LOXLEY, Ala. – NASCAR Cup Series star Ricky Stenhouse Jr. returned to his sprint car roots Friday night and won the opening night of the Gulf Coast Shootout at Deep South Speedway with the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour.
Stenhouse started from the pole and never looked back, holding off fellow front-row starter Max Stambaugh early and longtime 410 sprint car veteran Greg Wilson late for the victory in the 25-lap feature.
It marked Stenhouse’s 10th career USCS win and he became just the 16th driver in series history to achieve double-digit victories with the 360ci winged sprint car tour.
Wilson came home second after starting fifth, with Stambaugh setting for the final spot on the podium. Four-time season winner and series point leader Mark Smith crossed fourth.
National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Danny Smith filled out the top five, followed by two-time USCS champion Jordon Mallett, defending titlist Terry Gray, Kyle Amerson, A.J. Maddox and Brandon Blenden.
Todd Fayard, Wilson and Stenhouse won heat races, while Danny Smith topped the six-lap Hoosier Speed Dash that supplemented the sprint car portion of the program.
The USCS season continues Saturday with another full program at Deep South Speedway.
The finish:
1. 17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 2. W20-Greg Wilson, 3. 5m-Max Stambaugh, 4. M1-Mark Smith, 5. 4-Danny Smith, 6. 14-Jordon Mallett, 7. 10-Terry Gray, 8. 29-Kyle Amerson, 9. 3a-A.J. Maddox, 10. 88-Brandon Blenden, 11. 28-Jeff Willingham, 12. 13-Todd Fayard, 13. 20-A.J. Moeller, 14. 7j-Gregg Jones, 15. 52-Cody Karl, 16. 43-Terry Witherspoon, 17. 188-Stefen Oakes, 18. Riley Goodno, 19. 83-Mark Ruel Jr., 20. 121-Roy Schnebelen (DNS), 21. 7e-Eric Gunderson (DNS), 22. 3-Dennis Misuraca (DNS).