April 23, 2011 – Area Late Model racers are starting to think ahead, knowing the annual Scott Thompson Memorial event is just a few weeks away. The Late Model car count is increasing as just a few opportunities to compete at East Bay before the May 14 event remain.

The Saturday action was one of the last tune-ups and Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Florida, took advantage of the chance. Starting from the pole after the inversion draw, Whitener went wire-to-wire to score his first dirt win on Goodyear tires. While the winner didn’t improve his position from start to finish, the runner-up car certainly did as 16^th starting Keith Nosbisch finished a close second. Nosbisch had moved to the top 8 within the first two laps and gained third by the halfway mark in the 25-lap main. Point leader Bryan Bernhardt started sixth and settled in third at the end. The battle for fourth between Travis Varnadore and Kyle Musselman was a good one. Varnadore won the battle, but Musselman opened many eyes and gained a ton of respect with his first top five run of the year. Bernhardt, Dennis Williams and Doug Watson won their heat races.  Williams and Watson were fixtures in the top five until late race spins put them t of contention.

Austin Sanders strengthened his Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modified point lead, but it was no walk in the park. Rich Pratt led the first seven laps until Bill Howard led Sanders past Pratt. Two laps later, Sanders was able to slip past into the lead on the backstretch. Howard stayed right in the tracks of the leader but couldn’t gain significant ground, watching sanders claim his third feature in four races. David pollen Jr. came from the back of the starting lineup to notch a third place finish. Pratt and Alex Boerner rounded out the top five. The feature was marred by an engine fire in Roger Crouse’s ride, which brought out a red flag. The driver was not hurt. Thomas Pratt and Kevin Bryant won heat races.

A first time winner appeared in the motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bomber main, but it wasn’t the one who the fans saw in Victory Lane. The tech man had final say and apparent winner Troy Dittebrand was dqed for an illegal right rear tire. The action gave Darrell Taylor his first win of the year, back in his car after loaning it out the week before. Roberto Morfin Sr. continued his steady season with a second place finish. Patrick Tabb, Patrick Fiore and Chuck Mathias finished in the top five with Mathias’ late race charge gaining five spots in two laps. Tabb, Dalton Epps and Jimmy Odell took heat victories. Charlie Paris Jr. claimed the 10-lap B main.

The Street Stock event proved to be a race of attrition with many top drivers falling by the wayside. The most unfortunate of the bunch was Buck Woodhouse, who led the first 12 laps, only to have the car lose power on a restart. It gave the lead to Jeff Rodgers, who had been challenging. Meanwhile, Roy Woodhouse found himself the victim of misfortune as his engine flamed out while Roy was running third. Only six cars took the checkered flag. Rodgers, who was celebrating his 24^th wedding anniversary, was followed by Billy Carlbert Jr., division defending champion Donnie Reed, Jarod Gay and Mike Eaton. Heat victories were given to Reed and Buck Woodhouse.

Lars Amundsen doubled up in the Old Time Modifieds, winning the heat and 12-lap feature. Gary Riccio finished second in the feature, ahead of a hard-charging Tommy Zwally

ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, April 30, 2011.  The program will include Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modifieds, Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s and motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.