IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 3, 2004 FSCR Mars Photo Finish Winner in Northern Xtreme Dirtcar Series Action by Jean Lynch Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound,WI opened up the 2004 Northern Xtreme DirtCar Series Monday at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa (Gibsonton),FL with a thrilling photo finish victory over Donnie Moran. Mars led every lap of the 40 lap - $5,000 to win main event but it wasn't a cake walk by any stretch of the imagination. Mars felt constant pressure from Don O'Neal several times throughout the race and then had to contend Moran over the final five laps to secure the win in the opening night of the "28th Annual Winternationals". O'Neal rode home third with Davey Johnson fourth and Earl Pearson Jr. fifth. Rounding out the top ten finishers Steve Shaver in sixth followed by Shane Clanton, Jeff Choquette, Brian Birkhofer and Darren Miller. "Man, was that a race of what?!", stated the very happy driver of the Stacker 2/Heeg Well Drilling/Deepe Industries No. 28M Mars Racing MasterSbilt Race Cars/Pro Power Chevrolet Monte Carlo. "I tried to protect the bottom so much that I think I messed myself up a few times. O'Neal was all over me several times and that one time I hit the inside berm too hard which washed the car up the track and Don just about got me. I was so concerned with protecting the bottom from O'Neal that I had no idea that Donnie was on the outside the last five laps. Coming in for the checkered I pinched the car because it was getting tighter and tighter and again we washed up the track and all of sudden I saw Moran underneath of me. Some how, some way we beat him back to the line." When asked his opinion of the performance of the series mandated Goodyear tires Mars said, "If anybody doubts these tires just show them a tape of this race. The Goodyear tires have leveled the playing field and the competition the fans saw tonight just goes to show that this may very well be the most competitive season any of us have seen. Anyone can win these races now. Anyone." Mars and Shaver brought the 24 car starting field to the green flag with Mars winning the drag race into turn one over Shaver. Mars held a two car advantage over Shaver at the end of the first lap with O'Neal, Moran and Clanton trailing. O'Neal worked his way underneath Shaver for second on lap 3 and began to reel in Mars. Moran also passed Shaver dropping the outside pole sitter to fourth. Johnson used a nifty move in turn three to grab fifth from Clanton on lap 5 but before lap 6 could be recorded the yellow was waving for Steve Casebolt who jumped the cushion in turn four and slapped the outside wall suffering heavy damage to his race car. Mars and O'Neal took off on the restart and began their struggle for the lead. O'Neal made a bid for the lead on lap 13 as the lead duo moved around the lapped car of Matt Miller. But, Mars held the lead when the yellow waved again on for a slowing Dennis Franklin who suffered a flat right rear tire. Mars and O'Neal continued their torrid battle once the race restarted and behind them the battle for third on back was intense to say the least. Shaver worked his way back past Johnson on lap 16 only to have Johnson grab the spot back four laps later. At the halfway point Mars and O'Neal were nose to tail with Moran four car lengths behind the leaders with Johnson fourth and Shaver fifth followed by Pearson Jr., Clanton, Choquette, Miller and Birkhofer. Lap 24 saw O'Neal make another bid for the lead as Mars had to give up the bottom in turn three with the lapped car of Dave Troutman directly in front of the two top runners. O'Neal shot underneath of Troutman