| 2003 Winter Nationals set for February 4, 6, and 8 at East Bay Raceway Park | Gibsonton, Fla. - East Bay Raceway Park is preparing
for its 27th Winter National program on the one-third
mile dirt oval with United Dirt Track Racing
Association Pro DirtCar Series (UDTRA) and Renegade
DirtCar Racing Series returning for speedy flying
racing in Tampa, Florida.
UDTRA will run races on Feb. 4th, 6th and 8th of
2003 and this will be their fifth appearance at East
Bay Raceway Park. The Saturday Feb. 8th race will
be a televised event held under bright MUSCO lighting
and can be seen on Speed Channel tape delayed.
UDTRA star Don "The Real Deal" O'Neal of Martinsville,
Ind., defending Winter National champion and winner
of $26,000 last season will be back in an effort to
wear the racing "Winter National Crown" once
again.
Rick Eckert of York, Pa. will also be on hand for this
top winter event. Eckert was the 2001 UDTRA Champion.
Other UDTRA stars scheduled to return are Billy Moyer
of Batesville, Ark., Jimmy "Ice Man" Mars of Elk Mound,
Wisc., 1999 UDTRA champion, Dale McDowell of Rossville,
Ga. and Steve Francis, the "Kentucky Colonel" of
Ashland, Ky.
Many more "Cars and Stars" of UDTRA are also expected
at East Bay Raceway Park for Winter National racing.
A field of 80 UDTRA cars should be on hand.
"We're really looking forward to coming back to East
Bay Raceway Park and putting on UDTRA series race,"
said Mike Swims, president of UDTRA. "This is a racy
track and always has two or three grooves, and has
the optimum environment to showcase our type of dirt
racing operation."
The Renegade DirtCar Seriew will compete at East Bay
Raceway Park on Feb. 3rd for a $5,000 winning purse,
Feb. 5th for a $7,000 winner payoff and again Feb. 7th
for a $12,000 winner share.
Defending champion O'Neal will be on hand to make his
grab at the cash once again. O'Neal also won all
three Renegade races in 2001 claiming the big bucks
along with the UDTRA Winter National title.
Other Renegade drivers that should be on hand are
Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, Pa., 2000 and 2001
Renegade DirtCar Series Champion.
Also sure to be in the hunt is Mike Balzano of
Parkerburg, WV., the Renegade Series Champion in l989
and 1990.
"Everything is very positive from here about our
February running at East Bay Raceway Park," said Rick
Gross, president of Renegade DirtCar Racing. "The
Renegade series has always been an exciting event
for dirt race fans and our drivers all look forward
to returning, because there's no other race track
like it if you have the right setup."
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