By Pete Walton
Sweetwater, TN. – April 22, 2016 – Defending United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters Champion Morgan Turpen from Cordova, Tennessee made her first visit to I-75 Raceway’s one third mile oval a memorable one. Turpen charged from outside the front row past K&N Filters Pole Position starter Nick Snyder and 2015 USCS Rookie of the Year, Nick Snyder from Marco Island, Florida into the lead in turn one of the thirty-lap main event. Turpen never looked back on her way to the www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane for the first time in 2016. It was her eighth career win in the USCS series
Turpen became the fifth winner in five races during the 20th anniversary and 2016 season for the United Sprint Car Series. 2008 USCS Rookie of the Year, Anthony Nicholson from Millington, Tennessee who started in third position in the main event, chased Turpen for most of the contest, but, had to settle for the runner-up position. Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas collected the K&N Filters Podium Award for third position. 11-time series National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee finished in fourth place and another past USCS Champion, Marshall Skinner also from Marion, Arkansas rounded out the top five drivers.
Sixteen year-old 2014 www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series mini sprint Rookie of the Year, Brandon Taylor from Cumming, Georgia who is a USCS sprint car division Rookie of the Year contender finished sixth. Past USCS Southern Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year and past Carolina Racesaver series Champion, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina finished in seventh place.
Fourteen year-old, Danny Sams III from Englewood, Florida continued his quest for the 2016 and 20th anniversary season USCS Rookie of the Year title by racing to an eighth place finish in the main event. Brandon McLain, who also like his brother Jake hails from Indian Trail, North Carolina, raced all the way from ninteenth starting position to finish ninth. That was good enough to collect the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award. The 2015 USCS Rookie of the Year, Nick Snyder rounded out the top ten finishers.
Because the event was both a USCS Mid South Thunder and USCS Southern Thunder points event. there were two Hoosier Speed Dash races. Terry Gray kicked off the evening’s USCS racing action by winning the first six lap USCS Southern Thunder region Hoosier Tire Speed Dash. His team-mate, Morgan Turpen won the second one. Also six laps, for USCS Mid South region points. Anthony Nicholson scored a win in the Engler Machine and Tools First Heat, and Derek Hagar captured the win in the Brown and Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS) Second Heat.
Nick Snyder was the provisional pole-starter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, In the main event re-draw for the top six qualified cars, a zero was rolled on the K&N Inversion Die and Snyder received the K&N Filters Pole Award. Brandon McLain passed the most cars in the A-main (10) to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N continues their 2016 and 20th Anniversary schedule on Saturday, April 23rd when the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint cars and the http://www.rockauto.com/ USCS 600 Sprint Car Series winged mini sprints invade the 4/10 mile red clay oval at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tennessee for the 5th time. The racing card is a three series triple-header racing card that also includes a Southern All Star Super Late Model Series sanctioned super late model event.
For rules and updated schedule information about the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour 20t season, please visit http://www.uscsracing.com/ or call the series office at 770-865-6097.
The United Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 2016 and 20th anniversary USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour: K&N Filters, www.rockauto.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Saldana Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends, KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, DSR Fuel Systems, Butlerbuilt, and Hero Graphics.
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters at I-75 Raceway on April 22, 2016 results:
USCS Hoosier Speed Dash (Southern Thunder region): 10 Terry Gray, 10m Morgan Turpen, 116 Nick Snyder, 07 Brandon Taylor, 67 Jake McLain, 21B Brandon McLain.
USCS Hoosier Speed Dash (Mid South Thunder region): 10m Morgan Turpen, 10 Terry Gray, 16 Anthony Nicholson, 9jr Derek Hagar, 26 Marshall Skinner, 116 Nick Snyder (DNS).
Engler Machine & Tool 1st Heat: 16 Anthony Nicholson, 10m Morgan Turpen, 116 Nick Snyder, 24D Danny Sams III, 27 Curt Terrell, 67 David Hall, 26 Marshall Skinner, 34 Darren Orth, 28 Jeff Willingham, 83 Bob Auld.
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 2nd Heat: 9jr Derek Hagar, 10 Terry Gray, 43 Terry Witherspoon, 99 Tanner Witherspoon, 07 Brandon Taylor, 38 Tony Agin, 21 Aubrey Black, 25 Ray Bugg, 21B Brandon McLain.
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters at I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN A-main event results after 30 Laps:
- 10m Morgan Turpen Cordova, TN
- 16 Anthony Nicholson , Millington, TN
- 9jr Derek Hagar Marion, AR
- 10 Terry Gray Bartlett, TN
- 26 Marshall Skinner Marion, AR
- 07 Brandon Taylor Cumming, GA
- 67 Jake McLain Indian Trail, NC
- 24 Danny Sams III, Englewood, FL
- 21B Brandon McLain Indian Trail, NC
- 116 Nick Snyder Marco Island, FL
- 28 Jeff Willingham Ripley, MS
- 27 Curt Terrell, Bartlett, TN
- 21 Aubrey Black Lookout Mtn, GA
- 38 Tony Agin, Naples, FL
- 83 Bob Auld Largo, FL
- 43 Terry Witherspoon, Jacksonville, FL
- 34 Darren Orth, Jacksonville, FL
- 99 Tanner Witherspoon, Jacksonville, FL
- 25 Ray Bugg Iuka, MS
USCS Sprint Car Series Race Awards:
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: #10 Terry Gray
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: #10m Morgan Turpen
Engle Machine and Tool First Heat: #16 Anthony Nicholson
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Second Heat: #9jr. Derek Hagar
K&N Filters Pole Award: #116 Nick Snyder
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: #26 Marshall Skinner (5th place)
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #9Jr. Derek Hagar
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #21 Brandon McLain
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #26 Marsahll Skinner
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #07 Brandon Taylor
Pyrotect Racing Cells Lucky Seven Award: #67 Jake McLain
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #116 Nick Snyder