Burlison Wins USCS Mini Sprint Finale at Riverside in Thrilling Photo Finish
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – “Are you kidding me?”
Those were the first words out of Malvern, Arkansas’ young gun Noah Burlison’s mouth as he pulled into www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane on Saturday night at Riverside International Speedway, unable to believe what he had just accomplished.
Burlison used a stunning all-or-nothing slide job to wrest the lead away from Kyle Carpenter in the final corner of the final lap of the micro sprint portion of the USCS Fall Nationals, winning a drag race to the line with the Baldwyn, Mississippi driver to score his first career www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Series victory.
The win came in Burlison’s second career series start and just his second-ever start in a micro sprint at RIS, making for an emotional celebration for the talented teenager.
“I saw the 13 [of Carpenter], and I knew he was going to go to the top, and the only thing I could think was, ‘Well, in three and four I can get awesome drive off the [bottom],’ and I can’t believe it worked,” Burlison said of his move to steal the win. “I can’t thank my crew enough. This car has been dominant in the second-half of this season and tonight just shows how far we’ve come. This is a dream come true.”
The caution-filled 25 lap event was led to the green flag by the No. 33C of Jeremy Cox, but Cox lost the lead on the opening lap as Allen Cope drove past on the outside lane. Cope was quickly overhauled on the third circuit by Georgia young gun Brandon Taylor before the red flag came out for two separate flips involving Dennis Tucker Jr. and Mark Davis.
Once the race resumed, another caution at lap six for the stopped car of Michael Barton would bunch the leaders back up before chaos ensued two laps later when Taylor tagged the turn four wall while leading to draw the third yellow of the night. A broken piece of the right front suspension sent the No. 07 to the pits, his bid for a fourth season victory ended prematurely.
That handed the top spot to Carpenter, but he would lose the position on a lap nine restart when Millersville, Missouri’s Joe B. Miller pounced in turn two to take over out front. Miller would pace the field through a lap 13 yellow flag before his car came to a stop with mechanical troubles at the nine to go mark, making him the second leader to develop issues while out front during the main event.
From there, Carpenter moved to the point with Burlison hounding him over the four laps following the restart. Burlison made a dive for the lead coming to four laps to go, but got loose and lost nearly a full second to Carpenter – seemingly watching his chances at victory slip off into the night.
However, a timely caution coming to the white flag – when Dennis Tucker Sr. spun exiting turn two – set up the race-defining green-white-checkered finish and Burlison’s thrilling pass for the win.
Carpenter was forced to settle for second by a bumper, and was understandably disappointed upon climbing from his car.
“I never saw him coming,” the Mississippi driver lamented. “I thought he would run the top, just as I was. Our car just got way too tight and went up over the berm there. I got back underneath him coming to the line and thought I had it, but I guess I didn’t.”
”It’s a great night, though, nonetheless. We got some good breaks and were in a good position, so we’ll take second tonight – even if it stings just a bit.”
Cope, from Fenton, Mo., followed the lead duo in third, with Osceola, Arkansas’ Clayton Robertson fourth and polesitter Cox, out of Conway, Ark., rounding out the top five.
Yellville, Ark. driver John Campbell led the next group of drivers home after he charged from 18th to finish sixth, with the No. 41 of Mooreville, Mississippi’s Ben Franks close behind in seventh. Brian Nance, out of Mayfield, Ky., came from 19th to eighth at the finish and the ‘Stars and Stripes Special’ of Jason Hall was ninth. Dennis Tucker Sr. rebounded from his late-race spin to round out the top 10.
Snellville, Georgia’s Remeno Loyal – who officially clinched both the 2015 www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Series championship and Rookie of the Year honors when Friday’s portion of the USCS Fall Nationals was rained out – was not in attendance during the weekend.
Carpenter kicked off the night by winning the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat, while Taylor soared to victory in the ButlerBUILT Second Heat. Allen Cope grabbed the checkered flag in the Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat.
Carpenter was the provisional polesitter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, but when a six was rolled on the K&N Inversion Die, Jeremy Cox received the K&N Filters Pole Award. John Campbell passed the most cars during the main event (12) to garner the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The next event for the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series will be the 2015 awards banquet, which is slated to be held in early 2016. Details on the ceremony, which will honor the top point finishers from this season, will be announced as soon as they are available.
