Columbus, MS - April 4, 2009 - Gary Taylor from Seattle, Washington led the final five laps of the 30-lap Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour Championship Finale of the Spring Xplosion at Magnolia Motor Speedway on Saturday night. It was a career-first USCS feature win for Taylor over a talent-laden field of competitors from eleven states. It was, more importantly, the first-ever USCS win for noted sprint car-owner Bobby Sparks from Olive Branch, Mississippi.
Taylor started in the K&N Filters Pole Position after the previous night's feature winner Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas drew him to the pole in the inversion drawing. On lap one, the outside front row starter Jeff Swindell from Bartlett, Tennessee grabbed the lead from Taylor in turn one while fourth starting seventeen year-old Rookie sensation, Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee went flying past as well in pursuit of Swindell. Swindell then led the first six laps of the race before Carver drove past him into the lead and accelerated away. Carver led the next three laps before 2006 USCS Rookie for the Year Derek Hagar rolled several times on the front stretch bringing out a red flag.
When the race re-started with 21 laps to go Carver again raced away from Swindell to lead the next seven laps on a track surface that was becoming more and more abrasive. On lap eight Paul McMahan from Nashville, Tennessee, who starting eighth, charged past Taylor into third place. On lap seventeen Swindell raced back underneath the talented rookie ace, Carver into the lead with McMahan still in third. On lap eighteen McMahan grabbed the runner-up spot from Carver momentarily, then slowed to a halt in turn two. The caution came out for McMahan with twelve laps to go with Swindell on the point and Carver in behind. On lap nineteen Gary Taylor, who had been chasing the duo from third place got by Carver into second place.
On lap twenty-one Tim Crawley charged underneath Carver into third place and nosed under Taylor into second place for a lap. Taylor fought back and regained the runner-up spot before passing Swindell for the lead with five laps to go. At the finish, Swindell held of Crawley for the runner-up spot with Crawley finishing third breaking a seven-race Parts Plus USCS Mid South Thunder Tour win streak. Dynotech B-Main #2 winner Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee, charged from 18th starting position into fourth place at the finish. Carver's great run ended with a fifth place finish.
The next group was headed by Bar's Leaks Third Heat winner Tyler Godwin from Tampa, Florida in sixth place. The 2000 USCS Rookie of the Year, Michael Miller from Pensacola, Florida who started fourteenth finished seventh. Defending Parts Plus USCS National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee finished in the eighth position. Former USCS National Champions, Eddie Gallagher from Piperton, Tennessee and Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas finished ninth and tenth respectively.
Tim Crawley won the six-lap Parts Plus Power Dash by winning a thrilling battle with Gary Taylor decided on the last lap. Carver won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Raymond Stull from Independence, Mississippi raced his Team Absolute #6 to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. The Bar's Leaks Third Heat Race was won by young gun Tyler Godwin. Another talented young gun, Brad Bowden from Hernando, Mississippi won the Lunati Cranks Fourth Heat Race.
The RE Technologies B-Main #1 was won by 2008 I-30 Speedway Champion, Justin Sturch from Benton, Arkansas. As previously mentioned, Don Young won the Dynotech B-Main #2. Don Young also garnered the Lunati "Crank It Up" Award for his charge past fourteen cars in the main event. But, that doesn't include a tenth pace start in the B-Main that he won. The RE Technologies Rookie of race honors went to Justin Carver.
The next Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series racing event is on Saturday, April 11th at Drew County Speedway.