Brasstown, NC – August 30, 2008 - Before the series second capacity crowd in two nights, O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series presented by Lucas Oil defending Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee raced to his second feature win in as many nights in Round Three of the O’Reilly USCS King of the Ovals Challenge at Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, North Carolina on Saturday night. Gray led the final ten laps of the 30-lap main event in his #10 Rislone/CnB Mushroom Farms/Wesmar powered J & J Auto Racing car after chasing Anthony Nicholson for the first twenty circuits around the tacky 1/3 mile clay oval for the win.
Gray drew a four in the K&N Filters Pole Award draw in front of the packed house at the speedway. That placed the series rookie point’s leader, Anthony Nicholson from Bartlett, Tennessee on the K&N Pole. Another top rookie driver, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina started next to him in the front row. Nicholson took full advantage of his starting position on his first-ever visit to the track by streaking to a comfortable lead for the first eighteen laps before the field stopped for Ryan Devitt’s tumble exiting turn four. Devitt from Capistrano Beach, California was unhurt.
The field bunched behind Nicholson for the restart with the veteran Gray on his rear bumper set for the challenge. Two laps later, on lap twenty Nicholson’s car pushed slightly in the middle of turns one and two allowing Gray to race by in the low groove. Nicholson challenged him for several laps, but, Gray held on for this second win-in-a-row Over the Holiday weekend. Nicholson was also passed on lap 25 by T.J. Winegardner from Pierson, Florida for the second position, but, regained the position on the final lap to finish in the runner-up spot. Winegardner who won the evening’s Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race, finished in the third position. Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia who started tenth finished in fourth place. 2004 USCS/AOAS Champion Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina rounded out the top five.
The O’Reilly USCS Southern Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year point’s leader, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina continued his impressive streak of finishes by leading the next group of finishers in sixth place in the final running order. McLain was followed across the finish-line by veteran O’Reilly USCS racer, Brian Thomas from Pendergrass, Georgia in seventh place. Clint Weiss from Fort Knox, Kentucky crossed the stripe next in eighth place. The 2007 O’Reilly USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, Lee Moore from Tuscaloosa, Alabama started last and finished in the ninth position. Veteran Mike Partin from Bunnell, Florida rounded out the top ten.
Round One King of the Ovals feature winner Johnny Bridges (Thursday at Greenville Pickens Speedway) won the
6-lap Lucas Oil Power Dash. Terry Gray garnered the win in the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Young Gun T.J. Winegardner from Pierson, Florida won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Gray drew a four in the inversion draw and handed Nicholson the K&N Pole Award.
Lee Moore garnered the Huggins Cams Hard Charger Award after starting 16th and finishing 9th. The JE Pistons Top Guns Award, which rotates from first through third positions in the A-Main, went to the feature race’s third place finisher T.J. Winegardner. Twenty-one year-old Anthony Nicholson was awarded the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race (for the highest finishing driver under 25 years old.) after his second place finish.