USCS: National Points as of 2004-05-01

Gray and Adams Race To a National Points Stalemate Over The Weekend

FAYETTEVILLE, GA - Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN and Kenny Adams of Malabar, FL raced to a stalemate in the United Sprint Car Series National Point Standings over the weekend during events in Hickory, NC and Radford, VA. Both drivers posted a win and a third-place finish in USCS Asphalt Thunder action.

The USCS Asphalt Thunder Series will compete this Saturday night at Senoia Speedway in Senoia, GA before moving back to the dirt track at Lancaster Speedway in Lancaster, SC on May 15.

The USCS lead duo went into last Friday night's race at Hickory Motor Speedway with the defending and three-time USCS National Champion Gray leading Adams by 12 points in the National points chase.

Adams won the Hickory race, while Gray came home in the third spot. The victory enabled Adams to close the gap to within eight points, as the two USCS "Top Guns" loaded their cars for the trip to Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, VA to race the next night.

When the field lined up for the 40-lap main event, Adams had the pole position, with Gray to his right on the outside of the front row. Adams took the early lead, with Gray giving chase. At the halfway point, Adams was in command and looked like he would chip away a little more at Gray's point lead.

But Adams' car suddenly developed a suspension-related handling problem, and Gray swept around Adams for the lead on lap 26. Gray went on to win the race, while Adams dropped to third-place at the checkered flag.

With the two weekend races completed, Gray and Adams ended up right where they started in the National point standings, 12 points apart.

The leader of the Florida "Fountain of Youth Gang" Danny "The Hammer" Martin of Sarasota, FL joined the USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour at Hickory and Radford to move up the list in the USCS National point standings. The 18-year-old high school Senior had run six of the seven races, all at dirt tracks, and was fourth in the National points going into the weekend.

The only event Martin had missed was the USCS Asphalt Thunder event in Braselton, GA on March 27. The talented youngster loaded up a new Hurricane asphalt winged outlaw sprint car, and headed north.

Martin showed that he has the potential to be a champion by displaying the versatility it takes to run for the USCS National title, as USCS is the only winged outlaw sprint car series in the country that competes on both dirt and asphalt tracks. Martin had a successful weekend with a sixth at Hickory, and a fifth in Radford.

That moved Martin around Brice Wrenn of Lexington, SC and into the third spot on the USCS National points list. Wrenn only runs the USCS Outlaw Thunder dirt events.

While Martin made his mark over the weekend, another Florida Fountain of Youth Gang member made the biggest move of the week in the USCS National point standings. Second-generation driver R.J. Johnson of Wesley Chapel, FL also brought a pavement car to the USCS weekend events.

The USCS top Rookie of the Year candidate scored enough points at Hickory and Radford to leap from seventh to fourth in the National point standings, passing three dirt-only competitors on the list. Wrenn dropped to fifth, while dirt specialists Tom Winegardner of Pierson, FL and Red Stauffer of Winter Park, FL fell to sixth and seventh respectively.

With the series staying on the blacktop again this Saturday night when the USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour stops at Senoia Speedway in Senoia, GA, four members of the "Carolina Cruisers" will have their eyes on moving up the top ten list in USCS National points.

Butch Pendergrass of Winston-Salem, NC is eighth in points and is only two points behind Stauffer. Bill Moore sits in the ninth spot, and he can also move around Stauffer with a good finish Saturday night. Ben Basinger of Salisbury, NC rounds out the top ten in National points, but Chad Allum of Kannapolis, NC is only four points behind him.

After the first nine races of the 2004 USCS season, of which six have run on dirt, and three on asphalt, 12 different drivers have competed on both surfaces.

The USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour will be in action for its third straight event this Saturday night at Senoia Speedway. All of the major "gangs" of USCS racing will be on hand to battle it out on the fast 3/8-mile paved oval.

Gray and Adams represent the USCS "Top Guns." Teenagers Martin, Johnson, and USCS Asphalt Thunder Rookie of the Year contender Troy DeCaire of Tampa, FL will lead the Florida "Fountain of Youth Gang."

