Dec. 3rd, 2011 –Mark Whitener from Middleburg, FL set fast time at 15.758 on Friday night. Heat races were run on Friday night to determine the top 18 to be locked in the A Main for tonight. But before the 100 lap $10,000 to win, other classes were on hand.
Before the feature events two B-Mains were run and the top two from each of them went on to the A-Main. The first B-Main went to Chip Brindle picking up the win with Mark Banal finishing second. Both advanced to the A-Main. The second B-Main went to Tim McCreadie with the win and Jeff Smith finishing second.
The first feature of the night went to the Old Time Mods with Lars Amundsen picking up the feature win with Roger Herbach, Jamie Frankland, Dan Darnell and Gary Riccio rounding out the top five.The Daytona Area Antique Racing Association were also on hand for the feature events as well.
It was now time for the NeSmith Late Model 100 Lap Feature event. Drivers were given an out of car introduction to the fans. On the front row was Mark Whitener and Devin Dixon. When the green flag dropped, Dixon jumped out in front and led the first twenty six laps. But a lap car came between Dixon and a hard charging Jonathan Davenport. Davenport took the advantage and took over the top spot with Dixon hot on his bumper. On lap forty, last years winner Doug Horton’s engine expired bringing out the second caution. The race resumed, but the very next lap, Doug Watson got tangled with another car and rode turn one’s wall and rolled over bringing out the red flag. On lap sixty one, caution once again came out, but it was for Shan Smith and Jeff Mathews getting tangled up in turn two. Several more cautions came out during the race bringing Dixon once again on the back bumper of Davenport. Dennis Franklin was doing everything he could to get by second place Dixon and eventually made his way past Dixon. Caution came out with just eight laps to go and Ivadent Lloyd, Jr. came to a rest in turn one. So with just eight laps left, teammates were first and second. Davenport finishing first and Franklin second with Dixon hot on their trail. When the checkered flag dropped, it was Jonathan Davenport picking up the big paycheck of $10,000 to win for the 7th Annual World Championship. Franklin finished second with Dixon third. Mark Whitener finished fourth and Brandon Overton rounded out the top five. Davenport, also know as Superman, stated in Victory Lane that the car had a miss in it for the first ten laps and eventually worked its way out. He also thanked Hendrick Motorsports for the engines and Barry Wright Race Cars as he was driving one of their cars. Also in Victory Lane the 2011 Rookie of the Year went to Chase Edge and also the 2011 NeSmith Points Champion went to Dan Brewer. He thanked his family for making the trip down to watch him race.
Next up was the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers as they ran their fifteen lap feature event. Starting on the front row was the defending Champion Kever Raulerson and Eddie Summit. When the green flag dropped, points leader Troy Dittebrand, who started in the fourth position, picked up the early lead and never looked back. A scary moment for Kayla Jones when she got tangled with two other cars on lap fourteen and rolled over at least two times bringing out the red flag. Jones was okay but the car appeared to have heavy damage to it. That made it a one lap dash to the finish as Johnnie Alexander had one chance to get by Dittebrand. Dittebrand held on and went on to win the feature extending his lead over second in points, Patrick Fiore. Fiore went to the infield early on and dimmed his chances of catching Dittebrand. Alexander picked up second while Mike Meadows, Brett Calonge and Don R. Quinn rounded out the top five.
The final event of the evening went to the Dirt Daubers. After stating in Victory Lane last night after winning the Street Stock feature, Tim Gay kept his word and rode with D. B. Hogwaller for the feature. When the green flag dropped, Hogwaller took the early lead and led most of the race, but spun in turn two handing the lead over to the defending Champion, Brett Phillips. Phillips went on to win picking up his fifth feature of the season. Bill Dixon, Hogwaller, Bill Bolle and Henry Wylee rounded out the top five.
ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park next week, December 10, 2011 as the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds run the David Reutimann Foundation 50. David Reutimann and his father Buzzie will be racing each other for bragging rights and a host of others, to try and capture the win. Along with them will be the Street Stocks, Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, and the Outlaw 4’s. The racing begins at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow night. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.