as Mars went to the highside keeping his lead by inches over O'Neal. Pearson Jr. who had grabbed fifth from Shaver on lap 21 was now closing quickly on Johnson while Moran kept a one car advantage over Johnson. Caution on lap 28 for a slowing Troutman brought out the races third yellow flag period. On the restart Mars was able to put a little distance on O'Neal who now had his hands full with Moran. Lap 30 saw Johnson sweep past Moran for third. Mars kept opening up more ground on O'Neal as the laps wound down but that all changed on lap 35 when the caution waved for D.J. Troutman who broke the right rear suspension. Mars and O'Neal hooked up in a torrid battle for the lead over the final five circuits but the driver on the move was Moran. Moran jumped to the top groove of the racetrack grabbing third from Johnson on lap 38. Moran kept his outside assault taking second from O'Neal with the white flag waving and began to move in on Mars. Entering turn three Mars tried to keep his car on the bottom but the car slid wide in turn four and Moran cut his car to the bottom pulling even with Mars as they exited turn four for the checkered flag. Mars stayed on the gas as did Moran with Mars just taking the win by mere inches. The $24,000 purse attracted 64 drivers to the semi-banked 1/3rd mile speedway with Moran earning the fast time award with his quick lap of 15.094 seconds. Heat race wins fell to Moran, Matt Miller, O'Neal, Clanton, Shaver and Mars. Scoring wins in the "B" Main events were Darren Miller and Steve Casebolt while Mars copped the YJ Stinger Extreme Energy Drink dash and the Donn Goodson Memorial Strawberry dash fell to Al Purkey. Northern Xtreme DirtCar Series Race Report For 2-2-04 Race No. 1-2004 Season-"28th Annual Winternationals" East Bay Raceway Park-Tampa (Gibsonton),FL-1/3rd Mile Oval $24,000 Purse-$5,000 To Win-40 Lap Feature Showing Finish Pos.,Start Pos.,Car #, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (if any) and Purse Money Won 1. (1) #28M Jimmy Mars 40 Running $5,100 2. (4) #99 Donnie Moran 40 Running $3,100 3. (3) #71 Don O'Neal 40 Running $2,100 4. (8) #19J Davey Johnson 40 Running $1,500 5. (9) # 1 Earl Pearson Jr. 40 Running $1,000 6. (2) # 0 Steve Shaver 40 Running $1,000 7. (5) #25 Shane Clanton 40 Running $950 8. (12) #70C Jeff Choquette 40 Running $800 9. (11) #15B Brian Birkhofer 40 Running $750 10. (18) #32D Darren Miller 40 Running $700 11. (16) # 9 Billy Drake 40 Running $650 12. (14) #1K John Anderson 40 Running $600 13. (23) #59 Bill Cunningham 40 Running $550 14. (20) #72 John Mason 40 Running $500 15. (17) #07 Kelly Boen 40 Running $500 16. (13) #2F Dennis Franklin 39 Running $500 17. (15) #2* D.J. Troutman 35 Suspension $500 18. (22) #7T Dave Troutman 30 Mechanical $500 19. (21) #A1 Duke Whiseant 12 Mechanical $500 20. (6) # 7 Matt Miller 12 Mechanical $600 21. (10) # 2 Anthony White 10 Mechanical $500 22. (19) #C9 Steve Casebolt 5 Accident $500 23. (24) #1M Mike Mataragas 1 Mechanical $500* 24. (7) #70 Jeff Smith 0 Accident $500 * Mataragas scheduled to start 13th used back-up car and had to start 24th Time Of Race: 28 Mins. Yellow Flags: Four, Laps 5,13,28,35 Red Flags: None Lap Leaders: One, Mars 1-40 GEMINI AUTO CARE CENTERS "Hard Charger of the Race": Cunningham (10 positions advanced) "Rookie of the Race": D.J. Troutman Provisional Starters: Dv. Troutman,Cunningham Car Count: 64 Time Trials Fast Qualifier: Moran 15.094 secs. 89.440mph Heat Race Winners: Moran,M. Miller,O'Neal,Clanton,Shaver,Mars "B" Main Winners: D. Miller,Casebolt YJ STINGER EXTREME ENERGY DRINKS Dash Winner: Mars Donn Goodson Memorial Strawberry Dash Winner: SUMMARY - TIME TRIALS 1. #99 Donnie Moran Dresden,OH QPI Tools