Greenville, SC – Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina won the O'Reilly Auto Parts United Sprint Car Series "Night of Thunder” 30 lap winged sprint car feature race at historic Greenville Pickens Speedway on Thursday night. It was Bridge's fourth O'Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder win of the season and fourth in the O’Reilly USCS Carolina Thunder mini-series.
Johnny Bridges captures O'Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder fair date at Greenville Pickens Speedway Bridges started fourth in the field after setting quick time around the slightly banked and slippery ½ mile paved oval. and was in the runner-up spot by the end of lap one. Bridges then chased first year Florida Tampa, Florida standout racer, Blaze Martin from Tampa, Florida for the first five laps. Bridges charged past on lap six to take the lead and held off Martin and defending series champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee for the final 25 laps for his second win on a paved track this season. Martin with Gray in tow chased Bridges to no avail until a yellow flag for Mike Partin’s contact with the second turn inside wall slowed the race for a six lap dash to the finish on lap 24. Bridges raced away to a five car length advantage at the finish line over the impressive Martin and Gray. Tom “T.J.” Winegardner, Jr. from Pierson, Florida who started in the fifth position finished fourth. Gray’s team-mate Will Ragsdale from Easley, South Carolina rounded out the top five.
Veteran Doug Day from Winder, Georgia was sixth in the final running order followed by O’Reilly USCS Southern Thunder rookie point’s leader, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina. Danny Statter from Deltona, Florida started in the last position and finished eighth. Rookie sprint car driver, Brandon Rekow was paid for the ninth position and Brad Wickham rounded out the top ten.
Johnny Bridges had fast time around the ½ mile paved oval with a lap of 17.531 seconds to earn the C&B Mushroom Farms Fast Time Award. Terry Gray kicked off the evening with a win in the 5-lap Lucas Oil Power Dash. Blaze Martin captured the win in the 8-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Terry Gray also won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Will Ragsdale received the K&N Pole award after the first heat race winner Blaze Martin drew a four inversion for the top six qualifiers.
The JE Pistons Top Guns Award, which rotates from first through third positions in the A-Main, went to the feature winner, Johnny Bridges. T.J. Winegardner was awarded the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race (for the highest finishing driver under 25 years old.) after his fourth place finish.