11/1/2024
USCS United Sprint Car Series
Stewart Cling captures USCS Championship Weekend Night #1 at I-75 Raceway
SWEETWATER, TN – November 1, 2024 - In his first visit to I-75 Raceway, Sterling Cling of Tempe, AZ dusted off the top groove of the 3/8-mile clay oval and drove to victory in the 25-lap United Sprint Car Series Presented By K&N Filters Feature Race on Friday night. Cling swept the program by winning the Butlerbuilt Beat #2, then leading every lap of the main event.
While Cling camped out on the point all night, there was plenty of action behind him with many movers and shakers battling for the rest of the positions on a smooth and fast race track that was immaculately watered during the day by Mother Nature.
Max Stambaugh of Lima, OH fell one spot short of grabbing his third straight I-75 Raceway USCS win of the season, and had to settle for the second spot after winning the Engler Machine and Tool Heat 2. Ricky Peterson of Rawson, OH started 11th and finished third to take the Wilwood Brakes Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Dale Howard of Byhalia, MS was fourth and Mogan Turpen-Havener of Gallatin, TN took the fifth spot. Chris Martin of Ankeny, IA drove to a sixth-place finish and Lance Moss of Cherryville, NC finished seventh. Eighth went to 15-time USCS National Champion and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Inductee Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN. Steve Irwin of Fenton, MI took the ninth spot, and NSCHoF Inductee Terry McCarl of Altoona, IA rounded out the top ten.
Cling took the lead from the pole position at the start of the race followed by Gunnar Setser of Columbus, IN, Stambaugh, Lance Moss of Cherryville, NC, and Howard. Setser tried to challenge Cling for the lead on a couple of occasions, but he entered turn three too hot on lap six and spun to bring out the first of two caution flags.
After the restart, Howard passed Moss to move up to the third spot. Turpen-Havener passed Moss for fourth on the 14th lap. Moss dropped out of the top five on lap 20, and a caution flag came out for debris on lap 21. Cling led Stambaugh, Howard, Turpen-Havener, and Peterson down to begin the five-lap dash to the finish.
Peterson set up shop on the high side of the track and ripped the lip to pass Turpen-Havener for fourth on lap 23, and then got by Howard to claim the third spot on lap 24. Cling took a 1.687 second margin of victory over Stambaugh under the checkered flag in a race that took 12 minutes and 39.807 seconds to complete.
The United Sprint Car Series Presented By K&N Filters returns to I-75 Raceway on Saturday night to conclude its 2024 season. For more information about USCS, visit their website at uscsracing.com and the series Facebook page, or call the USCS office at 770-865-6097.
United Sprint Car Series Marketing Partners are K&N Filters, Engler Machine & Tool, Hoosier Racing Tire, Huggins Cams, Hero Graphics, DMI/Bulldog, J&J Supply of NC, Racing Electronics, JE Pistons, DHR Suspension, Wilwood Disc Brakes, KSE Racing Products, PRO Shocks, Schoenfeld Headers, and Arizona Sport Shirts.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE UNITED SPRINT CAR SERIES PRESENTED BY K&N FILTERS EVENT AT I-75 RACEWAY IN SWEETWATER, TN ON 11/1/24:
FEATURE RACE – 25 Laps: 1. 34 Sterling Cling, Tempe, AZ (1); 2. 71 Max Stambaugh, Lima, OH (3); 3. 2 Ricky Peterson, Rawson, OH (11); 4. 47 Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS (5); 5. 10m Mogan Turpen-Havener, Gallatin, TN (6); 6. 44 Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (7); 7. 23 Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC (4); 8. 10 Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN (8); 9, 01 Steve Irwin, Fenton, MI (10); 10. 24 Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (9); 11. 28 Jeff Willingham, Ripley, MS (13); 12. 13x Jake Brashier, Denham Springs, LA (12); 13. 16 Hannah Merritt, Nesbit, MS (15); 14. 00 P.J. Reutimann, Zephyrhills, FL (14); 15. G5 Gunnar Setser, Columbus, IN (2).
HEAT RACES – 8 Laps:
ENGLER MACHINE & TOOL HEAT 1: 1. Stambough; 2. Setser; 3. Turpen-Havener; 4. Howard; 5. Gray; 6. Brashier; 7. Willingham; 8. Merritt.
BUTLERBUILT RACING PRODUCTS HEAT 2: 1. Cling; 2. Moss; 3. McCarl; 4. Martin; 5. Irwin; 6. Peterson; 7. Reutimann.
Submitted by ROBY HELM – Helm Communications – 865-207-4157
USCS MEDIA CONTACT: PETE WALTON
EMAIL: peteuscs@att.net
Phone 770-865-6097.
Article Credit: Pete Walton
