By Pete Walton
NASHVILLE, AR – June 26,, 2015– The 2012 United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters National Champion Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas and the Mike Ward Racing #88 crew celebrated Crawley’s 73rd career USCS feature win and second in less than a week on Friday night in the www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane at Diamond Park Speedway. This one didn’t come easy though as Crawley sat through a ten minute rain delay on lap 15. He then had to fend of hard-charging USCS rookie point’s leader, Nick Snyder from Marco Island, Florida over the last 10 laps for the win.
Snyder started seventh in the main event and charged past several more experienced drivers to challenge 11 time series Champion, Terry Gray for the runner-up spot on lap fourteen. On lap fifteen as the two approached the rear of the field, a car spun in front of the duo and collected Gray on the bottom of the track. Snyder assumed the second position behind Crawley for the re-start and Gray pushed off and joined the field at the rear, Just a s rain started to fall.
After a ten minute delay, while the cars paced the track, the field ran a quick three lap hot-lap session to test racing surface and received instructions to line up and get ready for the final Ten laps.
On the re-start Crawley chose the bottom of the race track and Snyder went to the high side to try to pass the veteran for the first five laps. Crawley then tested the high side for several laps. With two laps to go Snyder appeared to almost spin out midway through turns three and four while driving in deeper every lap trying to steal the victory from the former National Sprint Car Hall of Fame 360 Sprint Car Driver of the Year. This was all Crawley needed to put some distance between he and Snyderr. He crossed the finish line five car lengths ahead of the talented rookie for his third USCS win in a row at the fast 3/8 mile red clay oval.
A short distance behind the lead duo, USCS Mid South Thunder tour regional series point’s leader, Morgan Turpen padded her lead in the standings by finishing in the K&N Filters Podium Awarding third place. Another young gun, Blake Jenkins from Benton, Arkansas followed Turpen to the finish line in fourth place and 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year , Anthony Nicholson rounded out the top five.
Sixth place went to Pangburn, Arkansas driver Robert Richardson. Justin Sturch, a past sprint car winnerat the speedway, also from Benton, Arkansas. Came home in seventh. Former series Champion, Marshall Skinner from Marion, Arkansas, who spun early in the race while running fourth, finished in eighth place. A.G Rains from West Memphis, Arkansas followed in ninth place and Terry Gray recovered to finish tenth.
Crawley started off the night’s racing action with a win in the six-lap Hoosier Tire Speed Dash. Morgan Turpoen then won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat, Her team-mate, Terry Gray grabbed the Butlerbuilt Second Heat win. After first heat winner and high passing point’s earner, Morgan Turpen pulled a four in the K&N Filters Inversion Draw, Robert Richardson garnered the K&N Pole Award and starting position. Nick Snyder advanced the most positions in the A-Main (five) to score the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The United Sprint Car Series filtercharged by K&N concludes the first of two Arkansas weekends with the “Hammer Down at Hammer Hill” at I-30 Speedway in Benton, Arkansas on Saturday night. Grandstand gates open at 5 PM local time, with racing to start just after 7 PM.
RESULTS: United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filteras at Diamond Park Speedway; June 26th, 2015
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: Tim Crawley, Nick Snyder, Marshall Skinner, Morgan Turpen, Justin Webb and Jeff Willingham.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Morgan Turpen, Robert Richardson, Blake Jenkins, Nick Snyder, Justin Sturch, Joe Young and Taylor Tidmore.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Terry Gray Marshall Skinner, Tim Crawley, A.G. Rains, Anthony Nicholson, Justin Webb and Jeff Willingham.
\
USCS Sprint Car Series filtercharged by K&N “Stars and Stripes Duel at the Diamond” Main Event: 30-laps
1. #88 – Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
2. #116 – Nick Snyder, Marco
3. #10M – Morgan Turpen, Cordova, TN
4. 99 – Blake Jenkins, Benton, AR
5. #16 – Anthony Nicholson, Bartlett, TN
6. #32X – Robert Richardson, Searcy, AR
7. #9 – Jjustin Sturch, Benton, AR
8. #26 – Marshall Skinner, Marion, AR
9. #3 – A.G. Rains, West Memphis, AR
10. #10 – Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
11. #31 – Justin Webb, Drummonds, TN
12. #28 – Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
13 #12T – Joe Young, Benton, AR (DNS)
14. #32B – Taylor Tidmore, Hernando, MS
USCS Sprint Car Series Race Awards:
USCS Sprint Hoosier Speed Dash: #88 tim Crawley
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: #10m Morgan Turpen
Butlerbuilt Second Heat Award: #10 Terry Gray
K&N Filters Pole Award: #1 Eddie Gallagher
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: 16 Anthony Nicholson (5th place)
Bell Racing USA Focus Award: #116 Nick Snyder
K&N Filters Podium (3rdt place) Award: #10m Morgan Turpen
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 4th place: #99 Blake Jenkins
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #116 Nick Snyder
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #16 Anthony Nicholson
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #32x Robert Richardson
Pyrotect Racing Cells Lucky Seven Award: #9 Justin Sturch
MI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #10 Terry Gray
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 2015 and 19th 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. Saldana Racing Products, Bell Racing USA, KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, DSR Fuel Systems and Brown and Miller Racing Solutions.