Lake City, FL - February 2, 2007 - Two time O'Reilly Auto Parts United Sprint Car Series Champion, Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida won the 25-lap 1st Annual O'Reilly USCS North Florida Winternationals round one season opener at North Florida Speedway n Lake City, Florida on Friday night. It was Adams ninety-eighth career win in the O'Reilly USCS.
The K&N Filters Pole starter Justin Barger from Montrose, New York led the first nine laps of the high-speed charge around the racey 4/10 mile oval with two-time series Champion, Adams and defending Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee in tow for the first nine laps.
Adams made the winning move past Barger on lap ten. Barger chased Adams until lap twenty-three through lapped traffic, but faded to third after Texan Gary Wright from Hooks, Texas slide underneath for the runner-up spot. Barger held on for a podium finish in third. Five-time O'Reilly USCS champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee followed in fourth and CnB Mushroom Farms fast qualifier, Wayne Johnson from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma rounded out the top five.
Travis Rilat from Forney, Texas who started fourth finished in sixth place. Canadian, Chris Schmelzle from Victoria, BC hustled from ninth to seventh. The 2006 O'Reilly USCS Most improved driver, T.J. Winegardner from Pierson, Florida finished in eighth place after starting thirteenth. The 2004 O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, R.J. Johnson from Decatur, Tennessee was ninth and Oklahoman, Brad Best rounded out the top ten.
Kenny Adams kicked off the evening by winning the six-lap Lucas Oil Power Dash comprised of the top six cars from time trial qualifying. Ohio traveler, Luke Hall was the winner in the Engler Tool and Machine First Heat. Brad Best captured the Butlerbuilt Second Heat race and R.J. Johnson won the FSR Racing Products Third Heat.
Wayne Johnson set fast time and a new track record of 15.72 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. Justin Barger won the K&N Filters Pole Award after being drawn to the pole with a six-inversion draw. Adams also received the evenings JE Pistons Top Guns Award for his win. T.J. Winegardner garnered the events Huggins Cams Hard Charger award after starting 13th and passing five cars. Justin Barger was recognized as the Hoosier Tire Young Gun of the Race, which is awarded to the top-finishing driver under twenty-five years old. The Weld Racing Hard Luck award went to Matt Tiffany.
OFFICIAL RESULTS - O'REILLY USCS OUTLAW THUNDER TOUR at North Florida Speedway on February 2, 2007 results:
POS. START CAR# DRIVER/HOMETOWN
- 3 4A Kenny Adams Malabar, FL
- 5 9 Gary Wright Hooks, TX
- 1 32B Justin Barger Montrose, NY
- 2 10 Terry Gray Bartlett, TN
- 6 94 Wayne Johnson Oklahoma City, O
- 4 29 Travis Rilat Forney, TX
- 9 57c Chris Schmelzle Victoria, BC
- 13 11T TJ Winegardner Pierson, FL
- 12 71 RJ Johnson Decatur, TN
- 8 35W Brad Best Tulsa, OK
- 7 69k John Karklin, Jr. Freehold, NY
- 10 34 Luke Hall Ludlow Falls, OH
- 11 33 Doug Emery New York
- 15 32 Stephen Darvalics Venice, FL
- 13 35 Ronnie Blair Dayton, OH
- 17 21v Brent Vonk Sioux Falls, SD
- 5 4B Bryn Gohn Malabar, FL
- 11 71c Jack Helget Cherry Hill, NJ
- 22 10s Matt Stegeman Tampa, FL
- 19 17T Jeff Taylor Cherry Hill, NJ
- 9 19T Matt Tiffany Daytona Beach, FL
- 20 43 Terry Witherspoon Jacksonville, FL
LUCAS OIL POWER DASH WINNER: Kenny Adams.
K & N FILTERS POLE AWARD: Justin Barger
HUGGINS CAMS HARD CHARGER: TJ Winegardner
HOOSIER TIRE YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Justin Barger
ROBISON RACING PRODUCTS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: none
JE PISTONS TOP GUNS AWARD: Kenny Adams. (winner)
K&N FILTERS 3RD-PLACE AWARD: Justin Barger
BUTLERBUILT 4TH-PLACE AWARD: Terry Gray
Arizona Sport Shirts TOP FIVE AWARD: Wayne Johnson
SIMPSON SAFETY PRODUCTS 6TH-PLACE AWARD: Travis Rilat
FSR RACING PRODUCTS-7 TH-PLACE AWARD: Chris Schmelzle
AIR FLOW RESEARCH 9TH-PLACE AWARD: RJ Johnson
FSR TOP 10 AWARD : Brad Best
WELD RACING HARD LUCK AWARD: Matt Tiffany
ENTRIES: 22
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: One
LAP LEADERS: Barger 1-9, Adams 10-25
CAUTIONS: One
LUCAS OIL POWER DASH - 6 Laps: 1. Kenny Adams, Wayne Johnson, Justin Barger, Terry Gray, John Karklin, Travis Rilat.
Engler Tool and Machine First Heat: Winner: Lou Hall, Wayne Johnson, John Karlin, Jr., Kenny Adams, TJ Winegardner, Stephen Darvalics, Brent Vonk, Matt Tiffany DNS
Butlerbuilt Second Heat: Finish: Brad Best, Terry Gray, Gary Wright, Doug Emery, Ron Blair, Jeff Taylor, Jack Helget.
FSR Racing Products Third Heat: RJ Johnson, Travis Rilat, Chris Schmelzle, Justin Barger, Bryn Gohn, Matt Stegeman, Terry Witherspoon DNS
PHOTO / CAPTION: Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida won his ninety-eighth career O'Reilly Auto Parts United Sprint Car Series feature race on Friday night in the 25 lap-1st Annual O'Reilly USCS North Florida Winternationals round #1 at North Florida Speedway. (photo Pete Walton). Media contact: Pete Walton 404-886-5913.
Article Credit: Pete Walton