Tim Crawley recently earned his fourth consecutive USCS victory at the Hammerdown at Hammer Hill event held at the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas
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It was an unseasonably cool July evening in Little Rock, Arkansas - a perfect night for racing. The USCS “Outlaw Thunder” tour, presented by K&N Filters, had rolled into town and the air permeated with anticipation. Drivers representing five states were geared up and ready for a fierce battle in the “Hammerdown at Hammer Hill.”
Terry Gray and Morgan Turpen, the top two drivers in the series points race, had aspirations of cushioning their lead. Both drivers were familiar with this venue and were prepared for the waving of the green flag to start the event.
Terry Gray and Zach Pringle battled for the lead at the Hammerdown at Hammer Hill early on, only to eventually fall behind Tim Crawley, who walked away victorious
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But there was another driver in town, a fella whose name was recognized by those who frequent the legendary I-30 Speedway. Tim Crawley is a local and has been on a streak during the past three events. With three consecutive wins under his belt, he had no intentions of doing anything other than putting another victory in the books in front of family, friends and fans.
Terry Gray took the second heat, clinching a spot in the feature race. Tim Crawley finished his heat in second, also earning his well-deserved spot in the A-main. Morgan Turpen’s performance in the fourth heat was enough to secure her a position as well. It was panning out to be a heated battle. It looked like the fans would certainly get their money’s worth.
Lining up at the pole, Terry Gray was situated in a favorable position. But when the race was finally underway, another fan favorite and local, Zach Pringle, didn’t waste any time challenging the pole winner. In fact, Pringle took the lead at the initial start, a position he held for five laps.
Starting seventh in the feature, Tim Crawley eventually worked his way to the front of the field for a USCS victory at I-30 Speedway
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But Gray remained steadfast, and after a heated battle with Pringle, the points leader retook the number one spot in lap six. Terry Gray, ten-time series champion, continued to head the pack until Jordan Mallett’s miscalculation caused a yellow flag to fly in the 10th lap. When the drivers were given the green light, Gray continued to increase the distance between him and the remainder of the field.
However, Tim Crawley, who had started in the seventh position, was methodically working his way through the field of drivers. Maneuvering around Pringle in the eighteenth lap, there was only one person separating him from the coveted spot that would earn a position atop the podium.
Terry Gray had no intentions of giving up his position, a mindset shared by both that would eventually result in an exciting and fierce battle. With the race nearing its end, Crawley had a chore ahead of him. However, a red flag during the 29th lap was the extra muster he was looking for.
Given the go-ahead, the two drivers embarked upon a relentless engagement, to the point of bumping wheels, sending Gray into a spin. Maintaining control and taking the lead, Crawley never looked back. When the dust had settled Crawley had earned his fourth consecutive USCS win.
“A lot of stuff happened in tonight’s heats,” recalled Crawley. “There were a lot of cars, a lot of wrecks and a lot of people got points. When you have four heats, you have to pass more than two cars. We started fourth and ran second. In turn, we missed the redraw by one spot.” said Crawley.
In reference to the main event, Crawley continued, “The track was a little bit hard to pass on. But I eventually found ways of getting a little bit of momentum.”
“Terry’s car was good,” ensured Crawley. “If we would have kept running, I wasn’t going to be able to do anything with him. But on the restart, after the red flag, he parked it on the bottom and I managed to sweep around him.”
“We started off on the fourth row, but it worked out. It makes a little more work for you when you have to start back a little ways, but it also validates things and makes you feel a little better when you take the win.” continued Crawley.
Tim Crawley is quick to credit his team as a crucial element of success. The driver is also aware of the importance of keeping his rig maintained. That in mind, he depends upon K&N products to ensure the internal components of his engine remain contaminant free.
“Anything I’ve ever used with K&N products has worked out well.” Crawley explained. “I’ve raced just about everything you can imagine and have used (K&N) products on everything from motocross, to cars, to street rods. I’ve always been pleased with their performance. I’ve used (K&N) for years and they’re second to none.”
When asked the key to his recent string of wins, Tim Crawley concluded, “We were fast during the first part of the year, but we weren’t closing the deals. Here lately, we’ve had a little luck, hit some draws right and started on the front of a feature or two. You just have to keep working hard and it will happen.”
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