RINGGOLD, Ga. – Story and audio by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio, Race Chaser Online and USCS Racing – Chris Seelman photo –
15-year-old Brandon Taylor took the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series to school on Friday night at Boyd’s Speedway, charging late to score his second victory of the 2015 season in thrilling fashion.
Not even a six invert could stop the Cumming, Ga. young gun, who charged past fellow Peach State native Bob Trapino on lap 12 of the 20-lap main event and then held a third Georgian, Mike Magic, off on a restart with four laps to go to notch his third career USCS micro sprint victory and first at the three-eighths mile clay oval.
The win was Taylor’s first trip back to www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane since the series’ season-opening weekend at Tennessee National Raceway on March 21.
“It was ridiculous,” Taylor said when asked how hard he had to push to catch Trapino in the closing stages of the event. “We were loose in hot laps and tightened the car up too much in the dash. It tooks us a while to get it working all right because for so long, the track conditions weren’t there. But, we finally got it, and it took everything I had to get to Bob – but we had the car to do it and I was glad to see that checkered flag, I’ll say that much.”
“We won last weekend at Clarksville [in an unsanctioned event], so to come back and get a win two weeks in a row is pretty awesome.”
The race was slowed by two cautions; the first slowdown came at lap two when John Moss spun at the bottom of turn two, and the final yellow flag flew on lap 16 after Kyle Amerson’s No. 29 machine slowed to a stop on the backstretch, setting up the dash to the checkered flag.
Magic, out of Winder, Ga., scored the runner-up finish behind Trapino, who faded late but hung on to cross the line third and score the K&N Filters Podium Award – also marking a Georgia sweep of the podium.
Floridian John Moss followed in fourth and former series winner Shawn Nelson, from nearby Ooltewah, Tenn., completed the top five.
Paige Moss notched a sixth place finish in her USCS mini sprint debut and series points leader Remeno Loyal, out of Snellville, Ga., finished seventh. The “Zero Hero,” Aubrey Black Jr., came home eighth and McDonough, Ga. driver Shane Werner was ninth. Rookie of the Year contender Michael Barton, from Castalian Springs, Miss. capped off the top ten.
Taylor kicked off the night by grabbing the win in the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, and followed up his dash victory with a win in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. Mike Magic notched the win in the www.rockauto.com Second Heat.
Taylor was the provisional polesitter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, but following the K&N Inversion Draw, Trapino grabbed the K&N Filters Pole Position. Taylor also passed the most cars in the main event (five) to garner the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award – making the night a clean sweep for the young gun.
The www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series season continues on Saturday night, July 18 at the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga. Ooltewah, Tennessee’s Shawn Nelson is the defending winner of the event.
For rules and updated schedule information about the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car series please visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.
Audio with race winner Brandon Taylor:
RESULTS: www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series @ Boyd’s Speedway; July 17, 2015
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: Brandon Taylor, Mike Magic, Remeno Loyal, Bob Trapino, Kyle Amerson, Michael Barton.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Brandon Taylor, Remeno Loyal, Kyle Amerson, Shawn Nelson, Shane Werner, Paige Moss, Shaun Fitzgerald.
www.rockauto.com Second Heat: Mike Magic, Bob Trapino, John Moss, Aubrey Black Jr., Michael Barton, Tommy Thompson, John Crowder (DNS).
www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint A-Main 20 laps:
- #07 – Brandon Taylor, Cumming, GA (+5)
- #5M – Mike Magic, Winder, GA
- #98 – Bob Trapino, Alpharetta, GA
- #44M – John Moss, DeLeon Springs, FL
- #88A – Shawn Nelson, Ooltewah, TN
- #95 – Paige Moss, Deland, FL
- #2X – Remeno Loyal, Snellville, GA
- #0 – Aubrey Black Jr., Trenton, GA
- #48 – Shane Werner, McDonough, GA
- #21B – Michael Barton, Castalian Springs, MS
- #3T – Tommy Thompson, Five Mile, TN
- #29 – Kyle Amerson, Montgomery, AL
- #30 – John Crowder, Summerfield, FL (DNS)
- #28 – Shaun Fitzgerald, Powder Springs, GA (DNS)
USCS 600 Sprint Race Awards:
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: #07 – Brandon Taylor
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: #07 – Brandon Taylor
www.rockauto.com Second Heat: #5M – Mike Magic
K&N Filters Pole Award: #98 – Bob Trapino
Bell Helmets Focus Award: #5M – Mike Magic
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #98 – Bob Trapino
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Fourth Place Award: #44M – John Moss
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #07 – Brandon Taylor
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #88A – Shawn Nelson
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #95 – Paige Moss
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #21B – Michael Barton
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s. He is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
