April 25, 2014 – Audio and story by Managing Editor and USCS Announcer Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio, Race Chaser Online and USCS Racing – Chris Seelman photo – ANDERSON, S.C. – Total domination.
Those are the two words to describe Johnny Bridges’ drive on Friday night during the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour filtercharged by K&N main event at Anderson Motor Speedway.
Bridges, out of Cherryville, North Carolina, drove past Morgan Turpen on Lap 7 of the 35-lap main event and never looked back, holding off 10-time USCS National Champion Terry Gray to win his second USCS sprint car feature of 2014.
“The car was on a rail,” Bridges said in www.rockauto.com Victory Lane. “I didn’t win all of last year, but I tell you what, this sure makes up for it. It’s fun racing again, and fun to be back on the pavement. I enjoyed this a lot tonight.”
Gray, out of Bartlett, Tennessee, chased Bridges to the checkered flag but could never get through lapped traffic to mount a challenge for the win and finished in the runner-up spot. His teammate Morgan Turpen, the K&N Fast Time Award winner and female hot-shoe out of Cordova, Tennessee, came home in the third position to notch the K&N Podium Award.
Those three drivers were the only three cars on the lead lap at the conclusion of the feature event, which went from green to checkered without a caution as Bridges set a blistering pace around the 3/8 mile oval. The race was race six of the USCS sprint car season and also opened the USCS “Road to Atlanta” Asphalt Thunder mini-series for 2014 as well.
Indian Trail, North Carolina’s Brandon McLain, in his first-ever asphalt race, scored a career-best fourth place finish and Tom Paterson, from Argos, Indiana completed the top five finishers.
Joe Larkin, from Suwannee, Georgia scored a career-best USCS finish in sixth place. Jeff Willingham, out of Ripley, Mississippi came home in seventh and Mooresville, North Carolina’s Tim Perry finished eighth. Bill Moore in ninth (Mount Ulla, N.C.) and Jason Troutman (Vale, N.C.) completed the top ten at the finish.
Morgan Turpen successfully defended her USCS all-time track record at Anderson Motor Speedway with a quick lap of 13.34 seconds to claim the K&N Fast Time Award. Johnny Bridges then kicked off the evening’s racing action by winning the six car, six lap Hoosier Speed Dash. Terry Gray won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat and Brandon McLain scored his first-ever USCS heat race victory in the Butlerbuilt Second Heat. Morgan Turpen then received her time back after heat race action to grab the K&N Filters Pole Position. Jeff Willingham advanced the most positions (four) in the A-Main to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The next event for the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour will be Round #2 of the USCS “Road to Atlanta” Asphalt Thunder mini-series on Saturday, April 26th at the 4/10 mile Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, North Carolina.
For rules, schedules and other info on the 2014 and 18th annual USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint car series please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 865-6097.
RESULTS: USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters; Anderson Motor Speedway; Friday, April 25, 2014
K&N Fast Time Award: Morgan Turpen – 13.34 seconds
Hoosier Speed Dash: Johnny Bridges, Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Tom Paterson, Joe Larkin and Jeff Willingham.
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Terry Gray, Johnny Bridges, Tom Paterson, Morgan Turpen, Joe Larkin and Jeff Willingham.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Brandon McLain, Jay Dunham, Tim Perry, Doug Gould, Bill Moore, Jason Troutman and Jim Blenkarn.
USCS Friday of Power at Anderson Speedway Main Event: 35-laps
- #07 – Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC
- #10 – Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
- #10M – Morgan Turpen, Oakland, TN
- #21B – Brandon McLain, Indian Trail, NC
- #100 – Tom Paterson, Argos, IN
- #33 – Joe Larkin, Suwanee, GA
- #28 – Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
- #36 – Tim Perry, Mooresville, NC
- #06 – Bill Moore, Mooresville, NC
- #4 – Jason Troutman, Vale, NC
- #07G – Doug Gould, Concord, NC
- #51 – Jay Dunham, Augusta, GA – DNS
- #46 – Jim Blenkarn, Murfreesboro, TN – DNS
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by K&N Filters Race Awards:
K&N Filters Pole Award: #10M – Morgan Turpen
JE Pistons Top Guns Award: #07 – Johnny Bridges
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #10M – Morgan Turpen
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #28 – Jeff Willingham
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #100 – Tom Paterson
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #33 – Joe Larkin
Pyrotect Racing Cells Lucky Seven Award: #28 – Jeff Willingham
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #4 – Jason Troutman
