8/18/2007
Sprint Source
Gray gets seventh O'Reilly USCS win at Clayhill Motorsports
Atwood, Tennessee – Defending O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series Champion and current points leader, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee drove his own Rislone #10 /Wesmar Powered/J and J Auto racing sprint to victory in the 30-lap O’Reilly USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour main event at Clayhill Motorsports on Saturday night. Gray inherited the lead from the previous night’s winner, Tim Crawley from Benton, Arkansas on lap fifteen. Crawley dropped out of the event with a suspension failure.
After winning the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat race Tim Crawley drew a six inversion in the K&N Filters Pole Draw placing him on the outside of the third row in the feature race line-up grid.. Inside of Crawley in row three was the Butlerbuilt Second Heat winner Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas. Just in front of them in the second row were eighteen year-old O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year point leader Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee on the outside and Forrest City, Arkansas’ Bryce Vowan inside. On the pole was Wade Oliver from Southaven, Mississippi with six-time 2007 feature winner, Terry Gray on the outside of the front row.
After winning the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat race Tim Crawley drew a six inversion in the K&N Filters Pole Draw placing him on the outside of the third row in the feature race line-up grid.. Inside of Crawley in row three was the Butlerbuilt Second Heat winner Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas. Just in front of them in the second row were eighteen year-old O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year point leader Don Young from Bartlett, Tennessee on the outside and Forrest City, Arkansas’ Bryce Vowan inside. On the pole was Wade Oliver from Southaven, Mississippi with six-time 2007 feature winner, Terry Gray on the outside of the front row. When the race started, the two front-row starters nearly collided on the front stretch and third-place starting Bryce Vowan took advantage of their error by racing by them into he lead. On lap-two Terry Gray raced underneath Wade Oliver exiting turn two and chased Vowan down to take the lead from him exiting turn four. Also on lap-two sixth-place starting Tim Crawley moved into the third position. On lap-four Crawley passed Vowan for the runner-up position. On lap eight Crawley charged past Gray exiting turn four to take the lead. The field continued to shuffle and on lap ten, ninth-place starting 2006 O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas maneuvered past Vowan into the third position. On lap ten, Don Young spun in turn four bringing out the races first caution flag. The top five in the race order at this point was Tim Crawley leading followed by Terry Gray in second place, Derek Hagar was in third, Bryce Vowan in fourth and Marshall Skinner in the fifth. The caution flag was displayed again on lap fifteen when Crawley’s charge to victory lane came to a halt when a suspension component failed after packing his wheel full of dirt from the heavy cushion around the top of the track. Several others had encountered the same problem. After a gallant charge to the front, Hagar exited the speedway while the field was under caution with mechanical problems as well while the field was under caution to remove Crawley who was parked in turn three. Gray assumed the point after Crawley’s untimely exit and commenced his charge to victory lane for the seventh time this season. Vowan moved in behind him and finished in the second position. Marshall SkinnerWho had started fifth finished in the third position followed across the finish line by Raymond Stull who had charged from an eleventh place start into fourth place. Jerrod Hull from Sikeston, Missouri started seventh and rounded out the top five. Wade Oliver headed the next group in sixth place followed by Greg Merritt from Nesbit, Mississippi in seventh. Army combat soldier Clint Weiss from Fort Benning, Georgia who is stationed in Bagdahd, Iraqfinished in the eighth position followed by Cody Gardner from Benton Arkansas in ninth and Brian Bell rounded out the top ten. Raymond Stull captured the evening’s Lucas Oil Power Dash. Tim Crawley won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race. Marshall Skinner won the Butlerbuilt Second Heat Race. Raymond Stull also garnered the events Huggins Cams Hard Charger award for his charge from 11th place into fourth place. Don Young was recognized as the Robison Racing Products Rookie of the Race. Cody Gardner was recognized as the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race, which is awarded to the top-finishing driver under twenty-five years old. Wade Oliver snagged the K&N Filters Pole Award. The JE Pistons Top Gun Award went to the third place driver Bryce Vowan. The next O’Reilly USCS National points event and O’Reilly USCS Aphalt Thunder points event is at LanierNational Speedway in Braselton, Georgia on Saturday night, September 1st. The tour then visits Camden Speedway in Camden, Tennessee on Sunday night September 2nd
Submitted By: Adam Ulrey
