(Tampa, Florida) – The term “hat-trick” is normally a hockey terminology used to describe scoring 3 goals in a game. Can that description be used ever in racing? In the 37th edition of the East Bay Winternationals that was the word talked about by everyone Saturday in regards to driver in #58 Mark Whitener from Middleburg, Florida. No one has been able to totally “sweep” the entire event ever. Mark Whitener picked up his first career FASTRAK Touring Series victory Thursday night. Then was able to seal the deal again holding off #2 Dennis Franklin battling through lap traffic Friday night. Whitener was on the path to making history for not only East Bay Raceway Park but also winning 3 events consecutively for the FASTRAK Racing Series.

Heat Race Winners – Night #3 at East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, Florida

Genesis Race Shocks Heat #1 – #8s Steve Miller
Short Way Real Estate Heat #2 – #58 Mark Whitener
Hoosier Racing Tires Heat #3 – #44w Brandon Umberger
VP Race Fuels Heat #4 – #02 Keith Nosbisch

At the drop of the green flag another driver wanted to spoil Whitener’s chance at three wins in a row. #8 Steve Miller from Tampa, Florida was on the pole and Whitener to his outside. As the field cycled through turn 1 they would battle “door to door” all the way around to complete lap # 1. The top three rows we’re all in the mix swapping for positions on the track. Miller would jump out in front but a “hornet’s nest” awaiting him if one wrong slip was made. A much cleaner competitive race then what we witnessed the other 2 nights. Racing was “fast and furious” getting around the 1/3rd mile “Clay by the Bay”. The first Yellow flag would fall on lap #5 when #69b Bryan Bernhardt stalled his car on the topside of turn 3. Also in the process of the caution falling for Bernhardt the #300 Bill Tesh from Germanton, North Carolina looped down the backstretch. On the restart #2 Dennis Franklin sustained heavy damage on the right front of the Barry Wright as #114 Chris Cantrell checked up in front of him on the inside row. The restart sparked a 26 lap green flag run in the 40 lap feature. In doing so #8 Miller, #44w Umberger, #02 Nosbisch and #58 Whitener would contend to swap positions on the track lap after lap. In addition to battling each other for the lead on track they also had to contend going through “lap traffic” which came to be a big factor in Friday’s race.

Caution flag would slow the field and stop the 26 lap green flag run on lap 31 with 9 laps to go. The caution fell when the #1p Wallace Peacock spun violently in his Rayburn chassis off turn 4. With the field having fewer than 10 laps to go in the feature the restart would be single file. #58 Whitener was the man everyone was trying to run down again but #2 Dennis Franklin was coming hard to the front being 6th on restart. The term “cautions breed cautions” was proved true again when #11c from Mt. Holly, North Carolina ran up on the topside looping his TNT Chassis around solo exiting off turn 2. Still being locked on lap 31 the final restart would take place. Only 9 laps were all that was left for #58 Mark Whitener making history in the Barry Wright. On the restart he quickly sailed out in front but #02 Nosbisch was quickly on his heels ready to make a move on the bottom until coming loose off turn 2 losing ground to Whitener.

In the late rally #20 Wayne Robertson and #114 Chris Cantrell we’re also coming to the front but running out of time. The driver that was putting on the “after burners” to run down Whitener was #2 Dennis Franklin in his Barry Wright part of the team AES Racing stables. The laps dwindled away as Whitener was not looking back at any adversaries coming at him. The #58 Barry Wright was driving lines the best it had the entire Winternationals. Never looking back and using his motor up to its full potential to the red line on the tachometer. Franklin tried all he could but just didn’t have enough time to run down Whitener as he crossed the finish line with a 4.058 seconds interval over Franklin at the line to pull the “hat-trick” winning all 3 nights of the East Bay Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. It was also the first time someone has been able to sweep a FASTRAK Touring Series Triple event.

37th Annual East Bay Winternationals Race #3 Official Race Results
1st #58 Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL
2nd #2 Dennis Franklin – Gaffney, SC
3rd #02 Keith Noshbisch – Riverview, FL
4th #114 Chris Cantrell – Chester, SC
5th #20 Wayne Robertson – Corning, NY
6th #8s Steve Miller – Tampa, FL
7th #14 Mavrick Varnadore – Dover, FL
8th #75 Colton Flinner – Allison Park, PA
9th 99* Rick Singleton – Hesston, PA
10th #44w Brandon Umberger – Rural Retreat, VA
11th #8b Steve Banal – Troutman, NC
12th #21p Josh Peacock – Dover, FL
13th #11c Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC
14th #01 Jack Nosbisch Jr. – Riverview, FL
15th #23 Corey Gordon – Charlotte, NC
16th #07 Doug Watson – Plant City, FL
17th #95 Devin Dixon – Apollo Beach, FL
18th #68 Kurt Waush – Shawano, WI
19th #69b Bryan Bernhardt – Clearwater, FL
20th #41 Travis Varnadore – Dover, FL
21st #1p Wallace Peacock – Riverview, FL
22nd #95jr Steven Mathis Jr. – Plant City, FL
23rd #23 Derrick Brown – Rural Hall, NC
24th #11 David Smith – Inman, SC
25th #11b Jamie Slatton – Thonoatasso, FL
26th #300 Bill Tesh – Germanton, NC
27th #99 Scott Chenoweth – Shinston, WV
28th #32c Phillip Cobb – Plant City, FL

The next event for the FASTRAK City Chevrolet Touring division celebrating the 10th Anniversary “Decade of Speed Tour” will be the 1st Annual Gordon Park 100. It will be held at Gordon Park Speedway in Grovetown, GA on March 1st – 2nd paying $1,000 to win Friday night and $5,000 to win Saturday night. Thank you to all the drivers, teams and fans for attending our first ever trip to East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida. Also big thanks to Al Varnadore and company for the great hospitality shown to us and having us part of the 37th Annual East Bay Winternationals.

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!!