Woodstock, Ga - The "Bartlett Bandit" Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee struck again Saturday night at the United Sprint Car Series "Dixie Nationals" at legendary Dixie Speedway. Gray dominated the entire event in his Wesmar powered black #10 Maxim sponsored by Wendy's and Goodson Farms with a sweep of the Airflow Research Power Dash, his heat race and then jumping from his second row starting position on lap one of the main event to lead every one of the 30 laps to reach a familiar Dixie Nationals victory lane for the sprint car star. Gray has now won the last three USCS "Dixie Outlaw Nationals" events at Mickey Swims' tough D-shaped clay oval. Gray collected the $2500 paycheck which included a $500 bonus posted by Donn Goodson from Goodson Farms, Inc. of Balm, Florida. The win also broke a five race USCS Dirt Series win streak by Malabar , Florida USCS hot shoe, Kenny Adams.

The main event was filled with opportunities for the field to bunch up behind the streaking veteran, Gray. On lap 10
USCS rookie driver Shawn Stafford spun but did no damage and returned to the rear of the competitive field. On the restart rookie Tom Winegardner, Jr. who started on the pole, hit the first turn wall and had enough damage to go to the pits.

On lap eleven the big one happened. This time it was a red flag for 2002 USCS Top Rookie driver Randy Weaver from Powder Springs, Georgia, who had been chasing Gray for the first ten laps in second place and had lost a position to Kenny Adams back to third on the restart. Then, Weaver, who was fast but, seemed to be taking a couple of laps to get his momentum back on the restarts was passed between turns one and two on lap eleven by the #77 of Jim Raptis. As the pair exited the corner side by side with the Weaver on the outside of Raptis with the 5p car of Skip Andrews just ahead, Weaver tried to regain the position by driving between Raptis and Andrews. That's when the big one happened. Weaver's left front contacted Raptis' right front and appeared to break the steering loose on Weaver's # 97car. Then, Weaver's car drove left down the race track, apparently out of his control, at high speed and hit head on hard into the inside retaining wall gate opening. Weaver's car struck the concrete wall blunt at high speed dead center. Officials quickly rushed to the car that had landed on it's side. USCS Pit Steward, Shane Jarrell called hurriedly for an Ambulance and several anxious moments passed before track and USCS officials gave the signal that he was moving under his own power, and appeared to be very seriously shaken but okay. Weaver was checked out by track side medical personnel and released. The talented and likeable driver's car was destroyed, but he had dodged a huge bullet.

With Adams now in second place, and one lapped car in between, he was trying to run down Gray. On lap fifteen a flying Jeremy Scott from Franklin, Georgia who started in row four was pasted Jim Raptis and into third and appeared to be reeling in Adams. But, then on lap twenty two, another caution flew and this time it was for Scott who apparently struck mud at the bottom of the race track and collided with the #4c car of Chris Hill from Wedowee, Alabama, who he was attempting to lap in his charge to the front. Both cars were badly damaged. and out for the night.

On the restart Gray had a cushion of three lapped cars between Adams and himself and plenty of steam. When the green flag flew, Adams had trouble charging past the lapped cars and Raptis was now back in third was testing him as well. But, on lap twenty eight, caution flew again when the fourth running #72 of Roland Johnson from Zephyrhills, Florida had to stop because his front wing had come loose and lodged across his front cage opening. An exciting dash to the finish was on and Adams had his best chance of the night. Gray would have none of it thou and showed his superiority on this evening by streaking away from Adams and winning by eight car lengths.

Adams flew across in second followed by Raptis from Marietta, Georgia, then Lookout Mountain, Georgia's Aubrey Black was fourth and USCS rookie points leader, Chase Taylor from Montgomery, Texas survived the wild main event for his career best fifth place. Tom Winegardner from Pierson, Florida finished in sixth followed by rookie Shawn Stafford from Roswell, Georgia, in seventh. Another outstanding rookie driving performance netted Skip Andrews from Huntsville, Alabama an eighth place finish, followed by Jerry Jones from Clermont, Florida in ninth and "Racin' Randy Helton from Palmetto, Georgia rounded out the top ten.

Gray started the evening by winning the Airflow Research cylinder heads "Super Power Dash" qualifier. Qualifying heat races were won by Gray and Adams as well. The event's Huggins Cams "Hard charger" award went to Tom Winegardner who started sixteenth and finished sixth. Chase Taylor received the Hart Racing "top rookie" award for the event with an impressive fifth place finish.

The KSE Racing Products "Outstanding Driving Performance" award had to go to Aubrey Black for his fourth place finish in his USCS "Asphalt Thunder" Series car. Black finished in third place in his heat race as well. Black, who is fourth in the USCS National point standings and fifth in the USCS Dirt Series point standings, blew an engine in his dirt car on Friday night and went home and got his asphalt car. He and crew chief Mike Gullett did not make a lot of changes as the car still had a 54 inch front axle and four wheel brakes. Black who was never further down than eighth in the main event said. " We really just changed tires and shocks and thought we would just come keep our points up." The third year sprint car racer also said, "We really didn't expect to have one of our best dirt finishes ever."

The next USCS event is this Friday night August 8th at Huntsville Speedway www.huntsvillespeedway.com followed by a Saturday night event at Senoia Speedway www.senoiaspeedway.com in Senoia, Georgia on Saturday night (August 9th). For rules and info on these events visit www.uscsracing.com or call USCS at 770-313-3477.

Airflow Research Power Dash (Super Power dash qualifier)
WINNER = Terry Gray, Kenny Adams, Jeremy Scott, Jim Raptis, Randy Helton, Jerry Jones.

Heat #1 - WINNER = Kenny Adams, Tom Winegardner, Jr., Jim Raptis, Roland Johnson, Terry Witherspoon, Chase Taylor Jerry Jones, Skip Andrews , Ben Basinger, Chris Hill

Heat #2 - WINNER = Terry Gray, Randy Weaver, Aubrey Black, Jeremy Scott, Randy Helton, Brian Thomas, Shawn Stafford, Tom Winegardner, Dave Gibson.

A main event (30 laps) - Dixie Speedway (8/2/03)
WINNER = #10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN
2nd -#4A Kenny Adams, Malabar, Fl
3rd - #77 Jim Raptis, Marietta, GA
4th - #21 Aubrey Black, Lookout Mountain, GA
5th - #40m Chase Taylor, Montgomery, TX
6th - #11 Tom Winegardner, Pierson, FL
7th - #98 Shawn Stafford, Roswell, GA
8th - #5p Skip Andrews, Huntsville, AL
9th - #19 Jerry Jones, Clermont, FL
10th - #27 Randy Helton, Palmetto, GA
11th -#72 Roland Johnson, Zephyrhills, FL
12th - #1 Terry Witherspoon, Jacksonville, FL
13th - #69 Jeremy Scott, Franklin, GA
14th -# 4c Chris Hill, Wedowee, Al
15th - #97 Randy Weaver, Powder Springs, GA
16th - # 11T Tom Winegardner, Jr., Pierson, FL
17th - #67 Brian Thomas, Auburn, GA
18th - #1b Ben Basinger, Granite Quarry, NC
19th - #2d Dave Gibson, Atlanta, GA
20th - #71 R. J. Johnson, Zephyrhills, FL - DNS


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