April 27, 2004 National Late Model Series Highlights Big Night At East Bay by Bill Green Tampa, FL. (April 24th, 2004) The National Late Model Series (NLMS) ventured into Tampa Bay this weekend to take on the world famous clay-by-the-bay at East Bay Raceway Park. Twenty-nine NLMS regulars and two local hot-shoes would run a 75-lap A-main event for a cool $5000 dollars to win, guaranteed to pad a mid-season bank account. The big winners would be the fans that filled the bleachers at the most recognizable 1/3 mile oval in the state. Not only would they get to see the Southeastern Stars of the National Late Model Series, but they would be treated to three prime attention getters in local racing circles. The locally popular “Run What You Brung” Fan Participation racers, the nostalgic cars of the Classic Race Cars Series and the very fast and always sideways sod-slingers of the NASGRASS lawn mower racing organization. Add in the East Bay regular bi-weekly running Limited Sprints and you have a full night of action at the Park with the bark. First noticeable difference between Friday and Saturday night’s racing was the track conditions. Several loads of extra water were added to the gumbo clay to insure a tacky race surface for the visiting series feature. That in turn, gave the Limited Sprints and Classic Race Cars plenty of calculating for the night on stagger and handling issues. First to test the surface would be the heats for the Limited Sprints, with Brian Maddox winning heat-1 and Mike Steinruck taking heat-2. Limited Sprint feature would be a fast one, going 15 laps in just over 5 minutes, 11 seconds, caution free. Winning the full throttle battle of the winged wonders would be the Ford powered #5 of Donnie Maxwell, the outside pole sitter. Second would go to the hard pole sitting #2 Mopar machine of Frank Beck, III. It took the #00of “Daisy Dukes” Paulie Milum 14 of the scheduled 15 laps to reach third from his eighth starting spot. Forth place finisher Brian Maddox cleared the scales this week and “Big” Tim George brought the yellow 1-star home in fifth. The Classic Race Car Pole-Dash went to #0 of Norm Agostinho, while Ben Booth took the one heat event win. Ft. Pierce Pirate Frank Conrad drove his skull and cross bones #11 into Victory Lane, even after Bud Spencer drove the car in the dash and customized the right front on the turn one wall. Second went to the #87 of Randy Grief, third to Ben Booth’s #12, with the #1 of Daryl Grief fourth and Norm Agostinho holding on for the final top-5 spot. NASGRASS drivers took to the 1/8 mile Kart Oval to show there racing skills and produced an exciting event with the #006 of “The Rocket” Pat Sullivan taking the win. He was followed across the line by a bunch of dang fast lawn mowers, with really little numbers. Fan Participation racers put on a show, as the 15 entrants seemed to have a never say die attitude and battled to the end with the J. R. Prather’s Tampa Bay Auto Sales 1986 Camero driven by Matt Collins winning over the “Big” Jim Bargo/Bargo Auto Sales souped up 1985 Mustang driven by business owner Jim Bargo himself. Finally, the NLMS Feature rolled out and after the driver intro’s and engine start countdown by the fans, the stars of the NLMS found the clay-by-the-bay a little tricky. It would take a mind boggling 20 yellow flags to get this one completed, but somewhere near the middle of the hour and forty-five minute marathon, a race broke out. The survival of the fittest saw only 11 of the original 25 cars left on the lead lap and they were also the only 11 cars still running. But, it was a great race and here’s why. After 75-laps of racing and almost 50 yellow flag laps, only the leader was clear of his challengers. Leading those 75-laps wire to wire would be Vildilia, Georgia’s Jeff Fortner in the Vildilia Transmission sponsored #27. In Victory Lane, Jeff was delighted to win the early-season classic, “I wouldn’t have believe I would have survived all those restarts. Battling Gary (Spivey) early and Ivedent (Lloyd) late in this one makes it special!” Second would go to Ocala driver Ivedent Lloyd, Jr., with Richard Ferry of McClenny, Florida third and Skip Pannell from Albany, Georgia earning fourth. Hometown hero Bill Howard would keep the local fans interested in the results as he dodged several bullets, was saved by a yellow and then inherited the top-5 spot back when the #0L of Steve Lade went to the pits with mechanical problems 4 laps from the end. Congratulations, Bill! The Director of the NLMS, Ray Miller was pleased with the East Bay Raceway Park facility and attention to detail. “I hope we can get more dates at a facility like East Bay, they seem to have the greatest fans in the world!” Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! <news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!