Photos Courtesy of Mike HorneFebruary 4, 2012 – Tampa, FL – The final night of action as night number three kicked off with 45 cars qualifying. Group one went to last night’s feature winner, Dennis “Rambo” Franklin as he qualified with a 15.708. Group two went to Chase Edge with a time of 16.110. Group three, Chris Cantrell qualified with 15.948 and Group four went to Steve Cooke on the last lap with a 16.116.
Next up was the World Street Stock heat races. 24 were cars on hand to win the $3,000 for the 50 Lap A-Main Feature Event. Top six were locked in by virtue of points accumulated over the past two nights. Ritchie “The Rocketman” Stephens edged out Tim Gay by just three points to earn the number one postion. Tim Powers, Eric Moon, Buck Woodhouse and Donnie Reed rounded out the top six. Two heat races were run to finish the line-up for the A-Main. Jeff Rodgers and Kevin Durden were your heat race winners.
Next up were the final heat races to earn their spot into the 50 Lap A-Main $3,000 to win. Top four from each heat race advance. Dennis “Rambo” Franklin won heat race number one and earned himself the pole position. Heat race number two went to Doug Watson and earned him a spot beside Franklin on the front row. Austin Hubbard and Steve Cooke won the two remaining heat races.
The top six in points had their hot lap session and pulled to the front stretch and pulled pastries to see where they started for the A-Main. Tim Gay pulled the number one position with Buck Woodhouse pulling number two. Donnie Reed and Tim Powers made up row number two and Eric Moon and Ritchie Stephens made up row number three.
Next were two B-Mains and the top three advanced to the 50 Lap A-Main. Doug Horton, Dave Schmauss and Shan Smith were your top three. In B-Main number two, Jack Nosbisch, Jr was your winner. Provisionals went to Shannon Lee and David Earl Gentry and picking up track provisional went to Travis Varnadore.
Next it was time for the 50 Lap A-Main Feature for the 2nd Annual World Street Stock Championship. Tim Gay and Buck Woodhouse brought the 24 cars to the green. Gay and Powers started catching lapped traffic by lap seven. Stephens after starting sixth had moved up to the third position. The first caution came out on lap eight when Justan Rodgers spun on the backstretch tightening up the field.
On the restart, Gay once again had taken the lead with Powers and Stephens right on his back bumper. On lap sixteen, Gay and Powers came up on lap traffic and tangled giving Stephens a right front flat and Gay a right rear flat sending both cars to the pits. Crews rushed and both cars were able to rejoin the field before the green flag waved once again. Tim Powers was your new leader on the restart.
At the halfway point, Tim Powers was leading with Kevin Durden, Brian Morgan, Calvin Cook and Locke Brown as your top five. After starting in the rear of the field, Stephens had made his way up to the eighth position. Caution came out on lap 29 for debris in turn two closing up the field.
On the restart, Powers led them into turn one and fifth place runner Brown lost several positions. Caution quickly came out as three cars tangled in turn one. So with no laps in, Brown was able to go back into the fifth starting position.
Green flag waved and Cook started to smoke and a right rear went down bringing out a caution once again. Cook was in the fourth position and headed to the pits to change his tire. Powers was not able to return in time as the green flag waved.
Red flag was brought out on lap thirty-two as second place Kevin Durden slowed in turn two and had stopped on the front stretch as fuel had come out of his car. The safety crew quickly took care of the spill. Your top five were Tim Power, Brian Morgan, Locke Brown, Donnie Reed and Ritchie “The Rocketman” Stephens up to fifth.
Green flag waved once again as the drivers started single file. Locke Brown spun in turn two with several cars collecting him and bringing out the caution once again . Brown was able to continue.
Once again the green flag waved for the eighth time and Stephens had moved up to third chasing Morgan before Del Powell lost both rear tires in turn two on lap thirty-six.
On the restart Powers and Stephens went into turn one side by side before Frank Pelusio spun on the back stretch bringing out the final caution forcing a green, white, checkered finish.