Dirt Ripper/MasterSbilt/SMS/Monte Carlo 15.094 89.440 2. # 7 Matt Miller Waterville,OH McCullough Motorsports/Rocket/Russell Baker/Grand Prix 15.190 88.874 3. # 1 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville,FL Lucas Oil Dunn-Benson Ford/Rockert/Larry Wallace/Taurus 15.256 88.669 4. #25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove,GA RSD Enterprises Rocket/Custom/Monte Carlo 15.336 88.028 5. #A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana,AR A1 Auto Salvage/Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 15.380 87.776 6. #28M Jimmy Mars Elk Mound,WI Stacker 2 MasterSbilt/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 15.444 87.413 7. #70 Jeff Smith Dallas,NC Die Cast Digest Rocket/Gaerte/Monte Carlo 15.512 87.029 8. #32D Darren Miller Chadwick,IL Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket/Pro Power/Taurus 15.518 86.996 9. #71 Don O'Neal Martinsville,IN A1 AutoSalvage Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 15.533 86.912 10. #58 Garrett Durrett Simsboro,LA Garret Racing Warrior/Pro Power/Taurus 15.540 86.873 11. #15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine,IA Double Eagle Racing Apparel MasterSbilt/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 15.589 86.600 12. #33P Al Purkey Coffeyville,KS Larry Shaw Race Cars Shaw/Hatfield/Grand Prix 15.617 86.444 13. #1M Mike Mataragas Dekalb,IL Peterson Aluminum Rayburn/Mataragas/Grand Prix 15.631 86.367 14. #19J Davey Johnson Greensburg,PA Reliable Painting MasterSbilt/Malcuit/Grand Prix 15.641 86.312 15. #69S Patrick Sheltra Indiantown,FL Helena Chemicals Co. Rocket/Draime/Grand Prix 15.641 86.312 16. # 2 Anthony White Clinton,TN Stone Plus GRT/Vic Hill/Monte Carlo 15.669 86.157 17. # 0 Steve Shaver Vienna,WV Richard Construction Rocket/Malcuit/Monte Carlo 15.676 86.119 18. #34J John Whitney (R) Cincinnati,OH Estes Leasing Swarts/Estes/Monte Carlo 15.704 85.965 19. #64 Sean Cosgrove (R) Catharpin,VA Drywall Systems Rocket/Hershey/Grand Prix 15.738 85.780 20. #59 Bill Cunningham Jefferson,OH JBR Graphics MasterSbilt/Craiger/Grand Prix 15.750 85.714 21. #53 Ray Cook Brasstown,NC Dodge Bill Elliott Racing MasterSbilt/Gaerte/Itrepid/RT 15.763 85.644 22. #53T Lee Thomason Marion,IL Thomason Transportation Rayburn/Cummins/Monte Carlo 15.774 85.584 23. #7M Bryan Millican Cleveland,TX Star Homes Rocket/Monte Carlo 15.780 85.551 24. #55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning,MI Bayline Fire Protection Warrior/Cornett/Taurus 15.795 85.470 25. #83 Joe Morris Galatia,IL Morris Excavating Rocket/Runyon/Grand Prix 15.816 85.357 26. #2F Dennis Franklin Gaffney,SC Hamricks of Gaffney Rayburn/Cornett/Taurus 15.827 85.297 27. #79 Vince Muzzin Jensen Beach,FL Muzzin Bros. Rocket/RaceTek/Grand Prix 15.833 85.265 28. #2* D.J. Troutman (R) Hyndman,PA Stacker 2 YJ Stinger Rocket/Russell Baker/Grand Prix 15.857 85.136 29. #9Z Jayme Zidar Greenfield,WI American Foundation Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 15.864 85.098 30. #21D Dan Stone Thompson,PA NEP Telephone Lazer G2/Rhodes/Monte Carlo 15.871 85.061 31. #28 Eddie Carrier Jr. Ona,WV Grover Motorsports Rocket/Grover/Taurus 15.876 85.034 32. #33 Chris Hackett Erie,PA Speciality Products Rocket/Tony Barker/Monte Carlo 15.880 85.013 33. #1K John Anderson Omaha,NE THT Designs Rocket/Hatfield/Grand Prix 15.880 85.013 34. #56 Rohn Moon Greenwood,IN Creonix Rayburn/Moon Power/Monte Carlo 15.897 84.922 35. # 9 Billy Drake Bloomington,IL MasterSbilt Race Cars MasterSbilt/Gaerte/Grand Prix 15.933 84.730 36. #07 Kelly Boen Hendrson,CO Road Runner Fabrication Rockert/Dickens/Grand Prix 15.942 84.682 37. #T31 Shane Tankersley Morgonton,GA Hicks Speciality