USCS had a great Carolina Swing

[NC Ghost Hunter]

The United Sprint Car Series made two stops in the Carolinas this past weekend. We were able to attend the Friday show at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, North Carolina. We were throughly impressed with the depth of talent and professionalism of the sanctioning body and officals. They had a couple of bad wrecks that were handled very expodiously. All drivers were ok thankfully. We highly recommend that if you get a chance to attend one of their shows that you do. A fast paced, very competitive event that had many of the die-hard dirt stockcar fans asking when were these guys coming back! Thanks to our friends at the USCS for the following reports from both shows.



Gastonia, NC - June 26, 2009 - United Sprint Car Series National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee won the 30-lap Parts Plus USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main-event during the Parts Plus USCS “Thunder in Carolina” event at Carolina Speedway on Friday night. It was Gray’s second USCS feature win at the speedy 4/10 mile Carolina clay oval this season. Gray drove his Rislone Oil Treatment sponsored #10 J&J Auto Racing car past early race leader Matt Linder’s #1x into the leader on lap ten and then led the rest of the way to victory lane. Gray started fifth in the field after sixth starter, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina inverted the first six cars with his draw of a six in the K&N Filters Pole Award drawing on the front stretch in front of the speedway’s packed grandstands. The inversion placed Liner on the K&N Pole next to rookie young gun Scott Hensley from Olive Branch, Missisippi. 2009 Rookie points-leader, Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee and Brian Thomas from Pendergrass, Georgia were in the second row.

Tyler Godwin flipping out in turn two


On the start Linder launched into the lead with Hensley and Gray behind on lap one. Gray moved intot he runner-up spot on lap two with Hensley, Brian Thomas, Carver and Johnny Bridges taking up he chase. Bridges moved into the top five on lap three. The order stayed the same until lap ten, when, Gray passed the early leader Linder on the outside in turn three. The battle was on for the runner-up spot after that.

Johnny Bridges (07) & Matt Linder splitting David Thorman (5)


On lap nineteen with Linder running second and Bridges and Hensley challenging, the trio encountered a lapped car and tangled entering turn three. Both Bridges and Linder flipped with Bridges striking the concrete barriers hard destroying his #07. Linder’s #1x also suffered minor damage. Both drivers miracously escaped uninjured from t scary crash. When the race continued rookie Scott Hensley was in the runner-up spot.

The remains of Johnny Bridges machine


Terry Gray led the final distance to the finish line with Hensley in tow behind him garnering a career-best second place finish. Brian Thomas who ran well all night long, came home in the third position. Rookie Justin Carver finished fourth and 2008 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina who started eighth rounded out the top five finishers.

The next group was headed by Coby Adams from Mooresville,North Carolina in sixth place. Adams was the Lunati Crank It Up Hard Charger, 2008 USCS Asphalt Thunder Rookie of the Year, Adam Jackson started sixteenth and finished seventh. Brad Wickham from Rutherfordton, North Carolina finished in the eighth position followed by Brian Carter from Concord, North Carolina in ninth place. Rookie Dennis Lykins, Jr. from Peachtree City, Georgia rounded out the top ten.

Justin Carver won the six-lap Parts Plus Power Dash. Terry Gray won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Rookie hot-shoe Justin Carver rolled to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Coby Adams from Mooresville, North Carolina garnered the Lunati “Crank It Up” Award for his charge past eleven cars in the main event. First year sprint car racer, Scott Hensley from Olive Branch, Mississipppi garnered The RE Technologies Rookie of race honors as well as the Hoosier Tire Young Guns Award for the top finishing driver under 25 years-old. The evening’s Dynotech Race Engines Hard Luck Award went to Brandon Rekow from Mooresville, North Carolina.

Parts Plus USCS results Thunder in Carolina Round Five - Carolina Speedway 6/26/09

Parts Plus Power Dash: Justin Carver, Terry Gray, Brian Thomas, Matt Linder, Brad Wickham and Dennis Lykins.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Terry Gray, Johnny Bridges, Matt Linder, David Thorman, Dennis Lykins, Jr., Brad Wickham, Tyler Godwin, Tim Perry and Eric Riggins, Jr.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Justin Carver, Brian Thomas, Jake McLain, Scott Hensley, Brian Carter, Brandon Rekow, Lance Moss, Adam Jackson, Coby Adams and Drake Moore DNS.

Your winner Friday, Terry Gray


Parts Plus USCS Feature Race results (30 laps)
1 - 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
2 - 40R Scott Hensley, Olive Branch, MS - Rookie
3 - 67 Brian Thomas, Pendergrass, GA
4 - 24 Justin Carver, Drummonds, TN - Rookie
5 - 67J Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
6 - 28 Coby Adams, Mooresville, NC
7 - 46 Adam Jackson, Birmingham, England
8 - 6 Brad Wickham, Rutherfordton, NC
9 - 6c Brian Carter, Concord, NC
10 - 6X Dennis Lykins, Jr., Peachtree City, GA
11 - 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC – Rookie
12 - 5 David Thorman, Greenville, SC
13 - 1X Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
14 - 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
15 - 36 Tim Perry, China Grove, NC
16 - 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
17 - 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC – Rookie
18 - 4c Tyler Godwin, Tampa, FL
19 - 39 Drake Moore, Eden, NC

