(Tampa, Florida) – The 37th Annual East Bay Winternationals 2nd race for the FASTRAK Racing Series did not disappoint anyone that attended the 1/3rd mile “Clay by the Bay”. This race had it all and more throughout the evening exciting the fans until the checkers fell. The decision was made before the beginning of the feature that all drivers would be able to make the A-main 30 lapper. They drivers ran in 1 of the 4 heat races to set the field for the A-main at East Bay Raceway Park. The heats races we’re very competitive as “FASTRAK’S best” fought to gain whatever they could to have a decent starting position.
Heat Race Races Winners – Night #1 at East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, Florida
FK Rod Ends Heat #1 – #44w Brandon Umberger
Hoosier Race Tires Heat #2 – #95 Devin Dixon
Chevy Performance Heat #3 – #2 Dennis Franklin
RockAuto.com Heat #4 – #02 Keith Nosbisch
The race got off to a great start side by side with #44w Umberger and #95 Dixon on the front row battling heads up to complete lap #1 with #2 Franklin closing in fast. However the yellows would fly on lap #1 in turn 3 with a 4 car incident involving #300 Bill Tesh getting loose spinning and #32 Phillip Cobb, #95 Devin Dixon and #11 Jamie Slatton getting collected in the process. Tesh would bring out yellow for 2nd time on lap 3 stalling up in the apex of turns 3 and 4. Two circuits later the yellow would fall when #11 David Smith the defending FASTRAK City Chevrolet Touring Division champion looped his car around in turn 3 on lap 5 also collecting #75 Colton Flinner and #07 of Doug Watson. Watson also set a NEW lap record around East Bay Raceway Park turning a 15.288 seconds around the 1/3rd mile dirt oval. While it seemed the yellow flag fever was back again the racing in the front of the back was fast and furious. #2 Franklin, #58 Whitener, #44w Umberger and #02 Noshbisch we’re battling for the point and also trying to get by back markers cars in the process sailing to tick the laps away. On the restart #11 David Smith’s back up car being driven by #11c Chris Ferguson from Mt. Holly, North Carolina would get loose in turn 1 over correcting the car looping around the TNT chassis on lap 5. In doing so this caused the “BIG ONE” of the night literally destroying #75 Colton Flinner’s Rocket from Pennsylvania. Drivers also having severed damage we’re #07 Watson and #11b Jamie Slatton. All the while the racing for the lead continued to flip flop back and forth.
The long green flag run would settle in after the big wreck from lap 5 to lap 27 all the while it became a 2 man show between #58 Whitener and #2 Franklin duking it out heavy to get P1. The next to last caution would fall as the leaders we’re still trying to stay ahead of each other and put the tail end of the field a lap down. The driver in the CER Rocket #99* from Hesston, Pennsylvania Rick Singleton would slow in turn 4 setting up a 3 lap shootout. All the while it was going to be between #58 Whitener and #2 Franklin still continuing to contest for the win. Final yellow would fly when #32 Cobb looped it in turn 4 and also collected #07 Watson. This set up then a green-white-checkered. On the single file restart #2 of Franklin tried to get the hole shot in the corner of turn 1. In doing so #58 Whitner held his line not backing down and holding off Franklin as he scraped the outside retaining wall coming to the finish line to take the checkers.
This went on to be the 2nd FASTRAK touring win and 2 in a row for “The Magic Man” at East bay Raceway Park’s night #2 of the FASTRAK portion of the 37th Annual Winternationals. With #58 from Middleburg, Florida taking the win he’ll now try to pull the “hat-trick” Saturday night vowing to win the final night of 3 in the Winternationals.
37th Annual East Bay Winternationals Race #2 Official Race Results
1st #58 Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL
2nd #2 Dennis Franklin – Gaffney, SC
3rd #02 Keith Noshbisch – Riverview, FL
4th #44w Brandon Umberger – Rural Retreat, VA
5th #114 Chris Cantrell – Chester, SC
6th #20 Wayne Robertson – Corning, NY
7th #95 Devin Dixon – Apollo Beach, FL
8th #8b Steve Banal – Troutman, NC
9th #01 Jack Noshbisch – Riverview, FL
10th #21p Josh Peacock – Dover, FL
11th #07 Doug Watson – Plant City, FL
12th #14 Mavrick Varnadore – Dover, FL
13th #32c Phillip Cobb – Plant City, FL
14th #23 Corey Gordon – Charlotte, NC
15th #8s Steve Miller – Tampa, FL
16th #41 Travis Varnadore – Dover, FL
17th #23b Derrick Brown – Rural Hall, NC
18th #99 Scott Chenoweth – Shinston, WV
19th #99* Rick Singleton – Hesston, PA
20th #68 Kurt Waush – Shawano, WI
21st #11b Jamie Slatton – Thonoatasso, FL
22nd #11c Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC
23rd 69b Bryan Bernhardt – Clearwater, FL
24th #11 David Smith – Inman, SC
25th #75 Colton Flinner – Allison Park, PA
26th #95jr Steven Mathis Jr. – Plant City, FL
27th #300 Bill Tesh – Germanton, NC
‘Remaining Schedule of Events for 37th Annual East Bay Winternationals
Saturday February 2nd – $3,000 to win
East Bay will also be awarding extra money thru the field at the end of night 3 from 21st on back entitled “The East Bay FASTRAK Bonus”!! Drivers that finish in position’s 21st-30th will be collecting $150 Dollars. In addition to that payout, if there are any drivers that finish in positions 31st-40th in the overall 3 race series rundown; they will be awarded each $200 Dollars. However there is a stipulation to get the chance to be eligible for the money from Position’s 21st thru 40th. You have to have “PERFECT ATTENDANCE” for the entire 3 days of the 2013 East Bay Winternationals!!
Also if you don’t live in Florida you can still watch the FASTRAK Racing Series portions of the 37th Annual East Bay Winternationals on XSAN.TV Pay Per View at a great price. Go to www.xsan.tv/order to join the 37th East Bay Winternationals today for the entire event for a great price!!
Stay tuned to www.fastrakracing.com as well as the FASTRAK Racing Series Fan Page on Facebook and/or follow @FASTRAK_Racing on Twitter to get up to the minute news and details as they become available.
The FASTRAK Racing Series City Chevrolet Touring Divisions would like to thank all of its marketing partners for their great and continuing support. Those 2013 sponsors include: Hoosier Race Tires, VP Racing Fuel, City Chevrolet, Chevrolet Performance Parts, Vicci Apparel, TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Longhorn Race Cars, RockAuto.com and FK Rod Ends. FASTRAK would also like to welcome Genesis Race Shocks, Cool Shirt, Five Star Bodies, Hooker Harness, Velocita USA Driving Suits, Beya Headers, Kooks Custom Headers, R2C Filters, Sisco Fire and Safety and Tiger Rear Ends to our line-up of product sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Premier Pro Late Model Series in the Country please contact Stan Lester at the FASTRAK Corporate Office at (678) 935-7304 or Series Director Kelley Carlton at (864) 871-1442. Also Visit the FASTRAK Racing Series online at www.fastrakracing.com and be sure to like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter at @FASTRAK_Racing!!