Six-time O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee scored a photo-finish win in the 20-lap O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series presented by Lucas Oil main event on Friday night at Harris Speedway. Gray beat CnB Mushroom Farms fast qualifer Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North, Carolina to the finish-line by about 18 inches in the $1200 to win preliminary feature race of the "Thunder in Carolina" Round One. The series returns to Harris Speedway on Saturday night for the 30-lap $2000 to win Finale.
Bridges who won last weekend's O'Reilly USCS Aphalt Thunder paved track event at Dillon, South Carolina, set fast time and a new all-time track record of 13.27 seconds around the historic Harris, North Carolina 4/10 mile clay oval. Gray won the Lucas Oil Power Dash earlier in the evening. Brian Smith from Mooresville, North Carolina won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race and T.J. Winegardner from Pierson, Florida collected the victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Josh Weller from Mertztown, Pennsylvania garnered the evening's Huggins Cams Hardcharger Award.