Gastonia, NC – April 15, 2011 – Erin Crocker (Evernham) from Cornelius, North Carolina made USCS history by becoming the first female sprint car driver to reach the www.RockAuto.com United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear victory lane in an A-Main event in the series 15-year history on Friday night at Carolina Speedway. Ironically the second place finisher was also female driver as well. The 2010 USCS Rookie of the Year and eighteen year-old female hot-shoe Morgan Turpen from Oakland, Tennessee followed Crocker across the finish line in second place after leading most of the 30 laps. Crocker placed another unique exclamation point to make her feature win even more spectacular. She struck a car ( just ahead of her) after taking the checkered flag and went flipping out of the track in between turns one and two. She was removed from the car unhurt and appeared in victory lane without her #98 Evernham Enterprises race car.
K&N Filters Pole Position starter, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina led the first eleven laps of the www.RockAuto.com 30-lap main event before making contact with a lapped car and ending his night on the front stretch. Morgan Turpen who was pressuring Bridges at the time, then assumed the point. On the following lap the red flag waved for a spectacular crash exiting turn four involving 2009 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year Brandon Rekow from Mooresville, North Carolina and Bob Auld from Largo, Florida. The wreck damage both cars severely and ended the night for both drivers.
Turpen continued to lead after that re-start until lap twenty-three when Crocker came racing by on the high side of the track and surged ahead to an eight car length lead at the finish line just before she went over the wall.
Behind those two talented female racing pioneers for their gender followed male drivers Lane Moss from Cherryville, North Carolina in third place, the defending series Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee in fourth place and Matt Linder from Hoschton, Georgia, who was the winner on the last USCS visit to Carolina Speedway rounded out the top five.
Young gun Nick Bashford from China Grove, North Carolina came home in the sixth position. Finishing in seventh place was well known NASCAR Hall of Fame Crew Chief and former asphalt Modified racer, but, a a. sprint car rookie driver, Ray Evernham from Cornelius, North Carolina. Evernham is also the husband and car owner of the feature winner. The 2010 USCS Southern Thunder regional series Rookie of the Year, Eric Riggins from Charlotte, North Carolina followed Evernham in eighth place. 2008 USCS Southern Thunder Rookie of the Year Jake McLain from Indian Trail, North Carolina finished in the ninth spot and David Clark from Huntersville, North Carolina rounded out the top ten drivers.
Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, NC won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Morgan Turpen won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Bridges was awarded the K&N Filters Pole Position after being the high-point earner and drawing a zero inversion. Young gun Eric Riggins was rewarded for his efforts with the Wilwood Hard Charger Award for the driver who advances the most positions in the main event after improving six positions. .
The next USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour event is at Travelers Rest Speedway (www.trspeedway.info ) in Travelers Rest, South Carolina on Saturday night.
(April 16th). For information on these and other USCS Outlaw Thunder events please call 770-460-7223 or visit www.uscsracing.com
United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear USCS Southern Thunder
results:
Carolina Speedway – Friday, April 15, 2011.
Goodyear Speed Dash: winner = Terry Gray, Matt Linder, Morgan Turpen, David Clark, Eric Riggins and Darren Clark.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: winner = Johnny Bridges, Lance Moss, Matt Linder, Erin Crocker, Nick Bashford, Ray Evernham, David Thormas and Darren Clark – DNS.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: winner = Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Brandon Rekow, Jake McLain, David Clark, Bob Auld, Jason Day and Eric Riggins – DNS.
Feature 30 laps:
1 – 98 Erin Crocker, Mooresville, NC
2 – 80 Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
3 – 23R Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
4 – 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
5 – 1x Matt Linder, Hoschton, GA
6 – 24x Nick Bashford, China Grove, NC
7 – 19 Ray Evernham, Mooresville, NC
8 – 47 Eric Riggins, Charlotte, NC
9 – 67 Jake McLain, Indian Trail, NC
10 – 21c David Clark, Huntersville, NC
11 – 69 Brandon Rekow, Mooresville, NC
12 – 83 Bob Auld, Sarasota, FL
13 – 07 Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
14 – 5 – David Thorman, Greenville, SC
15 – 4Q Jason Day, Cherryville, NC
16 – 20 Darren Clark, Huntersville, NC
USCS Sprint Car Race Awards:
Goodyear Speed Dash winner: Terry Gray www.racegoodyear.com
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Award: Johnny Bridges www.englermachine.com
Butlerbuilt Second Heat Award: Morgan Turpen www.butlerbuilt.net
K&N Filters Pole Award: Johnny Bridges www.knfilters.com
Wilwood Eng. Hard Charger Award: Eric Riggins (started 14th finished 8th) www.wildwood.com
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: Lance Moss (3rd place) www.jepistons.com
K&N Filters Podium Award: Lance Moss (3rd place) www.knfilters.com
Keizer Wheels Top Five Award: Matt Linder www.keizerwheels.com
Diversified Machine Inc: Top Ten Award David Clark www.diversifiedracing.com