By Evan McCrory
GASTONIA, N.C. (May 16, 2025) — The Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis brought high horsepower and heart-pounding action to the red clay of Carolina Speedway on Friday night. With temperatures hovering at a warm 86 degrees, the atmosphere was electric, and the fans were treated to a wild night of sprint car racing that saw Nick Tucker of Spanaway, Washington, take the win in dramatic fashion.
After the redraw, Jeff Oliver started from the pole position alongside Josh Shantz. The initial green flag didn’t last long, as Gareth Palmer spun in turn one, prompting a complete restart.
On the second attempt, Oliver jumped out to an early lead while fending off pressure from Shantz. Things quickly escalated on lap five when Ben McCall struck debris on the front stretch and was hit from behind by Jason Gulledge, who flipped into turn one. The red flag flew, but thankfully both drivers were okay.
After the restart, Oliver again set the pace with a pack of challengers forming behind him. On lap nine, Cale Cozad climbed the turn two wall, bringing out another yellow. When the race resumed, Jadan Bowling and Tucker began their pursuit, skillfully slicing through lapped traffic as they closed in on the leader.
By lap 21, Tucker made a bold move around the outside to take the lead from Oliver. Just one lap later, Oliver launched over the turn two wall in a wild flip, ending his night with a spectacular crash — from which he thankfully walked away unharmed.
With the field reset for the final time, Tucker led the charge to the finish. Despite pressure from Bowling, he never relinquished the top spot, capturing his 12th career Carolina Sprint Tour victory. Bowling and Shantz were second and third.