For rules and updated schedule information about the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series, visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223 or770-865-6097.
RESULTS: www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series @ Riverside International Speedway; Nov. 14, 2015
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Kyle Carpenter, Clayton Robertson, Joe B. Miller, Dennis Tucker Sr., Riley Goodno, Mark Davis, Jason Hall, Michael Barton, Darl Parvin, Dusty Young (DNS).
ButlerBUILT Second Heat: Brandon Taylor, Dennis Tucker Jr., Howard Moore, Jeremy Cox, Drake Findley, Tucker Boulton, Rece Wommack, Jordan Latham, Paxton Gregory (DNS).
Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat: Allen Cope, Noah Burlison, Kris Clifft, Coley Wommack, LeRoy Carley, Ben Franks, Brian Nance, John Campbell, Scott Bolden, Carl Gregory.
Saldana Racing Products Last Chance Showdown (15 laps; top eight transfer):
1. #5 – Drake Findley, Bryant, AR
2. #11R – Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA
3. #56W – Mark Davis, Hometown Unknown
4. #22C – John Campbell, Yellville, AR
5. #39 – Brian Nance, Mayfield, KY
6. #56 – Jason Hall, Hometown Unknown
7. #5J – Jordan Latham, Elkton, KY
8. #74 – Tucker Boulton, Brighton, TN
9. #21B – Michael Barton, Castalian Springs, TN
10. #2G – Carl Gregory, West Helena, AR
11. #33 – Rece Wommack, West Falkner, MS
12. #D14 – Darl Parvin, Corinth, MS
13. #15J – Scott Bolden, Marion, AR
14. #131 – Dusty Young, Benton, AR (DNS)
15. #3G – Paxton Gregory, West Helena, AR (DNS)
www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint A-Main 25 laps:
1. #18N – Noah Burlison, Malvern, AR
2. #13 – Kyle Carpenter, Baldwyn, MS
3. #08C – Allen Cope, Fenton, MO
4. #69R – Clayton Robertson, Osceola, AR
5. #33C – Jeremy Cox, Conway, AR
6. #22C – John Campbell, Yellville, AR
7. #41 – Ben Franks, Mooreville, MS
8. #39 – Brian Nance, Mayfield, KY
9. #56 – Jason Hall, Hometown Unknown
10. #9 – Dennis Tucker Sr., Frenchman-Bayou, LA
11. #33W – Coley Wommack, West Falkner, MS
12. #25 – Dennis Tucker Jr., Frenchman-Bayou, LA
13. #74 – Tucker Boulton, Brighton, TN
14. #5 – Drake Findley, Bryant, AR
15. #51B – Joe B. Miller, Millersville, MO
16. #8C – LeRoy Carley, Clarksville, TN
17. #20K – Kris Clifft, Conway, AR
18. #07 – Brandon Taylor, Cumming, GA
19. #21B – Michael Barton, Castalian Springs, TN
20. #11R – Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA
21. #22 – Howard Moore, Memphis, TN
22. #56W – Mark Davis, Hometown Unknown
23. #5J – Jordan Latham, Elkton, KY (DNS)
Did Not Transfer to A-Main:
#2G – Carl Gregory, West Helena, AR
#33 – Rece Wommack, West Falkner, MS
#D14 – Darl Parvin, Corinth, MS
#15J – Scott Bolden, Marion, AR
#131 – Dusty Young, Benton, AR
#3G – Paxton Gregory, West Helena, AR
USCS 600 Sprint Race Awards:
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: #13 – Kyle Carpenter
ButlerBUILT Second Heat: #07 – Brandon Taylor
Schoenfeld Headers Third Heat: #08C – Allen Cope
K&N Filters Pole Award: #33C – Jeremy Cox
Bell Helmets Focus Award: #13 – Kyle Carpenter
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #08C – Allen Cope
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Fourth Place Award: #69R – Clayton Robertson
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #22C – John Campbell
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #33C – Jeremy Cox
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #22C – John Campbell
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #9 – Dennis Tucker Sr.
Sources: Jacob Seelman/USCS PR