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| Billy Moyer Rides Outside To Victory Lane |  Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR rode the rough outside groove to perfection Thursday night, as he passed Steve Lucas of Charleston, WV for the lead on the sixth lap, and then went unchallenged the rest of the way to win the United Dirt Track Racing Association Pro DirtCar Series 50-lap main event at East Bay Raceway.
The $7,000 victory was the 25th career UDTRA win for the 1997 UDTRA Champion driving the Petroff Towing/J&J Steel Rayburn/Clements Grand Prix. Moyer also picked up an extra $100 for winning the sixth heat and the JE Pistons Bonus Award.
"The crew has kept working on the car all week, and we got it right tonight, as it just keeps getting better each night," Moyer said. "I hated to see that caution flag late in the race, but I had confidence we had a car good enough to keep us up front."
The caution flag Moyer spoke of came on lap 45 when Steve Francis of Ashland, KY slid sideways in turn three while battling with Steve Boley of West Liberty, IA for the second spot. Lucas, riding in the fourth spot, had no place to go, and slid into Francis. Francis kept rolling, but Lucas was out for the night.
On the restart, Francis passed Boley for the second spot, and then made a late race charge, but couldn't catch Moyer. Francis had to settle for second in the Valvoline Oil/Mopar Performance Rocket/Stanton Dodge RT. It was the third straight top five finish for Francis, and he holds a 17 point lead over Moyer in the UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series point standings.
"Boley made me work hard for second spot tonight, and we had a good battle going all race long," Francis said. "My car got better as the race went on, and I'm looking forward to Saturday night. This track has been good to me in the past. We got a third last night, a second tonight, so maybe we can win the $25,000 Saturday night."
Boley, who also won the Scott Performance Wires Bonus Award for winning the third 12-lap heat race, brought his Ron Alpen Ford Mastersbilt/Cornett Mustang home in the third spot, a car that was badly damaged in a first lap accident the previous night.
"The crew deserves all of the credit for what we did tonight," Boley said. "They started working on the car before the race was over last night, and then worked all night and all day on three hours sleep to get us ready to race tonight."
Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV finished fourth in the Simonton Windows/Poske's Performance Parts Rocket/Malcuit Monte Carlo, and Rick Eckert of York, PA rounded out the top five in the Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Mustang.
Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH brought his McCullough Motorsports Boss/Fisher Monte Carlo home in the sixth spot, with seventh going to Rick Aukland of Fargo, ND in the Ostrom Painting and Sandblasting Mastersbilt/Malcuit Grand Prix. Aukland was the fast qualifier among the 89 entrants with a lap around the 1/3-mile clay oval in 14.867 seconds for an average speed of 80.716 miles per hour, and he also won the first heat race.
R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, OH finished eighth in he Conley Trucking Rocket/Draime Grand Prix, with ninth going to Bill Frye of Greenbrier, AR in the UniFirst Uniforms GRT/Cornett Mustang, and John Gill of Mitchell, IN took the tenth spot in the Elrod Grain Service Rocket/Race Tech Grand Prix.
Lucas grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting spot, followed by polesitter Aukland, Boley, Moyer, and Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, PA. Frank dropped out on lap 5 when his Mac Trailers Rocket/Draime Monte Carlo lost a drive shaft on the backstretch to bring out the first of four caution flags.
Just as the yellow was unfurled, Moyer had stepped to the outside and passed Lucas for the lead, but the caution negated the pass, as the scoring reverted back to the last completed lap. On the restart, Moyer climbed back up on the cushion and stormed his way back around Lucas for the lead on lap 6 coming off the fourth turn.
On the ninth lap, Boley passed Aukland and Lucas to take over the second spot, while Francis moved up to the top five. A caution flag for a second turn spin by Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN on lap 18 bunched up the field with Moyer leading Boley, Lucas, Francis and Aukland.
Three laps after the restart, Moyer opened up a half straightaway lead, and increased it to a full straightaway by the halfway point in the race. James spun for a second time in turn two on lap 25 to bring out the third caution flag of the race. On lap 26, Francis passed Lucas for the third spot, and by lap 30, the Kentucky Colonel was challenging Boley for second.
