Ryan Newman wasn’t the only Stewart-Haas driver to doing double duty this weekend. Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart took a break from the action at Talladega Superspeedway to compete at Carolina Speedway on Friday night.
Stewart set fast time and won the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat Race in front of a near capacity crowd.
Seven-time Parts Plus United Sprint Car Series National Champion, Terry Gray won the 30-lap Parts Plus USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour feature race.
Gray started fourth in the field after Stewart drew a six inversion in the K&N Filters Pole Award drawing on the front stretch in front of the speedway’s packed grandstands. The inversion placed Tyler Godwin on the pole with Bryn Gohn on the outside of the front row.
2009 Rookie points-leader, Justin Carver, and Gray were in the second. Past USCS Champion Johnny Bridges from Cherryville started inside Stewart in row three after setting a second fastest lap of 14.09 seconds.
On initial start the anxious Godwin fired early in an attempt to lead the race into turn one and the start was called off. As the field slowed when the yellow light was displayed on the back stretch to signal the restart, several cars tangled and Stewart unfortunately got the worst of it, rolling his Old Spice No. 20 several times down the backstretch wall.
Stewart’s run was over. His talented display included a thrilling and crowd-pleasing outside pass of Weller on lap eight before the first 10-lap heat of the night. He most assuredly would have been a factor in who occupied victory lane in the main event. Both he and Weller went to the pits with their nights over.
Tony Stewart in his Old Spice No. 20 feature car Friday night at Carolina Speedway.
Source: usacracing.com