Tim Powers and Stephens battled for the last three laps side by side, but Stephens slipped in turn two and Powers was able to pull away and grab the checkered flag to pick up the $3,000. “The Rocketman” Stephens finished in the second spot after going to the pits, changing a tire and charged his way up just falling short of the win. Brian Morgan, Jeff Rodgers and Donnie Reed rounded out your top five. Powers out of Okeechobee, FL thanked his crew and his wife Linda and his sponsor Paul Bange Roofing for their support. “I should have won this last year but just fell short”
The final event was the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series 50 Lap $3,000 A-Main event with last night’s feature winner, Dennis “Rambo” Franklin and Doug Watson bringing the field to the green flag. Rambo Franklin quickly jumped out in front with Austin Hubbard right behind him. Several cars started spinning in turn four and Chris Cantrell ended up on his roof bringing out the red flag. Mack McCarter and Todd Morrow also were collected and ended their night. Cantrell was able to walk away, but his car was done for the night. So with a lap not completed, the field lined up for a complete restart.
Franklin and Watson led the field once more on the restart and the two raced door handle to door handle with Watson taking the lead on lap one. Franklin continued to trail Watson and made several attempts to pass Watson when the first caution came out on lap nine as Shannon Lee spun out of turn two.
Watson led the field into turn one on the restart, but Devin Dixon spun and ten more cars were collected in the pile up in turn two. Anthony White was not able to continue and he was taken into the pits along with Devin Dixon. Dixon was fourth at the time.
Green flag waved on lap nine and after one lap had been completed, third place car Austin Hubbard spins in turn two bringing out the third caution.
On lap ten, the green flag waved as the field started single file with Watson once again in charge. Watson continued to hold off the hard charging Franklin as he continued to stick his nose up along the side of Watson’s driver’s door. Watson had come up on lap traffic on lap twenty five and pulled away over a straight away over third place driver, Matthew Turner.
Caution came out on lap twenty six as Chase Edge hit the back wall and ended his night. Doug Watson was still your leader with Franklin holding onto second. Turner third and Doug Horton has now moved into the fourth position after starting seventeenth and Steve Cooke fifth.
Restart on lap twenty six and Watson continued to hold off Franklin as they went into turn one. On lap thirty five, Franklin drove right up beside Watson as they came out of turn two racing side by side with Watson crossing the line first before the sixth caution waved as Michael Blount spun out of turn two.
With ten laps to go, the caution waved once again as David Earl Gentry went up in smoke in turn four ending his night. Watson still out in front with Franklin trying everything he can do to get by Watson holding on to second. Doug Horton was now up to third with Matthew Turner and William Thomas your top five with ten to go.
With three laps to go, Franklin finally got past Watson coming out of turn two and picking up his second feature win in a row. Watson was able to hold on to second as hard charging Doug Horton picked up third. Matthew Turner and William Thomas rounded out your top five.
Dennis “Rambo” Franklin out of Gaffney, SC driving a Barry Wright Chassis thanked his sponsors Steve and Linda Cooke once again and his crew for working hard all weekend long. He also thanked AES Racing and JRI Racing Shocks by Performance Suspension.
Finishing second from Plant City was Doug Watson in his brand new 2011 Brandon Clearing Rocket Chassis. He thanked his sponsors Jurnigan Equipment, Nuttin Fancy Farms and Watson Motorsports. He also thanked his crew, Keith Nosbisch, David Rizzo and Robert Cutting. He wanted to give an extra thanks to his Crew Chief Keith Hooker. “We worked hard every day for the last five weeks to get this right. I even had to miss some of my son’s activities.” He said after the races that it was one of his best races. “I heard him coming and didn’t hold my line and he was able to get by me.”
Finishing third from Bruceton Mills, WV came home third in the Nosbisch Racing Warrior Chassis, Mainlands Transport, High Gear Speed Shop and Genesis Shocks. Matthew Turner, William Thomas, David Schmauss, Mark Tice, Walker Arther, Jack Nosbisch, Jr., and Phillip Cobb rounded out the top ten.
ASA Racing continues next week Feb. 9-11 as the 36th Annual Winternationals continues with the UMP/EBRP Modifieds and the Team USA Mod Lites come to town. For further information, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com for call 813-677-7223 for more information.