By lap 35, Moyer had once again checked out to a full straightaway lead over a quartet of Steves, as Boley, Francis, Lucas, and Shaver made up the rest of the top five. The Francis/Lucas tangle on lap 45, set up the six lap dash to the checkers with Moyer keeping Francis behind him.
Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR was the JE Pistons Hard Charger of the race after starting 25th and finishing 12th. Other heat race wins were posted by Lucas, Frank, and Frye. Ed Dixon of Washington, MD won the Renegade Transporters 1st Consolation Race, and Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, IL won the Polaris ATVs 2nd Consolation Race. The 3rd 12-lap Consolation Race was won by Booper Bare of Rockridge Baths, VA.
The finale for the 25th Annual East Bay Winternationals for the UDTRA Pro DirtCars will be on Saturday night with a 75-lap $25,000-to-win main event. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps scheduled for 6 p.m. East Bay Raceway is located six miles south of I-4 off U.S. Highway 41. For ticket information call 1-877-457-5611.
RESULTS
POS / STRT / CAR # / DRIVER / HOMETOWN / CAR / LAPS / $ WON
1. 6 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR Pont. 50 $7,100
2. 7 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY Dodge 50 $4,000
3. 3 26 Steve Boley West Liberty, IA Ford 50 $2,800
4. 9 30 Steve Shaver Parkersburg, WV Chev. 50 $2,000
5. 14 24 Rick Eckert York, PA Ford 50 $1,750
6. 13 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH Pont. 50 $1,400
7. 1 12 Rick Aukland Zanesville, OH Pont. 50 $1,300
8. 17 71c R.J. Conley Wheelersburg, OH Chev. 50 $1,200
9. 5 66 Bill Frye Greenbrier, AR Ford 50 $1,000
10. 8 75 John Gill Mitchell, IN Chev. 49 $900
11. 11 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN Ford 49 $800
12. 25 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR Pont. 49 $700
13. 12 10 Russ Scheffler Waukesha, WI Chev. 49 $600
14. 21 0b Booper Bare Rockridge Baths, VA Chev. 49 $550
15. 15 96 Terry English Benton, KY Chev. 49 $525
16. 26 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC Ford 48 $500
17. 16 98 Pete Broughton Wimamma, FL Chev. 48 $500
18. 2 5 Steve Lucas Charleston, WV Pont. 44 $500
19. 22 4b Jackie Boggs Grayson, KY Chev. 35 $500
20. 20 B12 Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL Chev. 27 $500
21. 24 83 Scott James Lawrenceburg, IN Chev. 23 $500
22. 10 27 Ray Tucker Greensboro, NC Chev. 17 $500
23. 18 56 Gary Webb Bluegrass, IA Chev. 16 $500
24. 19 50 Ed Dixon Washington, MO Pont. 14 $500
25. 23 114 Randle Chupp Knoxville, TN Chev. 11 $500
26. 4 1* Chub Frank Sugar Grove, PA Chev. 4 $500
ENTRIES: 89
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Lucas, 1-5; Moyer, 6-50
LAPS LED: Moyer, 45; Lucas, 5
JE PISTONS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Wallace, started 25th and finished 12th
CAUTIONS: 4
PROVISIONALS: Wallace (2) and Cook
UDTRA SHOOTOUT INVITEES: Boley, Shaver, Moran, Conley, Gill, and Promoter's
Choice (TBA)
QUALIFICATIONS:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS CARMAKE LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME SPEED
1 12 Rick Aukland Zanesville, OH Mastersbilt Grand Prix 14.867 15.253 14.867 80.716
2 5 Steve Lucas Charleston, WV Rocket Grand Prix 14.899 15.198 14.899 80.542
3 30 Steve Shaver Parkersburg, WV Rocket MonteCarlo 15.186 14.995 14.995 80.027
4 1* Chub Frank Sugar Grove, PA Rocket MonteCarlo 15.295 14.996 14.996 80.021
5 66f Bill Frye Greenbrier, AR GRT Mustang 15.354 15.005 15.005 79.973
