Gastonia, NC – June 26, 2009 - Seven-time Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee won the 30-lap Parts Plus USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main-event during the Parts Plus USCS “Thunder in Carolina” event at Carolina Speedway on Friday night. It was Gray’s second USCS feature win at the speedy 4/10 mile Carolina clay oval this season. Gray drove his Rislone Oil Treatment sponsored #10 J&J Auto Racing car past early race leader Matt Linder’s #1x into the leader on lap ten and then led the rest of the way to victory lane. Gray started fifth in the field after sixth starter, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina inverted the first six cars with his draw of a six in the K&N Filters Pole Award drawing on the front stretch in front of the speedway’s packed grandstands. The inversion placed Liner on the K&N Pole next to rookie young gun Scott Hensley from Olive Branch, Missisippi. 2009 Rookie points-leader, Justin Carver from Drummonds, Tennessee and Brian Thomas from Pendergrass, Georgia were in the second row.
On the start Linder launched into the lead with Hensley and Gray behind on lap one. Gray moved intot he runner-up spot on lap two with Hensley, Brian Thomas, Carver and Johnny Bridges taking up he chase. Bridges moved into the top five on lap three. The order stayed the same until lap ten, when, Gray passed the early leader Linder on the outside in turn three. The battle was on for the runner-up spot after that.
On lp nineteen with Linder running second and Bridges and Hensley challenging, the trio encountered a lapped car and tangled entering turn three. Both Bridges and Linder flipped with Bridges striking the concrete barriers hard destroying his #07. Linder’s #1x also suffered minor damage. Both drivers miracously escaped uninjured from t scary crash. When the race continued rookie Scott Hensley was in the runner-up spot.
Terry Gray led the final distance to the finish line with Hensley in tow behind him garnering a career-best second place finish. Brian Thomas who ran well all night long, came home in the third position. Rookie Justin Carver finished fourth and 2008 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year, Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina who started eighth rounded out the top five finishers.
The next group was headed by Coby Adams from Mooresville,North Carolina in sixth place. Adams was the Lunati Crank It Up Hard Charger, 2008 USCS Asphalt Thunder Rookie of the Year, Adam Jackson started sixteenth and finished seventh. Brad Wickham from Rutherfordton, North Carolina finished in the eighth position followed by Brian Carter from Concord, North Carolina in ninth place. Rookie Dennis Lykins, Jr. from Peachtree City, Georgia rounded out the top ten.
Justin Carver won the six-lap Parts Plus Power Dash. Terry Gray won the 10-lap Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Rookie hot-shoe Justin Carver rolled to victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Coby Adams from Mooresville, North Carolina garnered the Lunati “Crank It Up” Award for his charge past eleven cars in the main event. First year sprint car racer, Scott Hensley from Olive Branch, Mississipppi garnered The RE Technologies Rookie of race honors as well as the Hoosier Tire Young Guns Award for the top finishing driver under 25 years-old. The evening’s Dynotech Race Engines Hard Luck Award went to Brandon Rekow from Mooresville, North Carolina.
The next Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series racing event is on Saturday, April 27th at Travelers Rest Speedway in Travelers,SC