, AR
30. #31 –Justin Webb, Drummonds, TN

USCS Race Awards:

Hoosier Speed Dash: #88 – Tim Crawley
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: #88 – Tim C
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: #40 – Howard Moore
Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat: #17G – Cody Gardner
JE Pistons Fourth Heat: #46 – Jan Howard
Saldana Racing Products B-Main #1: #10M – Morgan Turpen
www.rockauto.com B-main #2: #10 – Terry Gray
K&N Filters Pole Award: #88 – Tim Crawley
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: #16 – Anthony Nicholson (3rd place)
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #16 – Anthony Nicholson
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #16 – Anthony Nicholson
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #3 – A.G. Rains
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #29 – Brandon Hahn
Pyrotect Racing Cells Lucky Seven Award: #40 – Howard Moore
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #31G – Johnny Gardner

The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 2014 and 18th anniversary USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour: K&N Filters, www.rockauto.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Butlerbuilt, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Saldana Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends. KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, DSR Fuel Systems, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions and Safety-Kleen.