February 3, 2012 – Tampa, FL – Night number two of the 36th Annual Winternationals kicked off with qualifying for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Models with 50 cars on hand. Fast Time went to David Earl Gentry from Murfreesboro, TN with a time of 15.627 from Group one. Group two went to Pierce McCarter with a 16.258. Group three went to Shane Hitt with a 15.881 and Group 4 went to Steve Cooke with a 16.035.
Next up was three heat races for the 2nd Annual World Street Stocks as 23 cars set to qualify. Heat Race number one was Tim Powers, Ritchie Stephens, Tim Gay, Del Powell and Donnie Reed. Heat Race number two went to Brian Morgan, Justan Rodgers, Terry Jones, Thomas Burnside and John Kinsey. Heat Race number three’s top five were Jeff Rodgers, Calvin Cook, Eric Moon, Kevin Durden, Brian Hansford.
Heat race action was next up for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model series with the top four from each heat race qualifying to the A-Main. The first heat race went to David Earl Gentry earning him the pole for the 40 Lap A-Main Event. Heat race number two went to Shane Hitt earning the outside front row starting spot. Doug Horton, Jack Nosbisch, Jr., Chris Cantrell, William Thomas were your top five.
The first of two 15 lap B-Mains were next with William Thomas picking up the win and for the second night in a row, Shannon Lee picked up a provisional. B-Main number 2 went to Doug Watson and picking up provisional were Mark Tice and Kyle Mussleman.
Next was the 25 Lap A-Main for the 2nd Annual World Street Stock Championship. On the pole from Salem, AL is Ritchie Stephens. On the outside pole was East Bay’s Street Stock Champion Jeff Rodgers. On the start, it was Stephens taking the lead with Rodgers, Morgan and Powers hot on his trail. Caution came out on lap one for Thomas Burnside slowing on the backstretch. Green flag resumed and on lap two, Brian Morgan passed Stephens in turn four on the low side moving Stephens back to second and Tim Powers to third.
Caution came out on lap three when Donnie Reed spun in turn four. On the restart, Stephens charged into turn one to take the lead from Morgan as they came out of turn two. Marty Neikens collected the wall in turn three to bring out the third caution on lap four. Neikens was not able to continue as he took his car to the pits.
Several more cautions came out before race control decided on a single file restart on lap eight. On the green flag, Stephens once again was in control with Powers still holding onto second. Brian Morgan, Kevin Durden and Calvin Cook were the top five.
Caution came out once again on lap sixteen when Frank Pelusio slowed in turn three. On the restart, Stephens took control once again for the next six laps as caution came out once again for debris on the track with just three laps left. Tim Powers in second had a right rear flat and had to go to the pits. Tim Gay who started in the seventh position had now made his way to the second spot. Morgan was holding onto third with Cook now in fourth and Durden back to fifth.
On the final restart with just three laps to go, Stephens led the field to the checkered flag with Tim Gay holding onto second. Calvin Cook, Brian Morgan and Kevin Durden rounded out your top five.
Ritchie Stephens drove eight hours to get here on his very first trip here to East Bay Raceway Park. Back home, Stephens is known as the “The Rocketman” back home and builds cars also known as Rocketman Race Cars. He also thanked his wife Brandi and his crew Jason and Jarrod for helping him out and his sponsor Love Stuff. Stephens also said that his car was a brand new car and never touched dirt until it was on the track for practice Wednesday night.
The top six in points after the two events are locked into Saturday’s 50 Lap A-Main Feature. Ritchie “The Rocketman” Stephens leads the way with Tim Gay just three points behind him. Tim Powers, Eric Moon, Buck Woodhouse, and Donnie Reed rounded out the top six.
The final event of the evening was the 40 Lap A-Main Feature. David Gentry and Shane Hitt brought the field to the green flag with Gentry and Hitt side by side for the first lap. Gentry took control and led the first eight laps until the first caution came out as William Thomas spun on the front stretch.
Green flag resumed and Gentry took the lead, but Rambo Franklin took over the top spot on the next lap. On lap eighteen, Dixon tangled with Gentry and Hubbard and got a right front flat and brought out the second caution.
Green came out once again, but on lap twenty, Chris Cantrell does a 360 spin in turn two and brings out the third caution. Franklin still held onto the top spot with Gentry, Hubbard, Horton and Hitt your top five.
On the final restart on lap twenty one, Rambo Franklin lap after lap continued to lead Gentry as they made their way thru lap traffic on the outside. Franklin took the checkered flag picking up his second career win with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. David Earl Gentry picked up second with Austin Hubbard, Doug Horton and last night’s winner Jack Nosbisch, Jr. rounding out the top five.
In Victory Lane, Franklin from Gaffney, SC thanked his car owners Steve and Leslie Cooke and his crew for fixing the problem from last night. “I was able to put the car anywhere I wanted to” he said in Victory Lane. Rambo in his last three races finished second here at East Bay Raceway Park.
ASA Racing continues tomorrow night with Night #3 of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series with $3,000 to win 50 Lap Feature. The 2nd Annual World Street Stock Championship will also be paying $3,000 to win 50 Lap feature as well. Racing begins at 7:00 p.m. For more information, log onto the web at www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call 813-622-7223 for more information.