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Mathews Wins Again in Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds
By Jason Loughren
8/29/09
Saturday night the meat of season kicked off at Eastbay Raceway Park as a packed grandstand witnessed six great classes of racing with over 100 cars entered.
The Street Stocks hit the track first as 18 cars were slated to start the 15-lap feature event. Points leader Donnie Reed started up front and cruised to his 3rd feature win of the season. Mathew Grissom ran strong all night and finished 2nd. Steve O’Lone was 3rd. Gary Sheffield and Thomas Pratt rounded out the top-5. Buck Skinner and Reed were victorious in the heats.
In the Oultaw 4’s Brian Danforth grabbed defeat from the hands of victory. He had a dominating performance going for 14 of the 15 laps until a spin in turn 2 on the white flag lap ended his chance for the win. Mathew Haynes running in 2nd at the time of Danforth’s spin was the beneficiary and took the win. It was the 2nd win of the season for Haynes. Sean Bass finished in 2nd place. Jesse Brown came home 3rd. Points leader Steven Hohlbaugh had a strong run and finished 4th. Mickey Wright captured 5th place. Haynes and Wright won the heats.
The Gagel’s Open Wheeled Modifieds have been dominated by Jeff Mathews this season and Saturday was no different. Mathews won another feature race after a hard fought battle with Roger Crouse. It was Mathews 7th feature win of the season in the class. Crouse finished 2nd. Brian Hollifield scored his 5th top-5 of the season with a 3rd place finish. Austin Sanders and John Bradley rounded out the top-5. Dale Kelley and Bobby Dixon wont he heat races.
In the Q Auto and Injury Attorneys Limited Late Models Roger Crouse was looking to win a feature after his 2nd place finish in the Open Wheel Modifieds. Crouse and JR Prather, Jr. started on the front row. Prather, Jr. jumped out to the early lead with Crouse running in the 2nd position as the laps wound down. Crouse used a late lap pass to take the lead and eventually the win. Crouse stated in victory lane that 2009 is his 25th year of having at least one feature win at East Bay Raceway Park. Prather, Jr. finished 2nd. Tim Gay wound up 3rd. John Bradley and Alex Boerner were 4th and 5th respectively. Forrest Gough and Boerner were victorious in the heats.
The East Bay Sprints were back in action at the Clay by the Bay. Gene Lasker appeared to have the car to beat as he jumped out to a substantial early lead. A couple of late cautions brought the field back together and Lasker’s car suffered a mechanical failure on a late restart. That opened the door for Tim George to take his first feature win of the season. Rocky Sullivan finished 2nd. Clyde Poole drove in the top-5 all-night and finished 3rd. Kurt Taylor who came back to the track after his left rear tire fell off early in the race finished 4th. Tony Agin was 5th. Rich Alexander, Lasker and Poole won the heats.
In the Motorstats.com 4-Cylinder Bombers Kyle Eash returned to the Clay by the Bay for the 1st time this season and took the win. Robert Kissam finished 2nd. Jim Baker had a strong run and finished 3rd. George Handy and Kelli Hill rounded out the top-5. Raymond Vann, Kissam and Roberto Morfin, Jr. won the heats.
ASA sanctioned racing resumes at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at 6:30pm. The South Shore Auto Sales Late Models, East Bay Sprints, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s, motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers will all be in action. For more information, call the track office at 813-677-7223 or visit us on the web at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