6 1j Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA Rocket MonteCarlo 15.202 15.022 15.022 79.883
7 71m Lance Mathees Winona, MN Fegers MonteCarlo 15.036 15.103 15.036 79.808
8 75 John Gill Mitchell, IN Rocket Grand Prix 15.159 15.037 15.037 79.803
9 26 Steve Boley West Liberty, IA Mastersbilt Mustang 15.068 15.737 15.068 79.639
10 71r Rod Conley Wheelersburg, OH Rocket MonteCarlo 15.502 15.116 15.116 79.386
11 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN Warrior Mustang 15.418 15.120 15.120 79.365
12 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR Rayburn Grand Prix 15.125 15.253 15.125 79.339
13 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY Rocket Dodge 15.230 15.151 15.151 79.203
14 4b Jackie Boggs Grayson, KY Swartz MonteCarlo 15.529 15.194 15.194 78.979
15 28m Jimmy Mars Elk Mound, WI Mastersbilt MonteCarlo 15.301 15.207 15.207 78.911
16 27 Ray Tucker Greensboro, NC Rocket MonteCarlo 16.464 15.216 15.216 78.864
17 7 Matt Miller Toledo, OH Rocket Grand Prix 15.283 15.220 15.220 78.844
18 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC GRT Mustang 15.611 15.223 15.223 78.828
19 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH Boss MonteCarlo 15.389 15.260 15.260 78.637
20 24 Rick Eckert York, PA Rocket Mustang 15.398 15.267 15.267 78.601
21 96 Terry English Benton, KY Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.421 15.282 15.282 78.524
22 98 Pete Broughton Wimamma, FL Stinger MonteCarlo 15.310 15.695 15.310 78.380
23 w7 Thomas Ware Cynthianna, KY Rocket MonteCarlo 15.310 15.452 15.310 78.380
24 10r Russ Scheffler Waukesha, WI GRT MonteCarlo 15.316 15.406 15.316 78.349
25 s9 Dan Schlieper Pewaukee, WI Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.756 15.320 15.320 78.329
26 E1 Mike Balzano Parkersburg, WV Rocket MonteCarlo 15.347 15.503 15.347 78.191
27 114 Randle Chupp Knoxville, TN Rocket MonteCarlo 16.059 15.381 15.381 78.018
28 77b Barry Bragdon Wheelersburg, OH Rocket MonteCarlo 15.687 15.390 15.390 77.973
29 71c R.J. Conley Wheelersburg, OH Rocket Grand Prix 15.453 15.406 15.406 77.892
30 56 Gary Webb Bluegrass, IA GRT MonteCarlo 15.557 15.407 15.407 77.887
31 19 Jeremy Miller Littletown, PA Rocket Grand Prix 16.025 15.459 15.459 77.625
32 1c Eddie Carrier Jr. Leburn, KY Rocket MonteCarlo 15.650 15.535 15.535 77.245
33 31 Skip Arp Georgetown, TN GRT Mustang 15.551 15.546 15.546 77.190
34 32 Greg Lucas Whitesburg, KY Rocket MonteCarlo 15.871 15.562 15.562 77.111
35 00k Randy Korte Highland, IL Larry Shaw MonteCarlo 15.624 15.563 15.563 77.106
36 82 Andy Fries Mercersburg, PA Warrior MonteCarlo 16.152 15.566 15.566 77.091
37 2j Mike Johnson Imperial, PA Rocket Grand Prix 15.577 16.566 15.577 77.037
38 71o Don O'Neal Martinville, IN Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.836 15.586 15.586 76.992
39 28 Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, ILL Rayburn MonteCarlo 16.522 15.600 15.600 76.923
40 00 Freddy Smith Knoxville, TN GRT MonteCarlo 15.689 15.600 15.600 76.923
41 18 Shannon Babb Decatur, IL Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.605 15.652 15.605 76.898
42 24b Roy Deece Jr. Odenton, MD Rocket Grand Prix 15.606 15.794 15.606 76.894
43 64 Ryan Dauber Tonica, IL GRT MonteCarlo 16.177 15.627 15.627 76.790
44 1cj Rodney Franklin White Post, VA Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.631 15.645 15.631 76.771
45 42 Todd Andrews Eldred, PA GRT Mustang 16.102 15.632 15.632 76.766
46 2 Anthony White Clinton, TN Warrior Grand Prix 15.653 15.744 15.653 76.663