Welding Rocket/RaceTek/Grand Prix 15.942 84.682 38. #69 Terry Eaglin Versailles,IN Helena Chemicals Co. Rocket/Gaerte/Intrepid R/T 16.000 84.375 39. #10 Pete Parker Kaukauna,WI Potowatomi Bingo Reliable/TravisKern/Grand Prix 16.015 84.296 40. #48 Tim Lance Mapleton,IL Digital Copy Rayburn/Pro Power/Taurus 16.062 84.049 41. #7T Dave Troutman Hyndman,PA Budweiser Rocket/Russell Baker/Grand Prix 16.079 83.960 42. #C9 Steve Casebolt Richmond,IN Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket/Pro Craft/Monte Carlo 16.091 83.898 43. #72 John Mason Millersburg,OH Bert Transmission Rayburn/Malcuit/Monte Carlo 16.114 83.778 44. #14 Kyle Berck Marquette,NE Dorothy Lynch Homestyle Dressing Rocket/Wegner/Taurus 16.184 83.416 45. #1DJ D.J. Miller Wooster,OH Bariod Drilling Fluids Rocket/Eicholtz/Monte Carlo 16.209 83.287 46. #7C Jim Curry Norman,IN Jim Blackwell Trucking & Conveying Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 16.217 83.246 47. #70 1/2 Anthony Rushing Jr. McCool,MS American Rocket/Dickens/Monte Carlo 16.266 82.995 48. #99B Justin Blackwell Norman,IN Blackwell Trucking and Limestone Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 16.274 82.954 49. # 3 Mike Collins Council Bluffs,IA D & D Construction MasterSbilt/Charlie's/Grand Prix 16.279 82.929 50. #1N Casey Noonan Sylvania,OH Noonan's Peformance Machining Rocket/Performance/Grand Prix 16.290 82.873 51. #12M Raymond Merrill Salisaw,OK Duralite Racing Wheels GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix 16.313 82.756 52. #56Z Zach Carney Mooresville,IN Hubler Chevrolet Rayburn/Moon Power/Monte Carlo 16.335 82.645 53. #1x1 Sonny Conley New Martinsville,WV Conley Enterprises Lazer G2/Emery/Monte Carlo 16.370 82.468 54. #70C Jeff Choquette West Palm Beach,FL Ron Arrowood Rocket/Progressive/Monte Carlo 16.407 82.282 55. #50S Steve Morgan Orangeville,IL Countryside Furniture Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 16.480 81.917 56. #63 Rod Patterson Lansing,MI Herman's Direct Rocket/Dowker/Monte Carlo 16.497 81.833 57. #32 Roger Crouse Plant City,FL Coastal Trucking Rocket/RaceTek/Grand Prix 16.575 81.448 58. #29 Jerry Fifield Cross Junction,VA Cornerstone Building & Renovation MasterSbilt/Hershey/Grand Prix 16.833 80.200 59. #00 Richard Smith Science Hill,KY Donnie Smith Auto Sales Swartz/Cropper/Grand Prix 16.878 79.986 60. #17 Frank Smith Mechanicsville,MD Auto Repair Center Lazer G2/Campbell/Monte Carlo 16.887 79.943 61. #81 Scott Riggs Harrisburg,IL Morris Excavating Rocket/Runyon/Grand Prix 17.156 78.690 62. #18 Steve Harvey Jacksonville,FL Harvey Motorsports GRT/Fox/Grand Prix 17.787 75.896 63. #74 Russ Adams Princeville,IL Digital Copy Rayburn/Pro Power/Monte Carlo 18.318 73.698 64. #21X Jim Bernheisel Lebanon,PA Stone's Excavating Lazer G2/Performance/Monte Carlo NT NS Heat # 1 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): Moran,J. Smith,Mataragas,Morris,Mason,Tankersley,Carrier Jr.,Collins,Morgan,Cosgrove,Riggs Heat # 2 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): M. Miller,Johnson,Franklin,D. Miller,Cunningham,Noonan,Berck, Patterson,Harvey,Eaglin,Hackett Heat # 3 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): O'Neal,Pearson Jr.,Anderson,D.J. Miller,Parker,Muzzin,Merrill, Sheltra,Crouse,Adams,Cook-NS Heat # 4 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): Clanton,White,D.J. Troutman,Lance,Durrett,Carney,Fifield, Thomason,Moon,Curry,Bernheisel-NS Heat # 5 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): Shaver,Birkhofer,Drake,Whiseant,Zidar,Millican,Rushing Jr., Conley,D. Troutman,R. Smith Heat # 6 (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance To Feature): Mars,Choquette,Boen,Casebolt,Stone,Whitney,F. Smith,Van