September 22, 2012 – Tampa, FL – Four divisions were on hand tonight. It was race number four for the Top Gun Sprints along with the East Bay Sprints. Also racing were the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Fours and the Street Stocks. But before the first could get underway, Mother Nature decided to throw a quick shower over the track for a rain delay.
After the rain stopped, the first feature to come out was the Outlaw Fours. Terry Bronson and Jesse Brown won their heats. For the feature event it was Timmy Bronson and Stephen Hohlbaugh on the front row. When the green waved, Hohlbaugh quickly jumped out in the lead with Billy Howard and Terry Bronson on his back bumper. Caution came out on lap four as Nick Hebrank spun in turn two. On the restart, Terry Bronson jumped by the leader and took over the top spot and never looked back as he went on to win his first time in the Hammond Motorsports 22H. Hohlbaugh, Howard, Jesse Foster and Timmy Bronson rounded out the top five.
Next up were the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds running a 20 Lap $1,000 Feature Event. David Pollen, Jr., Kyle Bronson and Devin Dixon won their heat races. For the front row it was Thomas Pratt and Devin Dixon on the front row. As the green waved, Dixon took the early lead with Pratt and Bronson right behind him until the caution came out for Kevin Bryant as he spun in turn one. After the restart, Pratt took over the top spot away from Dixon as Bronson moved up to second. On lap five, four cars tangled in turn two bringing out the red so that cars could be cleared as turns one and two were blocked. Pratt once again led the field to the green, but on lap sixteen Bronson had pulled up next to Pratt along the front stretch and in turn two, Pratt bobbled giving Bronson the bottom enabling him to take over the lead and went on to pick up his second feature in a row. Pratt, Bill Howard, David Pollen, Jr and Dixon rounded out the top five.
Next it was time for the Top Gun/East Bay Sprints 25 lap feature event also paying $1,000 to the winner sponsored by Boomtrux.com. Robbie Smith, AJ Maddox, Tyler Godwin all won their heat races. The front row for the feature was AJ Maddox and East Bay points leader Stephen Darvalics. Maddox lead the race early on until on lap four when Danny Martin, Jr. took the lead. Then on lap six, Tyler Godwin got together with AJ Maddox sending Maddox to the wall and out of the race. After the restart on lap six, Tyler Godwin took the lead from Martin, Jr. passing him on the outside. Godwin and Martin, Jr. and Darvalics weaved in and out of lap. With just a few laps to go, Godwin run up on lap traffic in turn four and tried to go low, but Martin, Jr. went to the high side and passed Godwin and went on to win an exciting feature event. Danny Martin, Jr. won his second feature in a row after winning the Sept. 1st feature with both sprints running a combo show. Godwin went on to finish second again after finishing the same order last race. Robbie Smith, Darvalics and Collin Cabre rounded out the top five.
The final event of the night went to the Street Stocks. Donnie Reed and Dennis Wilson, Jr. won their heat races. For the feature it was Matthew Grissom and Garry Sheffield on the front row. Grissom took the early lead until the first caution came out on lap six for debris. On the restart, it was Grissom, Reed and Wilson, Jr. going three wide with Wilson, Jr. getting spun and was not able to continue. On the restart Grissom once again led the field, but on lap eight Reed took over the lead and never looked back picking up his fourth feature win of the season. Dorsey Strickland, Grissom, Buck Woodhouse and Eric Moon rounded out the top five.
ASA Racing continues next week as Late Models return along with them will be the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, the Old Time Mods and the V8 Warriors. For further information, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call 813-677-7223 for more information.