47 28b Dick Barton Ashville, NY GRT Mustang 15.750 15.699 15.699 76.438
48 17c Charlie Duncan Millersburg, OH Rocket MonteCarlo 15.722 15.881 15.722 76.326
49 50 Ed Dixon Washington, MO Rayburn Grand Prix 15.725 NT 15.725 76.312
50 6t Tim Dohm Charleston, WV Rocket MonteCarlo 16.060 15.750 15.750 76.190
51 21m Jason Montgomery Jackson, OH Rocket Grand Prix 15.752 17.132 15.752 76.181
52 D2 Nolan Dalton Morgantown, WV Rocket Grand Prix 16.761 15.785 15.785 76.022
53 0b Booper Bare Rockridge Baths, VA Rocket MonteCarlo 15.788 15.927 15.788 76.007
54 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR GRT Grand Prix 15.960 15.813 15.813 75.887
55 32c Vic Coffey Leicester, NY Rocket MonteCarlo 15.815 15.951 15.815 75.877
56 71 Delmas Conley Wheelersburg, OH Rocket MonteCarlo 16.467 15.839 15.839 75.762
57 21d Dan Stone Thompson, PA Burnhizel MonteCarlo 15.848 15.921 15.848 75.719
58 B12 Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.894 NT 15.894 75.500
59 17m Dale McDowell Rossville, GA Rocket Grand Prix 15.962 15.898 15.898 75.481
60 1 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL Rocket Mustang 16.322 15.899 15.899 75.476
61 166 Joe Izzo LaSalle, IL GRT MonteCarlo 15.930 15.990 15.930 75.330
62 89 Marshall Green Dalton, GA Warrior MonteCarlo 15.933 NT 15.933 75.315
63 19m Mark Mears Decatur, AL Rayburn MonteCarlo 15.944 16.134 15.944 75.263
64 31t Bobby Turner Cumming, GA Rocket MonteCarlo 16.036 15.966 15.966 75.160
65 17t Shannon Thornsberry Martin, KY Mastersbilt MonteCarlo 15.988 16.233 15.988 75.056
66 17g Mike Gault Gaffney, SC Warrior Grand Prix 16.701 16.047 16.047 74.780
67 33 Al Purkey Coffeyville, KS American Grand Prix 16.047 16.057 16.047 74.780
68 15b Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA Rocket Grand Prix 16.072 16.950 16.072 74.664
69 00h Chuck Harper Beverly, WV Rayburn MonteCarlo 16.762 16.116 16.116 74.460
70 11 Ace Ihm Hazel Green, WI Warrior Grand Prix 16.137 16.149 16.137 74.363
71 9z Jayme Zidar Greenfield, WI GRT MonteCarlo 17.165 16.174 16.174 74.193
72 1 Sammie Halcomb Bluffton, OH Rocket MonteCarlo 16.237 NT 16.237 73.905
73 11s David Smith Inman, SC Warrior Mustang 16.696 16.244 16.244 73.873
74 J0 J.O. Nobles Nahunta, GA Warrior MonteCarlo 16.373 16.254 16.254 73.828
75 27j Danny Johnson Phelps, NY Rocket MonteCarlo 16.396 16.790 16.396 73.189
76 02m Jody Moore Red House, WV Rocket Grand Prix 16.434 19.520 16.434 73.019
77 3 Steve Smith Powell, TN Rayburn MonteCarlo 69.341 16.592 16.592 72.324
78 28r Bill Reed Knoxville, TN Fast MonteCarlo 16.663 17.215 16.663 72.016
79 12c Courtney Clewell Cambridge, OH Mastersbilt MonteCarlo 16.737 16.814 16.737 71.697
80 45k John Kresser Jr. Bridgeview, IL GRT MonteCarlo 17.267 17.299 17.267 69.497
81 J8 Billy Jones Danville, KY Rayburn MonteCarlo 18.996 19.055 18.996 63.171
82 28g Davey Sanders Ironton, OH Rocket Mustang 15.874 NT DQ DQ
83 7L Randy Lucas Apex, NC Mastersbilt Mustang DQ DQ DQ DQ
84 1k John Anderson Omaha, NE GRT Grand Prix DQ DQ DQ DQ
85 10 Dennis Lamb Front Royal, VA Rocket MonteCarlo DQ DQ DQ DQ
86 14c Corey Conley Wellsburg, WV Mastersbilt Grand Prix NT NT NT NT
87 32s Ronnie Smith Waco, KY Swartz MonteCarlo NT NT NT NT
88 83 Scott James Lawrenceburg, IN Rocket MonteCarlo NT NT NT NT
89 70 Anthony Rushing Kosciusko, MS Rocket MonteCarlo NT NT NT NT
HEAT RACES - 12 Laps (Top Three Finishers Transfer To Main Event):
1ST HEAT: 1. Aukland; 2. Francis; 3. Moran; 4. Mathees; 5. Schlieper; 6. Dixon; 7. M. Johnson; 8. J. Miller; 9. Dauber; 10. Coffey; 11. Purkey; 12. Izzo; 13. Clewell; 14. D. Smith.