The "Buckeye Bandits" will be represented by Mansfield, OH drivers Joe Rebman and Doug Berryman, plus Don Townsend of Columbus, OH, Frank Neill of Vickery, OH, and their Hoosier State neighbor Tom Paterson of Argos, IN.

Pavement specialist Will Ragsdale of Greenville, SC will lead the "Carolina Cruisers" of Pendergrass, Moore, Basinger, Allum, and Doug Gold of Concord, NC. And then there will be a group of hot shoes looking to defend their home turf.

Representing the "Peach State Posse" will Jim Raptis of Marietta, GA, Doug Day of Winder, GA, Randy Helton of Palmetto, GA, and jet pilot by day, race car driver by night, Ted Williams of Atlanta.

Along with the USCS Asphalt Thunder winged outlaw sprint cars, the Senoia Speedway Sportsman, Street Stock, Legend, Bandolero, and Pro Challenge Divisions will also be in action. The Pit Gate opens at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the Grandstand Gate opening at 4:30 p.m., and qualifying is set for 6:45 p.m.

Senoia Speedway is located 3.5 miles west of Senoia, GA off State Road 16 on Brown Road. For more information call the speedway at (770) 599-6161, or visit the track's web site at www.senoiaspeedway.com. For more information about USCS, visit the series web site at www.uscsracing.com.

<pre> USCS NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 5/1/04:

POS     DRIVER                  POINTS
1       Terry Gray              1272
2       Kenny Adams             1260
3       Danny Martin Jr.        1078
4       R.J. Johnson (R)        926
5       Brice Wrenn             784
6       Tom Winegardner Jr.     754
7       Red Stauffer            750
8       Butch Pendergrass       748
9       Bill Moore              638
10      Ben Basinger            624
11      Chad Allum              620
12      Curt Michael            542
13      Brian Thomas            526
14      Jerry Jones             490
15      Doug Gold               480
16      Joe Rebman              434
17      Doug Berryman           420
18      Will Ragsdale           404
19      Frank Neill             400
20      Brad Davis              394
21      Jimmy Taylor            384
22      Tom Patterson           362
23      Jim Raptis              356
24      Phil Mott               328
25      Chad Kemenah            294
26      Joey Saldana            290
27      Scott Young (NC)        286
28      Don Townsend            282
29      Doug Day                280
30      Josh Weller             278
31      Sport Allen             276
32      Shane Stewart           276
33      Ryan Myers              274
34      Troy DeCaire (R)        272
35      Johnny Bridges          268
36      Tony Stewart            266
37      Randy Helton            266
38      Daryl Smith             266
39      Jason Sides             260
40      Greg Wilson             258
41      Glen Styers             256
42      Brad Pake               252
43      Zack Chappell           252
44      Kelly Glass             250
45      Marshall Skinner        246
46      Cody Geldarg            234
47      Roger Rager             228
48      Aubrey Black            226
49      Bruce Cline             226
50      Patrick Sullivan        222
51      Mike Chadd              218
52      Gene Lasker             216
53      Tony Bruce              202
54      Doug Auld               200
55      Tighe Schloss           200
56      Michael Smith           200
57      Matt Stegeman           200
58      Tom Winegardner Sr.     200
59      Chris Hill              160
60      Bubba Clem              150
61      Sean Michael            148
62      Ted Williams            146
63      Wayne Reutimann         146
64      Lance Deweese           144
65      Greg Leonard            144
66      Terry McCarl            142
67      Joey Aguilar            140
68      Wayne Reutimann Jr.     134
69      Jeremy Scott            132
70      Josh Harris             128
71      Tommy Nichols           124
72      Scott Young (AL)        124
73      Nick Manikis            120
74      Bobby Courtwright       120
75      Doug Fitzwater          118
76      Frank Carlson           116
77      Terry Witherspoon       116
78      John Hawk               114
79      Jimmy Mabe              114
80      Bronzie Lawson          110
81      Lee Scrape              100
82      Jeff Shepard            100
83      David Thorman           100
84      Dwight Kingry           100
85      Clarence Cox            50

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