Blue Ridge, Georgia – May 2, 2008 - Twenty-four year-old, T.J. Winegardner from Pierson, Florida scored a win in the O’Reilly USCS Outlaw Thunder presented by Lucas Oil victory 30-lap “Shootout at Sugar Creek” sprint car race on Friday night at Sugar Creek Raceway in scenic Blue Ridge, Georgia. Winegardner bested a field of top drivers from seven states including several past series Champions for his career first USCS win.
Past TBARA Champion and pavement star, Shane Butler from Bushnell, Florida started on the front row next to Winegardner and raced into the lead going into turn one on lap one. The talented Butler looked totally impressive while leading laps one through four before the caution flag flew for Matt Linder’s mishap in turn one. Linder was in the third position before contacting the inside wall and ending his night. On the restart Winegardner raced past the pavement hot-shoe into the lead and never looked back for the final twenty-six caution free laps of the evening’s finale.
At the finish line Winegardner had a ten-car length advantage over Josh Weller from Mertztown, Pennsylvania. Weller had closed the gap several times over the last half of the race while fending off six-time and defending O’Reilly USCS National Champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee. Gray who is the current series points leader, finished in the third spot. Engler Machine and Tool First Heat winner, Lance Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina finished in fourth place. Moss started sixth after drawing a six inversion in the K&N Filters pole draw that awarded Winegardner the K&N Filters Pole Position for the main event. The 2007 O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee, who started in the sixth row, rounded out the top five finishers.
The 2005 O’Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder pavement series Champion, Wayne Reutimann, Jr. from Zephyrhills, Florida headed the next group of drivers in sixth place. Rookie of the Year candidates, Brandon McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina and Tom Selhorst from Clearwater, Florida finished seventh and eighth respectively. Shane Butler was ninth at the finish and veteran USCS racer Doug Day from Winder, Georgia completed the top ten order.
Josh Weller kicked off the evening’s racing action by winning the six-lap Lucas Oil Power Dash. Lance Moss won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race and Terry Gray collected the victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Don Young garnered the evening's Huggins Cams Hard-charger Award for passing the most cars in the main event. T.J. Winegardner was recognized as the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race the award goes to the top finishing driver under 25 years of age. The JE Pistons Top Guns Award went to third place finisher Terry Gray. The Bar’s Leaks Top-Five award went to Don Young as well.
The Friday night race was Round One of the “Thunder in the Mountains” Sprint Car Challenge. On Saturday night, Tri County Racetrack in Brass town, North Carolina hosts the Thunder in the Mountains double-header Finale. For more information on Saturday night’s event visit www.tricountyracetrack.com or call the track at 828-837-3815.