September 23, 2013 – By Jacob Seelman for Speed 77 Radio and Race Chaser Online – Senoia, GA – No, Terry Gray has not forgotten how to drive a sprint car, and if you ask him, he’ll tell you straight-up the breaks just haven’t fallen his way in 2013.
After Saturday night, however, you can now count one break in the Terry Gray donation jar for 2013. The 10-time United Sprint Car Series champion started on pole at New Senoia Raceway for Friday night’s Senoia Summer Nationals preliminary A-main, courtesy of a 6 inversion draw. Gray then parlayed the track position all the way to his first victory of the 2013 season, leading every lap of the main event. The victory broke a winless drought extending all the way back to March of 2012 in Batesville, Arkansas, a 54-race streak and the longest drought of the veteran’s career.
“I was beginning to wonder if it was gonna happen this year,” Gray said of the win. “Just finally got everything to fall our way.”
Defending USCS champion Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) finished second, followed by Gray’s teammate, Morgan Turpen (Cordova, TN), in third. Current USCS points leader Derek Hagar and national USCS rookie contender Curt Terrell completed the top five.
Derek Hagar won the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, and Terry Gray and Lee Moore took the two heat race victories on the night. Tim Crawley advanced the most positions in the main event to earn the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
In USCS 600 Sprint Car action, 17-year-old Sean Hosey (out of Clarksville, TN) iced the field and led every lap to collect his third Rockauto.com USCS mini-sprint victory of the 2013 season over Mike Magic.
Saturday night’s finale program for the Senoia Summer Nationals was rained out and will not be rescheduled. The next event for the United Sprint Car Series will be the North-South Shootout at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, NC, on October 4th, featuring the stars and cars of the USCS taking on the rival northern United Racing Company Sprint Cars. Upwards of 30 sprint cars are expected for one of the biggest nights in East Coast sprint car racing.
PHOTO CREDIT: United Sprint Car Series
RESULTS – USCS Senoia Summer Nationals Night 1
USCS Hoosier Speed Dash: Derek Hagar, Terry Gray, Morgan Turpen, Taylor Tidmore and Curt Terrell. Eric Riggins, Jr. – DNS
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Derek Hagar, Morgan Turpen, Terry Gray, Jeff Willingham and Eric Riggins, Jr.
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Lee Moore, Tim Crawley, Taylor Tidmore, Curt Terrell and Ray Bugg.
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main event 20-laps :
1. 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
2. 88 Tim Crawley, Benton, AR
3. 10m Morgan Turpen, Cordova, TN
4. 9Jr. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR
5. 27 Curt Terrell, Bartlett, TN
6. 1A Lee Moore, Tuscaloosa, AL
7. 13T Taylor Tidmore, Hernando, MS
8. 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS
9. 25 Ray Bugg, Iuka, MS
10. 47 Eric Riggins, Jr., Charlotte, NC
USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour Race Awards:
K&N Filters Pole Award: 10 Terry Gray
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: 10M Morgan Turpen
DMI/Bulldog rear Ends top Ten Award: 47 Eric Riggins, Jr.
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: 88 Tim Crawley
