NORMAN PARK, GA (February 11, 2022) — Mark Ruel, Jr. from Jacksonville, Florida bested a 26-car field of some of the Nation’s top winged 360-winged sprint car drivers at Needmore Speedway on Friday night in the 25-lap USCS Georgia Sprint Car Winter Nationals evening final.
Ruel finished in the runner-up spot in his Heat after starting seventh. He then followed that up with a win in the USCS Hoosier Speed Dash placing him on the K& Filters Pole for the start of Friday’s main event.
When the green flag dropped for the initial start Ruel grabbed point in turn one, then survived restarts after three yellows and two red flags for Sam Hapertepe with five laps down and the second one for contact between team-mates, Dan Nanticoke and Liam Martin, both from Ontario. Martin turned over but was okay.
Over the final five Laps Ruel, Jr. Held off anotger Canadian Dylan Westbrook Al’s from Ontario, while Terrl McCarl of Altoona, Iowa, defending USCS National Champion Dan y Smith from Chillicothe, Ohio and Columbia, Missouri’s Garet Willamson battled for third place. McCarl prevailed, with Danny Smith following in fourth place and Williamson rounding the top at the checkers.
Heat winners were, Sam Hapertepe in the Engler 1st Heat, Mark Smith from Sunbury, Pen Sylvania in the JJ Supply of NC 2nd Heat and Terry McCarl collected tge win in tge Hero Graphics 3rd Heat.
Garet Williamson garnered his third Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award after starting 15th and finishing in 5th place.
On Saturday night the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint cars retunto Needmore Speedway for tge USCS Georgia Sprint Car Winter Nationals Finale. For more USCS info please visit www.uscsracing.com For Speedway information please go to www.raceneedmorespeedway.com
United Sprint Car Series
Needmore Speedway
Norman Park, Georgia
Friday, February 11, 2022
Engler Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[6]
2. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[1]
3. 44-Chris Martin[3]
4. 22S-Slater Helt[4]
5. 24W-Garet Williamson[5]
6. 10-Terry Gray[8]
7. 12-Corbin Gurley[9]
8. 43-Terry Witherspoon[7]
9. 28-Jeff Willingham[2]
Schoenfeld Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 43M-Mark Smith[5]
2. 83-Mark Ruel Jr[7]
3. 197-Ryan Harrison[1]
4. 15-Dan Nanticoke[2]
5. 13-Chase Howard[3]
6. 20-Brayden Cooley[8]
7. 2-Ricky Peterson[6]
8. 07-Johnny Bridges[9]
9. 33-Joe Larkin[4]
HERO Graphics Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 24-Terry McCarl[2]
2. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[3]
3. 28F-Davie Franek[1]
4. 4-Danny Smith[6]
5. 11M-Brendan Mullen[5]
6. 9M-Liam Martin[7]
7. 83A-Bob Auld[4]
8. 121-Steve Glover[8]
HOOSIER Speed Dash (6 Laps)
1. 83-Mark Ruel Jr[1]
2. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[2]
3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[5]
4. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[4]
5. 43M-Mark Smith[3]
6. 24-Terry McCarl[6]
USCS Winter Heat Race #Round 3 (25 Laps)
1. 83-Mark Ruel Jr[1]
2. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[4]
3. 24-Terry McCarl[6]
4. 4-Danny Smith[7]
5. 24W-Garet Williamson[15]
6. 28F-Davie Franek[10]
7. 44-Chris Martin[8]
8. 10-Terry Gray[13]
9. 22S-Slater Helt[11]
10. 2-Ricky Peterson[20]
11. 20-Brayden Cooley[14]
12. 07-Johnny Bridges[21]
13. 13-Chase Howard[18]
14. 121-Steve Glover[23]
15. 28-Jeff Willingham[26]
16. 33-Joe Larkin[25]
17. 83A-Bob Auld[22]
18. 43M-Mark Smith[5]
19. 11M-Brendan Mullen[16]
20. 9M-Liam Martin[17]
21. 15-Dan Nanticoke[12]
22. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[2]
23. 12-Corbin Gurley[19]
24. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[3]
25. 197-Ryan Harrison[9]
26. 43-Terry Witherspoon[24]