SWEETWATER, Tenn. – Tony Stewart raced from the pole into victory lane on Saturday night in the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour 30-lap main event at I-75 Raceway.
It was his second USCS victory of the season.
The three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion raced into the lead in turn one of the first lap and never looked back on his way to victory lane. His only challenge was keeping two-time USCS National champion Morgan Turpen and Mark Smith at bay during five restarts.
Turpen chased Stewart for most of the 30-lap contest while holding off Johnny Bridges, then Smith for most of the race. She had won three out of the four previous events USCS had contested over the past three seasons at the speedway.
Smith, who had worked his way from fifth, raced past Terry Gray into third by lap 25, and then, got past Turpen for the runner-up spot. Smith would chase Stewart for the final three laps and appeared to be reeling Stewartin, couldn’t get there in the remaining time.
Smith got his second runner-up finish of the weekend while Turpen had to settle for third. Justin Barger charged from his eighth starting position to fourth and Gray finished fifth.
The finish:
Tony Stewart, Mark Smith, Morgan Turpen, Justin Barger, Terry Gray, Danny Smith, Brad Bowden, Johnny Bridges, Brandon Taylor, Tony Agin, Joe Larkin, Bob Auld, Kobe Allison, Jeff Willingham, Jake McLain, Lance Moss, Geoff Styner, Bo Barber.