From Roby Helm
SWEETWATER, TN (September 1, 2023) – Gavin Boschele of Mooresville, NC raced to his fifth United Sprint Car Series win of the 2023 season and his second of the year at I-75 Raceway on Friday night. The 15-year-old Chevrolet Development Driver took the lead driving his car fielded by NASCAR driver Christopher Bell and Brian Kemenah on lap 11 of the 25-lap Main Event and never looked back.
Jared Horstman of Cloverdale, OH made a late-race charge to finish second and third went to early race leader Hayden Martin of Olive Branch, MS. Chase Dunham of Leipsic, OH was fourth and Devon Dobie of Wapakoneta, OH took the fifth spot.
USCS point leader, 14-time USCS National Champion and National Sprint Car Racing Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN finished sixth. Two-time. USCS Mid-South Thunder regional series Champion, Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS arrived late at the track, tagged the tail of the Feature Race in the 18th starting spot and was the Hard Charger of the Race with a seventh-place finish. Kobe Allison of Lima, OH took the eighth spot, and Lance Moss of Cherryville, NC was ninth. Jeff Willingham of Ripley, MS rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, Eric Riggins Jr. of Charlottle, NC earned the Pole Position for the Feature Race by winning the six-lap Hoosier Racing Tire Speed Dash. The winners of the three eight-lap Heat Races were Dobie in the Engler Machine & Tool First Heat, Riggins in the JJ Supply of NC Second Heat, and Horstman in the DHR Third Heat Race.
Before the field could get settled in after the green flag on the original start, the red flag brought racing to a halt after Brianna Lawson of Southern Pines, NC and Jake Brashier of Denham Springs, LA flipped in turn one. Both drivers were not injured and walked away from the crash site.
Martin came from the third starting spot on the restart to take the lead followed by Boschele, Riggins, Dobie, and Horstman. The second caution flag was unfurled on lap two when C.J. Miller of Mooresville, NC spun. When the field went back to green, Boschele challenged Martin for the lead and Dobie got around Riggins for the third spot on lap three.
Boschele stepped to the outside and pulled alongside Martin to challenge for the lead on lap five. That battle was slowed when on the same lap Joe Larkin of Suwanee, GA and Miller tangled in turn four to light up the third yellow caution bulb. Martin led Boschele, Dobie, Horstman, and Riggins down for the restart, and Riggins passed Horstman for fourth.
The battle for the lead was revisited on lap 11 when Boschele pulled along the inside of Martin at the flagstand. They raced side-by-side through turn one, but Martin slid up the banking in turn two, jumped the cushion, and handed over the lead to Boschele. Horstman drove back by Riggin on lap 12 for the fourth spot and he brought Dunham with him up to the fifth position.
The fourth and final caution flag was waved on lap 19 when Riggins slid over the top of the fourth turn banking. Boschele gave up a half straightaway lead over Martin to line up for a restart with seven laps to go. When the green came back out, Boschele pulled away from Martin, while Horstman passed Dobie for the third spot.
Horstman then got by Martin for the second spot on lap 20, but Boschele was 1.9 seconds ahead. Horstman was unable to gain any ground on the leader in the last five laps, as Boschele took a 2.143 second margin of victory under Darrell Watson’s checkered flag.
United Sprint Car Series
I-75 Raceway
Sweetwater Tennessee
Friday, September 1, 2023
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 23DD-Devon Dobie[1]
2. 21-Gavan Boschele[3]
3. 10-Terry Gray[2]
4. 24-Kobe Allison[7]
5. 13X-Jake Brashier[6]
6. 7E-Eric Gunderson[4]
DNS: 91-Kyle Connery
JJ Supply of NC Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 47R-Eric Riggins Jr[5]
2. 67-Hayden Martin[2]
3. 9-CJ Miller[4]
4. 28-Jeff Willingham[1]
5. 33-Joe Larkin[6]
6. G6-Brandon Grubaugh[3]
DHR Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 17-Jared Horstman[3]
2. 66-Chase Dunham[2]
3. 23-Lance Moss[4]
4. B5-Brianna Lawson[6]
5. 56T-DL (Tank) Brashier[5]
DNS: 1D-Prestin Dalton
DNS: 47-Dale Howard
Hoosier Speed Dash (6 Laps)
1. 47R-Eric Riggins Jr[2]
2. 21-Gavan Boschele[1]
3. 67-Hayden Martin[4]
4. 17-Jared Horstman[6]
5. 23DD-Devon Dobie[3]
6. 66-Chase Dunham[5]
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 21-Gavan Boschele[2]
2. 17-Jared Horstman[4]
3. 67-Hayden Martin[3]
4. 66-Chase Dunham[6]
5. 23DD-Devon Dobie[5]
6. 10-Terry Gray[10]
7. 47-Dale Howard[20]
8. 24-Kobe Allison[7]
9. 23-Lance Moss[9]
10. 28-Jeff Willingham[12]
11. 47R-Eric Riggins Jr[1]
12. G6-Brandon Grubaugh[16]
13. 1D-Prestin Dalton[19]
14. 9-CJ Miller[8]
15. 33-Joe Larkin[14]
16. 56T-DL (Tank) Brashier[15]
17. B5-Brianna Lawson[11]
18. 13X-Jake Brashier[13]
DNS: 7E-Eric Gunderson
DNS: 91-Kyle Connery