USCS: Senoia race notes 2005-07-31

Wayne Reutimann, Sr. scores O'Reilly USCS win at Senoia Speedway on Sunday

Senoia , GA. - After all the talk about the Speedmart "Young Guns" and the youth movement drivers in the O'Reilly Auto Parts United Sprint Car Series, it was experience that lead that way as 60 year old open wheel veteran Wayne Reutimann, Sr. from Zephyrhills, Florida won the 40-lap O'Reilly USCS feature race at Senoia Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Reutimann drove his #99 Case Contracting / Revere GMC Hurricane / Snyder past defending O'Reilly USCS Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, TN at the race's midpoint on lap twenty to take the lead from his third place starting position. He then fought off the late race charge of current O'Reilly USCS National points leader Kenny Adams from Malabar, FL. Reutimann's margin of victory was only two feet over Adams at the finish line.

Speedmart "Young Guns" (for drivers under 25 years old) point leader, 19 year old Danny Martin, Jr. from Sarasota, Florida followed Adams across the stripe in his #00 Martin Structures, Inc. /ZRE/Schnee for a third place finish. Martin who is second in the O'Reilly USCS National standings, was also the Speed Mart "Young Gun" of the Race. The K&N Filters Pole Award recipient Will Ragsdale from Easley, South Carolina came home fourth in his #29 Martin Printing Co. / Shaw / ERI. 2003 USCS/AOAS Champion, Johnny Bridges from Cherryville, North Carolina who started eighth, drove his #07 C&B Mushrooms /J&J /Bridges Ford powered car into fifth for his best ever paved track finish.

The defending and four-time O'Reilly USCS National Champion Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN settled for the sixth spot in the C&B Mushrooms / Goodson Farms / Maxim / Wesmar after using up his rubber in the afternoon heat maintaining the early lead. Gray who grabbed the lead going into turn one of the race was the Outlaw Racing Disc Brakes Fast Brake of the Race Award winner.

The current O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year points leader, 19 year old, Bryn Gohn of Malabar, FL in the #4B Milk Movers, Inc./Goodson Farms/Shaw/Ott. finished seventh and was the Robison Racing Products Rookie of the Race and also garnered the day's Huggins Cams "Hardcharger" award. 2004 O'Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, R.J. Johnson from Decatur, TN was eight in the #71 Tinsley Engineering/TCF/J&J/ZRE. Chad Allum from Kannapolis, NC who started thirteenth in his Butlerbuilt sponsored Prowler/Chrisco powered #87 came home ninth and Skeeter Faulconer from Lutz, FL in the American Trading Post and Pawn/ Hurricane/ Skeeter #6 rounded out the top ten.

The race had one caution period for current O'Reilly USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour points leader Wayne Reutimann, Jr. on lap seven for a flat tire. Then on the lap seven restart, Aubrey Black's #4m Williamson Brothers / Shaw / Slo-Built and the #56R Doemelt / Garrett-Myers driven by Ryan Myers of Eldorado, OH collided exiting turn two bringing out the red flag. Both cars hit the wall and Black turned over. Due to heavy damage, neither car was able to continue.

In preliminary action on Saturday night, Wayne Reutimann, Jr. set fast time with a lap of 11.935 around the 3/8 mile paved oval. Danny Martin, Jr. won the six-lap Air Flow Research Power Dash. When the rain delayed event restarted on Sunday, Terry Gray won the Engler Machine and Tool first eight-lap heat race. The eight-lap ButlerBuilt second heat race went to Adams. The O'Reilly USCS www.uscsracing.com returns to action with a dirt track double-header next weekend starting at Sugar Creek Raceway in Blue Ridge, GA on Friday night and moving one hour South to Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia on Saturday night.

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