2ND HEAT: 1. S. Lucas; 2. Gill; 3. Eckert; 4. Balzano; 5. O'Neal; 6. Franklin; 7. Boggs; 8. D. Conley; 9. Birkhofer; 10. Carrier; 11. Dohm; 12. Nobles; 13. Green; 14. R. Lucas; 15. Kresser.
3RD HEAT: 1. Boley (Scott Performance Wire Award Winner); 2. Shaver; 3. English; 4. Chupp; 5. Erb; 6. Harper; 7. Andrews; 8. Stone; 9. Mars; 10. Jones; 11. Arp; 12. Mears; 13. Montgomery; 14. Dny Johnson.
4TH HEAT: 1. Frank; 2. Tucker; 3. Broughton; 4. G. Lucas; 5. White; 6. Weaver; 7. F. Smith; 8. Bragdon; 9. Ihm; 10. R. Conley; 11. Turner; 12. Anderson; 13. Moore; 14. Dalton.
5TH HEAT: 1. Frye; 2. Bloomquist; 3. R.J. Conley; 4. Bare; 5. McDowell; 6. James; 7. S. Smith; 8. Zidar; 9. Ware; 10. Thornsberry; 11. Barton; 12. M. Miller; 13. Korte; 14. Babb.
6TH HEAT: 1. Moyer; 2. Scheffler; 3. Webb; 4. Cook; 5. Wallace; 6. Fries; 7. Gault; 8. Sanders; 9. Duncan; 10. Dvy. Johnson; 11. Deece; 12. Reed; 13. Pearson.
CONSOLATION RACES - 12 Laps (Top Two Finishers Transfer To Main Event):
RENEGADE TRANSPORTERS 1ST CONSY: 1. Dixon; 2. Boggs; 3. Schlieper; 4. M. Johnson; 5. D. Conley; 6. Birkhofer; 7. J. Miller; 8. Dauber; 9. Balzano; 10. Dohm; 11. Coffey; 12. Nobles; 13. Green; 14. Clewell; 15. Franklin; 16. Purkey; 17. D. Smith; 18. Mathees; 19. O'Neal; 20. Izzo.
POLARIS ATVs 2ND CONSY: 1. Weaver; 2. Chupp; 3. Harper; 4. F. Smith; 5. Andrews; 6. Ihm: 7. Stone; 8. Bragdon; 9. Mars; 10. Arp; 11. Montgomery; 12. Anderson; 13. R. Conley; 14. Kresser; 15. Dalton; 16. Moore; 17. Turner; 18. G. Lucas; 19. White; 20. Erb.
3RD CONSY: 1. Bare; 2. James; 3. McDowell; 4. Fries; 5. Deece; 6. Sanders; 7. Pearson; 8. Barton; 9. Thornsberry; 10. Duncan; 11. R. Lucas; 12. Gault; 13. Zidar; 14. S. Smith; 15. Cook; 16. Dvy. Johnson; 17. Ware; 18. Wallace; 19. Korte.
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