Clay Rogers dominated the USARacing Pro Cup 250 at Gresham Motorsports Park Saturday. For Rogers, who won the last USAR race held at the track in 2007 when it was still Peach State Speedway, it was business as usual.
“Even though it’s a different track, it still drives a lot like the old Peach State – just with a new Gresham wrapper on it,” said Rogers in Victory Lane after beating Benny Gordon to the line by a 0.470-second margin. “This track has a lot more grip than the old one, but you still have to drive it the same. I’ve been with two different teams since I last won here, but it still feels just as good to win this time as it did the last.”
Rogers started 10th on the grid after Caleb Holman won the pole with a new track record for the USAR division with a 17.770 second lap in qualifying. The race was quickly short-circuited on the first lap when outside pole sitter Stephen Naase pounded the outside wall and then careened across the track into the inside front stretch barrier.
Back under green, the race was again stopped when Matt Lofton and Bryan Silas tangled heading into turn one on Lap 18. Two subsequent cautions and a round of pit stops put Rogers in the lead for the first time on Lap 54.
Over the next 50 laps, several drivers including A.J. Frank, John Gibson and Gordon all took turns in the lead before Rogers muscled his way back to the point for good on lap 123.
From there, Rogers survived several restarts building leads of as much as a half lap before a late caution with just seven circuits remaining allowed Gordon to close to Rogers’ back bumper for one final restart.
Rogers again showed he was the man to beat, roaring away over the final five laps to take the win – his third at in USAR competition at GMP – over Gordon, Gibson, Frank and Jeff Agnew. Tyler Young, Ryan Heavner, David Wilson, Logan Ruffin and Larry Barrett completed the top-10 finishers.
In the Outlaw Late Model main event, Jason Bates won his second-consecutive GMP feature besting Mike Davidson, David Murphy, Hoyt Stephens and Terry Martin at the checkered flag.
Shawn Campbell was the winner in the Renegade Street Stock headliner with Vernon Hicks, Nathaniel Carlisle and Doug Sexton in his wake at the checkered flag.
The Mini-Stocks made their first appearance of the season at Gresham Motorsports Park a memorable one as Spanky Hicks repeated his win in last year’s World Crown 300 Mini-Stock final. B.J. Thrasher, Ken Candiotti Sr., Tim Greer and Blake Freeman completed the Top-5.
The next event at GMP will be a 100-lap Pro Late Model race, along with races for the Outlaw Late Models, Renegades, Mini-Stocks and Trucks.
For more information, go to www.greshammotorsportspark.com or call 706-367-9461.
