SPEEDWEEK ROUND #4: USCS - May 27, 2008 - Clarksville, Tennessee - Benton, Arkansas ace Tim Crawley won a last lap dice with Oklahoma’s Wayne Johnson on Tuesday night at Clarksville Speedway to take his second straight victory of the O’Reilly USCS Speedweek 2008. In the first four of seven rounds, Crawley and car owner Mike Ward have two wins and a second-place. Monday’s meet at Clayhill Motorsports Park was rained out.
The A-main lost one charger before the green flag when Talala, Oklahoma’s Zach Chappell pushed off, dropped a torsion stop and clouted the wall exiting turn two, his Maxim landing on its left side severely slanted. On the original start, Ronny Howard of Southaven, Mississippi stopped with a cut tire. On the second start, Greg Merritt of Nesbit, Mississippi drilled the wall and scattered Eagle feathers all over turn three by cutting his machine in half. On the third try, Florida’s Bryn Gohn locked wheels with Anthony Nicholson and Nick DeFeo exiting turn four. From outside row one, Wayne Johnson and his Hammers/Forbes Maxim had gotten the best of 2007 O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee on every start. But on the fourth one, it was the Bartlett teen showing his tail to the 20-year veteran.
After the initial carnage, 24 laps went green and the Young J&J captained by renowned Robert Hubbard sliced through slower cars until lap 17 when Johnson pounced inside turn one. Three laps later, Crawley dispatched Young to third and was soon followed by two-time O’Reilly USCS National champ Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida and six-time and defending O’Reilly USCS National champ Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee before a caution fell for Ronny Howard’s nose wing lying in the first turn on lap 24.
On the restart, the order was Johnson, Crawley, the lapped J&J of rookie Justin Carver, Gray, Anthony Nicholson (lapped), Sarasota, Florida’s Danny Martin, Jr. (lapped), Saturday night’s Speedweek winner Lee Sowell from Nesbit, Mississippi, Adams and Don Young in sixth-place. Unfortunately on the green, Nicholson also from Bartlett, Tennessee and Martin touched wheels and collected Sowell and 1999 O’Reilly USCS champion Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas.
In the final five laps to payday, Crawley initially attempted to get under Johnson because the top of the red quarter-mile had not been kind to anyone. Johnson would not allow it, dragging his left front wheel through the infield to obscure vision and traction. “I was tryin’ to get under him down in the dust,” Tim told the announcer after his $2000 victory, “and I just decided to drag the wing back and go for it on the outside.” Crawley surprised Johnson on the top of turn four and the battle was on. Try as he may, Johnson was unable to stay beside Crawley until the final two corners. Into turn three, he fired a Hail Mary that took the lead at the apex before Crawley cut inside for the stretch run. Crawley too drifted wide and Johnson made a final but unsuccessful bid.
“Looked like he had you there,” the announcer said after Tim climbed from his Maxim with David McCarver 360 powerplant. “The key word was had,” Crawley answered after the seventh win of his sprint car season, fourth in five USCS starts, and tenth of his USCS career.
Terry Gray finished just behind the leaders in third-place pursued by Kenny Adams and Marshall Skinner, without a nose wing. Joe Young of Little Rock, Arkansas achieved his best USCS effort in sixth chased by Raymond Stull of Independence, Mississippi; Don Young and Danny Martin Jr. In just his third winged 360 start, teenager Justin Carver captured tenth to earn Rookie of the Race. Don Young won the K&N Pole Draw and was the Hoosier Tire Young Gun for the best finish (eighth) for a driver under 25 years old. The Huggins Cams Hard Charger Award went to Martin who started last and advanced ten positions. Crawley garnered the JE Pistons top Guns award.
The third annual O’Reilly USCS Speedweek 2008 continues with Round Five on Thursday, May 29 at Camden (TN) Speedway before concluding at North Alabama Speedway ( www.northalabamaspeedway.com )in Tuscumbia, Alabama (May 30) and Columbus (MS) Speedway ( www.columbusspeedway.net )in Columbus, Mississippi on Saturday, May 31. For more information, please call (404) 886.5913 or visit www.uscsracing.com.