PARTS PLUS POWER DASH WINNER: Justin Carver
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: Matt Linder
LUNATI CRANK IT UP AWARD: Coby Adams (started 17th passed 11 cars)
HOOSIER TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Scott Hensley
RE TECHNOLOGIES ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Scott Hensley
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: Scott Hensley (2nd place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: Brian Thomas
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: Justin Carver
BARS LEAKS TOP FIVE AWARD: Jake McLain
ENTRIES: 19
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS: Matt Linder Laps 1-9 and, Terry Gray Laps 10-30


Travelers Rest, SC – June 27, 2009 – Defending, Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee won the 30-lap Parts Plus USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour “Thunder in Carolinas” Round Six main-event at Travelers Rest Speedway on Saturday night. It was Gray’s second USCS feature win of the Carolina double-header weekend. Gray who started outside of the front row, drove his Rislone Oil Treatment sponsored #10 J&J Auto Racing car past K&N Pole Position starter Lance Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina down the front stretch on the initial start. He then held off challenges from Moss and rookie hot-shoe Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee to lead the way to victory lane. Moss who had one of his best USCS career showings, kept Gray within striking distance. On lap five Gray led with Moss in only his second race of the year challenging. He was followed by Justin Carver, Brian Thomas from Pendergrass, Georgia in fourth place and rookie Brandon Rekow from Mooresville, North Carolina in fifth place. Justin Carver who is currently in the runner-up spot in the Parts Plus USCS National standings, passed Moss on lap ten and took up the chase after the point’s leader. Carver got within a car length of the veteran, Gray, several times with Moss keeping Carver in close range as well. On lap twenty-six Moss spun while working lapped traffic and was re-started at the rear of the field.

After the re-start, Gray held on the final four laps for the win with Carver crossing the finish line in a career-best second place The weekends hard-charger, Coby Adams from Mooresville, North Carolina raced from ninth starting position into third place at the finish. Moss blasted back to finish in fourth place, just nipping Brian Thomas for the spot at the finish line.

The next group was headed by the previous night’s runner-up rookie Scott Hensley from Olive Branch, Mississippi in sixth place. The 2008 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina finished in seventh place. Rookie Eric Riggins, Jr. from Charlotte, North Carolina followed in eighth place. Brad Wickham from Rutherfordton, North Carolina finished in the ninth position. For the second night in-a-row, rookie Dennis Lykins, Jr. from Peachtree City, Georgia rounded out the top ten.

Terry Gray won the six-lap Parts Plus Power Dash. Brian Thomas won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Lance Moss rolled to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Coby Adams from Mooresville, North Carolina again garnered the Lunati “Crank It Up” Award for passing the most cars in the main event. Adams charged past six cars in the 30-lap feature race.

Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee garnered The RE Technologies Rookie of race honors as well as the Hoosier Tire Young Guns Award for the top finishing driver under 25 years-old. The evening’s Dynotech Race Engines Hard Luck Award went to Adam Jackson from Birmingham, England who now resides in Timmonsville, South Carolina.

The next Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series racing event is on Thursday, July 2nd at Camden Motor Speedway in Camden, Tennessee. For more information on that event please visit www.camden motorspeedway.com or call 731-441-4800. For rules and info on the Parts Plus USCS please visit United Speed Contest Sanction - Home or call 770-460-7223 or 404-886-5913.

Parts Plus USCS results Thunder in Carolina Round Six – Travelers Rest Speedway 6/27/09

Parts Plus Power Dash: Terry Gray, Scott Hensley, Justin Carver, Brian Thomas, Coby Adams and Jake McLain.

Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Brian Thomas, Justin Carver, Terry Gray, Brian Carter, Coby Adams and David Thorman, and Scott Hensley

Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Lance Moss, Jake McLain, Brandon Rekow, Brad Wickham, Dennis Lykins, Adam Jackson and Eric Riggins, Jr.

Parts Plus USCS Feature Race results (30 laps)
1 - 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
2 - 24 Justin Carver, Drummonds, TN - Rookie
3 - 28 Coby Adams, Mooresville, NC
4 - 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
5 - 67 Brian Thomas, Pendergrass, GA
6 - 40R Scott Hensley, Olive Branch, MS - Rookie
7 - 67J Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
8 - 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC –Rookie
9 - 6 Brad Wickham, Rutherfordton, NC
10 - 47 6X Dennis Lykins, Jr., Peachtree City, GA
11 - 5 David Thorman, Greenville, SC
12 - 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC – Rookie
13 - 6c Brian Carter, Concord, NC
14 - 46 Adam Jackson, Birmingham, England

PARTS PLUS POWER DASH WINNER: Terry Gray
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: Lance Moss
LUNATI CRANK IT UP AWARD: Coby Adams (started 17th passed 11 cars)
HOOSIER TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Justin Carver
RE TECHNOLOGIES ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Justin Carver
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: Coby Adams (3rd place)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: Coby Adams
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: Lance Moss
BARS LEAKS TOP FIVE AWARD: Jake McLain
ENTRIES: 14
PROVISIONALS: None
LAP LEADERS: Terry Gray Laps 10-30