Robert Powers Storms to K&N Filters USCS Modified win in Tennessee 200 Finale

March 21, 2015 - HOHENWALD, TN. – After Friday night’s Tennessee 200 event winner Matt Cooper did not return to the pit area for Saturday night’s finale, there was question as to who would rise to the occasion to claim the second trophy of the weekend. When the 25-lap feature was complete, however, Campbell, Missouri’s Robert Powers answered that question with a resounding statement.

Powers stormed to the lead from the K&N Filters Pole Position on the opening lap of Saturday’s Tennessee 200 finale for the K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series and withstood a last-ditch charge from Arlington, Tennessee Hot-shoe J.C. Waller to grab his first victory in USCS competition at the Tennessee National Raceway.

“I’m very proud of this one,” Powers said in victory lane. “I’m proud that the car was [this] good tonight and I’m just tickled to be back in victory lane. It’s been a while.”

“I knew having that restart was going to bunch us up – I sure didn’t want to see it,” Powers added, referencing the event’s only caution flag which came wih three laps to go for a wayward tire in turn four. “That tire had been there for a while and I was hoping they would just let us go. J.C. was in there tough on the bottom, but we were just a little bit tougher and I held on thankfully.”

Waller had a chance at stealing the win away on the final restart, but didn’t have enough to capitalize and had to settle for second. “I didn’t get the greatest start to begin with and it took me awhile to get around the third-place car [Eric Hickerson],” Waller said following the event. “From there, it didn’t seem like [Powers] really got away from me – and that caution saved us and let us make another run.”

“I wasn’t going to race anyone dirty though,” Waller emphasized. “I just felt that second tonight was better than wrecking [fighting for the win] and coming home last.”

Hickerson held onto third after being passed by Waller, and the Linden, Tennessee driver rounded out the podium at the checkered flag. Scott Crites, out of Bay, Arkansas finished fourth and Mason, Tennessee’s Bobby Allen completed the top five.

Former Tennessee 200 winner Todd Bates led the next group of drivers in sixth, with Keith Hammett, from Brookland, Arknsasa following in seventh. Monterey, Tennessee’s Dave Jurist finished eighth after a fourth-place run on Friday night, and 2013 series champion Troy Dow was ninth at the finish. Greg Welch, out of Sardis, Tennessee, rounded out the top ten.

Waller kicked off the evening’s racing action by grabbing the win in the K&N Filters Power Dash. Powers took the win in the Wilwood Disc Brakes First Heat, and Waller followed up his dash win by grabbing the checkered flag in the Aero Race Wheels Second Heat. Powers then received the K&N Filters Pole Award by virtue of a straight-up start from heat race results.

Sixth-place finisher Bates garnered the Comp Cams Hard Charger Award by virtue of passing the most cars in the main event (three).

The K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series will be back in action on May 23 at the Jackson Motor Speedway for round one of the 2015 USCS Mid-South Speedweek. 

For rules, schedules and more information on the K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series, please visit www.uscsracing.com or call 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.

RESULTS: K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series; Tennessee National Raceway; March 21, 2015: 

K&N Filters Power Dash: J.C. Waller, Justin Cross, Robert Powers, Dave Jurist, Eric Hickerson, Troy Dow (DNS).

Wilwood Disc Brakes First Heat: Robert Powers, Eric Hickerson, Scott Crites, Shawn Knuckles, Todd Bates, Troy Dow, Justin Cross. 

Aero Race Wheels Second Heat: J.C. Waller, Bobby Allen, Keith Hammett, Dave Jurist, Jamie Williams, Greg Welch (DNS). 

K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series at Tennessee National Raceway
Main Event on Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 25-laps

1.       #02 – Robert Powers, Campbell, MO
2.       #7W – J.C. Waller, Arlington, TN
3.       #M33 – Eric Hickerson, Linden, TN
4.       #17 – Scott Crites, Bay, AR
5.       #7JR – Bobby Allen, Mason, TN
6.       #B25 – Todd Bates, Hurricane Mills, TN
7.       #29 – Keith Hammett, Brookland, AR
8.       #47 – Dave Jurist, Monterey, TN
9.       #21 – Troy Dow, Munford, TN
10.     #3 – Greg Welch, Sardis, TN
11.     #14 – Jamie Williams, Hohenwald, TN
12.     #1S – Shawn Knuckles, Poplar Bluff, MO
13.     #X – Justin Cross, Centerville, TN (DNS)

K&N Filters USCS Outlaw Modified Series Race Awards: 
K&N Filters Power Dash: #7W – J.C. Waller
Wilwood Disc Brakes First Heat Award: #02 – Robert Powers 
Aero Race Wheels Second Heat Award: #7W – J.C. Waller
K&N Filters Pole Award: #02 – Robert Powers
Bell Helmets Focus Award: #7W – J.C. Waller
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #M33 – Eric Hickerson
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 4th Place Award: #17 – Scott Crites 
Comp Cams Hard Charger Award: #B25 – Todd Bates 
Saldana Racing Products Top Five Award: #7JR – Bobby Allen 
Pyrotect Racing Cells Lucky Seven Award: #29 – Keith Hammett 
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #3 – Greg Welch 

In addition to the title sponsor, K&N Filters, yhe USCS K&N Filters Outlaw Modified Series would like to gratefully thank its sponsoring partners for their involvement in the 10th anniversary season of the series : Aero Race Wheels, Arizona Sport Shirts, Bell Racing USA, Brown and Miller racing Solutions, Comp Cams, ,  Saldana Racing Products, and Pyrotect Racing Cells, Wilwood Disc Brakes,. and victory lane sponsor www.rockauto.com, 
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Story by: Jacob Seelman
Speed77 Motorsports Radio, Founder/Producer
RaceChaserOnline.com, Managing Editor
Performance Motorsports Network, Radio Co-Host
National Speed Sport News, Staff Writer
United Sprint Car Series, Series Announcer