Wormer,Purkey,Blackwell "B" Main # 1(15 Laps-Top 2 Advance To Feature): D. Miller,Mason,Cunningham,Parker,Berck,Merrill,D.J. Miller, Morgan,Eaglin,Collins,Hackett,Muzzin,Patterson,Morris,Carrier Jr.,Noonan,Riggs,Harvey,Tankersley,Cosgrove, Adams,Sheltra-NS,Crouse-NS,Cook-NS "B" Main # 2 (15 Laps-Top 2 Advance To Feature): Casebolt,Whiseant,Stone,Zidar,Whitney,Moon,Durrett, MIllican,R. Smith,Thomason,Fifield,Conley,Carney,Lance,Rushing Jr.,D. Troutman,F. Smith-NS,Van Wormer-NS, Purkey-NS,Curry-NS,Blackwell-NS,Bernheisel-NS "YJ STINGER EXTREME ENERGY DRINKS Dash (6 Laps-Finish Determines First Three Rows Of Feature): Mars,Shaver,O'Neal,Moran,Clanton,M. Miller Donn Goodson Memorial Strawberry Dash (9 Laps- Random draw of DNQ cars): Purkey,Millican,Rushing Jr., Whitney,Stone,Zidar,Carney,D.J. Miller,Moon Northern Xtreme DirtCar Series Point Standings (after 2-2-04) 1. #28M Jimmy Mars Elk Mound,WI 180 2. #99 Donnie Moran Dresden,OH 172 3. #71 Don O'Neal Martinsville,IN 165 4. #19J Davey Johnson Greensburg,PA 160 5. # 1 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville,FL 155 6. # 0 Steve Shaver Vienna,WV 150 7. #25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove,GA 146 8. #70C Jeff Choquette West Palm Beach,FL 142 9. #15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine,IA 138 10. #32D Darren Miller Chadwick,IL 134 11. # 9 Billy DRake Bloomington,IL 130 12. #1K John Anderson Omaha,NE 127 13. #59 Bill Cunningham Jefferson,OH 124 14. #72 John Mason Millersburg,OH 121 15. #07 Kelly Boen Hendrson,CO 118 16. #2F Dennis Franklin Gaffney,SC 115 17. #2* D.J. Troutman (R) Hyndman,PA 113 18. #7T Dave Troutman Hyndman,PA 111 19. #A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana,AR 109 20. # 7 Matt Miller Waterville,OH 107 21. # 2 Anthony White Clinton,TN 105 22. #C9 Steve Casebolt Richmond,IN 103 23. #1M Mike Mataragas Dekalb,IL 101 24. #70 Jeff Smith Dallas,NC 99 25. #21D Dan Stone Thompson,PA 80 #10 Pete Parker Kaukauna,WI 80 #9Z Jayme Zidar Greenfield,WI 80 #14 Kyle Berck Marquette,NE 80 #34J John Whitney (R) Cincinnati,OH 80 #12M Raymond Merrill Salisaw,OK 80 #56 Rohn Moon Greenwood,IN 80 #1DJ D.J. Miller Wooster,OH 80 #58 Garrett Durrett Simsboro,LA 80 #50S Steve Morgan Orangeville,IL 80 #7M Bryan Millican Cleveland,TX 80 #69 Terry Eaglin Versailles,IN 80 #00 Richard Smith Science Hill,KY 80 # 3 Mike Collins Council Bluffs,IA 80 #53T Lee Thomason Marion,IL 80 #33 Chris Hackett Erie,PA 80 #29 Jerry Fifield Cross Junction,VA 80 #79 Vince Muzzin Jensen Beach,FL 80 #1x1 Sonny Conley New Martinsville,WV 80 #63 Rod Patterson Lansing,MI 80 #56Z Zach Carney Mooresville,IN 80 #83 Joe Morris Galatia,IL 80 #48 Tim Lance Mapleton,IL 80 #28 Eddie Carrier Jr. Ona,WV 80 #70 1/2 Anthiny Rushing Jr. McCool,MS 80 #1N Casey Noonan Sylvania,OH 80 #81 Scott Riggs Harrisburg,IL 80 #18 Steve Harvey Jacksonville,FL 80 #T31 Shane Tankersley Morgonton,GA 80 #64 Sean Cosgrove (R) Catharpin,VA 80 #74 Russ Adams Princeville,IL 80 #17 Frank Smith Mechanicsville,MD 80 #55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning,MI 80 #33P Al Purkey Coffeysville,KS 80 #7C Jim Curry Norman,IN 80 #99B Justin Blackwell Norman,IN 80 #69S Patrick Sheltra Indiantown,FL 80 #32 Roger Crouse Plant City,FL 80 #53 Ray Cook Brasstown,NC 80 Northern Xtreme DirtCar Series Dash Points (after 2-2-04) 1. #28M Jimmy Mars Elk Mound,WI 6 2. # 0 Steve Shaver Vienna,WV 5 3. #71 Don O'Neal Martinsville,IN 4 4. #99 Donnie Moran Dresden,OH 3 5. #25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove,GA 2 6. # 7 Matt Miller Waterville,OH 1 1. #28M Jimmy Mars Elk Mound,WI Have an opinion on this story? 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