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| Michael "the Kid" Miller Wins Big at Putnam County Speedway | They call him "the Kid", but 18 year old Michael Miller from Biloxi, Mississippi, looked like "the Man" Thursday night while winning the United Sprint Car Series 25 lap main event at Putnam County Speedway over an impressive field from 7 states and one foreign country, that included Mexican national champion Pedro Bandito from Nogalles, Mexico.
Miller drove "probably, his best USCS race ever," according to USCS President, Pete Walton, as he took command of the point on lap 14 and drove away from the field. The talented youngster stayed cool, even though, several cautions brought 1997 USCS champion, Red Stauffer up on his tail every time. He collected $1500 for his second career win in the series. Miller's first win on July 3rd, 2000 is the only USCS main event ever won by a rookie driver.
Early race leader, Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee, who is the current USCS "Road to Indy" national points leader, led the first thirteen laps thru a number of restarts on the slick 3/8 mile clay oval. Gray had USCS 2000 champion, Kenny Adams from nearby Malabar, Florida, on his tail. Gray seemed to have the advantage and would pull to a three to five lenghth lead after the green fell each time. On the second restart on lap thirteen a tangle insued entering turn one that took out Gray, Adams and fifth running, Marshall Skinner who was collected in Adams' partial 360 degree spin in an attempt to continue.
With those three going to the rear, Miller, who was in third assumed command and led the field home to the checkers. After the checkered flag fell, Miller did several donuts on the track in his excitement and had to be pushed to victory lane where he exited the car with great exuberance and said "Wow, this is great!".
Stauffer, from Winter Park, Florida, home came second, Gray raced back to third, Roland Johnson, who started 20th, earned the Huggins Cams "Hardcharger" award for his drive to fourth past 16 cars and Kenny Adams drove his way back to fifth place from the rear.
The second five was headed by Jim Raptis, Marietta, Georgia, in sixth, followed by 1999 East Bay Raceway champion, Sport Allen from Largo, Florida, in seventh, 1999 USCS champ Marshall Skinner who hails from West Memphis, Arkansas, after his earlier misfortunes, collected eighth place, and 2000 East Bay Raceway champion Johnny Gilbertson finished in ninth with USCS regular Brian Thomas from Auburn, Georgia rounding out the top ten.
Kenny Adams won the first heat race and Marshall Skinner the second one. Adams also set fast time of 16:46 seconds Randy Carr would have to get the night's "hard luck" award for his nasty, car killing crash into the turn one wall in heat one after, according to Carr, " Something broke and it just went straight."
Skinner also collected the 10 Airflow Research "Power Dash"points for his win in that six lap event that is part of a series of preliminaries to the Airflow Research "Super Power Dash." The Airflow Research "Super Power Dash" will be held at season's end and pay up to $10,000 to win.
Ben Basinger was the event's Hart Racing top rookie. Jim Raptis received the Sierra Racing Products "I Got Brakes" award and the C&R Racing Radiators "I'm cool" award went to Sport Allen, and the Robison Racing "Eighth ain't enough" product award went Marshall Skinner. Leaf Racewear awarded product to Johnny Gilbertson and Brian Thomas received the Weld Racing "Top 10" award.
USCS A-main finish 7/5/01 - Michael Miller, Red Stauffer, Terry Gray, Roland Johnson, Kenny Adams, Jim Raptis, Sport Allen, Marshall Skinner, Johnny Gilbertson, Brian Thomas, Frank Carlson, Chris Rogers, Jesse Fordyce, Ben Basinger, Daryl Smith, Robbie Smith, Randy Helton, Mike Partin, Mike Love, Craig Love, Pedro Bandito DNS, Randy Carr DNS
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