Open-Wheel action was featured at East Bay Raceway Park with both the East Bay Sprints and Gagel Open-Wheel Modifieds taking to the track along with the Street Stocks, Outlaw 4’s and the Motorstats.com 4-Cylinder Bombers.
The Street Stock feature event had some of everything for a race fan to enjoy. The race got underway with the 69x machine of Jim Baker in control, but brought out the caution as he went around on his own coming off turn 2. That gave the lead to Dennis Wilson but on the restart, #18 Eric Moon moved underneath Wilson to grab the lead and brought the #55 car of Buck Woodhouse and the #13 machine of Thomas Burnside along with him. Caution came back out on lap 8 for Shana Chevillot and Jim Baker as they tangled off turn 3. The car on the move was the #21 car of Dorsey Strickland who started back in the 8th position, but by lap 10 was in the 3rd spot. Moon held on for the win with Dennis Wilson, Jr finishing second, Buck Woodhouse in third, Dorsey Strickland in fourth, and Donnie Reed coming on strong to round out the top five.
Outlaw 4’s were in force at the “Clay by the Bay” and the action was intense from the start of the race. Shirlene Hammond and Zach Amundsen started on the front row, but Hammond quickly grabbed the lead and opened a 3 car length advantage over the field. Billy Howard probably had the fastest car of the night but broke under red while the defending Champion Jesse Brown broke going into turn one. After the restart, Hammond continued to lead the field picking up the win with Stephen Hohlbaugh, Amundsen, Nick Hebrank and Brandon Yates round out the top five.
The East Bay Sprints rolled out for their A-Main and Jimmy Ballew in the #0 car started on the pole along side Robbie Smith in the 6S machine, but Smith came off turn 2 like he was shot out of a cannon to grab the lead and quickly opened up a 5 car length advantage. Ballew’s night came to an abrupt end as his car hooked the lip on the bottom of the track and he bicycled his #0 car in turn 4. Ballew was ok, but his car was unable to continue and he retired to the pits for the night. From there on out, it was all Robbie Smith as he picked up his first win of the 2012 racing season. #24 Steven Darvalics had a great run to finish 2nd, Billy Boyd crossed the stripe in third, Sport Allen fourth and Tony Agin in the #38 rounded out the top five.
The Gagel Open-Wheel Modifieds was a caution plagued feature event which saw numerous accidents around the track. Lap 1 sent Buzzie Reutimann to the pits, although he would return to finish 6th overall. Austin Sanders had a strong car and started on the pole, but was quickly overtaken by the #27 machine of Bruce Harvey. Austin Sanders kept Harvey in his sights, but as the laps ran down, he had his own battle with the #81 car of Thomas Pratt and the #8M machine of Matt Miller for 2nd. When the checkered flag finally came out, it was Harvey leading the field across the line for his first win of the season. Sanders finished second, Pratt in third, Miller in fourth and Bobby Dixon rounded out the top five.
The Motorstats.com 4-Cylinder Bombers had a full field of cars as usual and the fans would be treated to a fantastic race. Michael Hart started on the pole, but issues with the 99m car caused him to lose the lead to Raymond Vann who took the lead and never looked back. Johnnie Alexander made up what looked to be an insurmountable lead by Vann to make it interesting, but had to settle for 2nd. John Moore in the #66 car finished 3rd, George Handy in 4th and the #09x car of Brett Calonge rounded out the top 5.
Dirt Daubers finished off the evening with their unusual brand of racing on a sloppy, wet track thanks to the water truck dropping 1000’s of gallons of water before the race started. Flagman Ronnie Luckock sent the field the opposite direction and the field took off. Janien Dixon had the run of the night, looping her car several times throughout the race, but making a run for the lead on the final lap, but came up just short to Brett Phillips. Janien finished second, Bill Dixon third, Bill Bolle fourth and the #630 machine of Henry Wylee in fifth.
ASA Racing continues next week with Late Models, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4’s, the Dirt Daubers and Fan Participation races. For further information, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call 813-677-7223 for more information.