Oct. 15, 2011 – Five divisions on hand tonight at East Bay Raceway Park. A cool evening brought fans out and watch a beautiful orange sky cover the area.
First up were the Outlaw 4’s. Just before they started the Feature event, they held an autograph session during intermission as fans young and old came out to get their autographs. Kyle Kruse and Jamie Burrows won their heat races early on in the evening. Burrows and Kruse started on the front row the feature. When the green flag dropped, it was Kruse on a mission. He was leading several weeks ago and broke, but tonight, he was on Kruse control. Shirlene Hammond was in her White Lightning and came from deep in the pack to try and catch him. Hammond started tenth and was charging thru the field but was unable to catch the first time winner in this division. Kruse was very emotional in Victory Lane and had many people to thank for helping him out. With Hammond finishing second, Jesse Brown, Stephen Hohlbaugh and Megan Meyer after starting ninth finished fifth.
Next on the track was the Street Stocks. 19 cars tonight made up the field tonight with Ronnie Whitley, Wyatt Bryant and Jeff Rodgers picking up the heat wins. Bryant and Whitley made up the front row for the feature event. Whitley had taken the early lead with Donnie Reed, Rodgers trying to take the lead away from him. With several laps to go on a restart, Whitley went high in Turn 2 and seemed to jump the cushion while Rodgers was diving on the bottom to take the lead. Whitley lost control of the car for a brief moment and collect several cars on the back stretch. David Barwick, III seemed to have cleared it, but caught Jim Baker and ended up on his roof. Barwick was ok, cut the car was not. That gave the lead to Rodgers. When the checkered flag dropped, Rodgers crossed the stripe first picking up his eight feature win of the season. Reed, Locke Brown, Curtis Book and new comer after moving up from the 4 Cylinder Bombers was Thomas Burnside.
Josh Peacock and Phillip Cobb were heat winners in the Late Model division. But when the pill was pulled on the inversion, and eight was drew putting Cobb seventh and Peacock eight for the start of the feature. Dennis Williams took the early lead, but after several laps, Roger Crouse in his number 15 took over the lead and was driving away once again. But cautions came out several times and drew the competition closer to him each restart. Schmauss was on the move but had a right front flat, went to the pits and did not return. Bernhardt and Peacock battled it out to the end giving Bernhardt second and Peacock third. Phillip Cobb and Travis Varnadore rounded out the top five.
Scotty Williams and Ricky Land were the on the front row for the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Limited Late Models. Scotty Williams led most of the feature, but with several laps to go, the familiar 21 of Forrest Gough passed Williams in Turn 4. Points leader Jason Pope finished third, JR Prather, Jr. and Shane Koperda were your top five. Williams and Land were the heat winners.
The Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers were the final feature of the night. Don R. Quinn and Raymond Vann started on the front row. Vann quickly took the spot away from Quinn. Quinn, Roberto Morfin, Sr., Dalton Goldhammer and Johnnie Alexander were trying to catch Vann. But when the checkered flag waved, it was Kayla Jones finishing second. Alexander, Quinn and Robert Kissam were your top five. Jones, Alexander and Goldhammer were the heat winners earlier on.
ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, October 22, 2011. The program will include the Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, Old Time Mods and the Dirt Daubers. Plus it will be Breast Cancer Awareness Night. Come show your support and purchase a East Bay Racers, Tough Enuff To Wear Pink shirt. Proceeds going to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.