Winona, MS March 7, 2009 – Defending Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series Mid South Thunder Tour Champion, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas battled past seven time USCS National Champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee on lap twelve of the thirty-lap “Frostbuster” Classic main event at Central Mississippi Speedway on Saturday night to capture the win in the 2009 season-opener. It was Crawley’s sixth USCS main event win in-a-row dating back to last season in the Ward Racing Boatersports sponsored David McCarver powered #88 Maxim Car.
USCSGrayDASH30709.jpgGray who won the six-lap Parts Plus USCS Power Dash and the 8-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. He then drew a zero inversion in the K&N Filters Pole Award drawing to start his Rislone Oil Stabilizer sponsored, Wesmar powered familiar black #10 J&J Auto Racing car in the pole position for the 30 lap contest. Crawley strolled to the win in the 8-lap Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race to garner the outside front row starting position next to the defending National Champion. Raymond Stull from Independence, Mississippi raced his Team Absolute #6 to victory in the Bar’s Leaks Third Heat Race and started third in the main event.
Gray beat Crawley to turn one at the start on lap one. On lp two the caution waved for a loop by Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas. The incident also collected 2008 Parts Plus USCS Rookie of the Year Anthony Nicholson from Bartlett, Tennessee and Joe Young from Benton, Arkansas. Young went to the pits for the rest of the night along with Todd Fayard from Saucier, Mississippi after the incident.
On the single file re-start Gray raced ahead of the pack with Crawley, Rookie of the Year contender, Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee, Raymond Stull and Jeff Swindell from Bartlett, Tennessee in the top five. On lap four the caution waved again for a tangle that sent both Wade Oliver from Southaven, Mississippi and Lee Sowell from Nesbit, Mississippi to the sidelines as well.
After this second re-start the top cars on lap-five in the lead pack included Gray leading , followed by Crawley the rookie Carver, veterans Jeff Swindell and Raymond Stull, Bryce Vowan from Forest City, Arkansas and Rousch Racing Nationwide Series racer Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. from Olive Branch, Mississippi.
On lap twelve Crawley raced past Gray into the lead and used the next fourteen caution-free laps to build a comfortable margin between he and Gray. Justin Carver challenged the defending Champion (Gray) in lapped traffic several times and drove the best race of his young career. On lap twenty-six the caution waved for the final time when Nicholson spun exiting turn two. This bunched the field behind, Crawley, Gray and Carver for a final four-lap dash to the finish line.
On this final re-start Crawley held off Gray’s final charge and crossed the finish line with Gray in the runner-up spot and the seventeen year-old Carver collecting a career-best third place finish. The 2007 Parts Plus USCS Rookie of the Year Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas charged from eight place after the lap twenty-six caution into fourth place at the finish. Hagar started in the twelfth position. Raymond Stull rounded out the top five finishers.
Jeff Swindell led the next group with a sixth place finish followed by Bryce Vowan in seventh, Danny Wood from Norman, Oklahoma who started the night in the last draw position followed in eighth place. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. finished ninth and 2008 I-30 Speedway track Champion Justin Sturch from Benton, Arkansas rounded out the top ten finishers in the twenty-two car field.
Derek Hagar garnered the Lunati “Crank It Up” Award for his charge past eight cars in the main event. RE Technologies Rookie of race honors went to the talented Carver. Carver also received the K&N Gold Oil Filters third place award for his position. Crawley captured the JE Pistons Top Guns award that rotates from 1st through 5th positions in the main event.
The next Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series racing event is on Saturday, March 21st in the “Bootheel 200” Cavalcade of Racing at Malden Speedway in Malden, Missouri. For more information on that event please visit www.maldenspeedway.com or call 573-276-6265. For rules and info on the Parts Plus USCS please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 404-886-5913.