Malden, MO - Defending O'Reilly USCS National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee won the 25-lap O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series www.uscsracing.com Mid South Thunder race Friday night at Malden Speedway in Malden, Missouri. It was Gray's second win of the season at Malden Speedway. He also won the O'Reilly USCS Speedweek 2007 opening round at the track on May 25th
Gray started outside of the front row next to Steve Short from Farmington, Missouri and grabbed the lead down the backstretch on lap one. He then heldon to led every lap of the main event. Tim Montgomery from Fredricktown, Missouri who started fifth followed Gray across the finish line for the runner-up spot. Engler Machine and Tool first Heat winner, Wade Oliver from Southaven, Mississippi got the other podium spot in third place. Steve Short raced home in the fourth position. Raymond Stull from Coldwater, Mississippi rounded out the order for the top five cars.
Sixteen year-old 2006 O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, Derek Hagar from Sarasota, Florida drove home in the sixth position. Another Hoosier Tire Young Gun Lee Sowell from Nesbit followed in seventh place. Past O'Reilly USCS Champion, Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas was eighth. Ronny Howard fom Southaven, Mississippi was ninth and Rookie Anthony Nicholson from Memphis, Tennessee rounded out the top ten positions. All ten of those cars finished the high speed journey around the well manicured 3/8 mile clay oval on the lead lap.
Gray also won the evening's 6-lap Lucas Oil Power Dash. Wade Oliver won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Tim Montgomery won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race and also garnered the events Huggins Cams Hard Charger award for his charge from fifth starting position into the runner-up spot at the finish of the 25-lap A-Main event. Nicholson was awarded the Robison Racing Products Rookie of the Race. Steve Short snagged the K&N Filters Pole Award after first heat winner, Wade Oliver drew a six in the K&N inversion draw. Derek Hagar was recognized as the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race, which is awarded to the top-finishing driver under twenty-five years old..
The next O'Reilly USCS Mid-South Thunder regional points event is on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, Mississippi www.greenvillespeedway.net.