TAMPA, FL……2/4/14….Dale Mathison of Clearwater MN won a hard fought battle in the make-up feature Tuesday night, while Kyle Strickler of Mooresville NC won the finale in the Open Wheel Modified portion of the opening segment of East Bay Raceway Park’s 38th version of the Winternationals.Both drivers, as well as the first night winner, Kyle Bronson, were first-time winners in the Winternationals which attracted Open Wheel drivers from a total of 15 states and took seven days to complete because of rain the first four days and saturated track conditions. But, cooperation between the drivers, sanctioning body UMP and a never-quit effort by track officials, the three days of racing happened.
Mathison started on pole of the 31 car first feature and led the first 19 laps despite the field being bunched up for seven different caution flags in the 25-lap event, worth $1,000-to-win. However, the last six laps were a back and forth battle with sixth starting Devin Gilpin who led laps 20, 22 and 23 before Mathison regained the lead for good on the white flag lap and had a margin of victory of .685 seconds at Ronnie Luckock’s checkered flag.
“Everyone was giving me signs to stay on the bottom of the track, but I had to pick it up a bit when Gilpin passed me,” said the winner in his Mars Brothers custom-built chassis powered by an engine built by Tim’s automotive. Gilpin held on for 2nd ahead of Matt Cooper, Travis Varnadore and Jason Gross in the top five. Rounding out the top 10 it was Devin Dixon, Kyle Strickler, Buzzy Reutimann, Kevin Adams and Kenny Wallace. Heats went to Troy Girolamo, Mathison, Kyle Bronson and Strickler.
To set the fields for both shows, two laps were run by each car in time trials and the first lap was for the first show and the second lap set the field for the second show. Eight cars timed under the existing track record and the new record holder is now Kyle Bronson, the first Open Wheel Modified to time under 16 seconds with a time of 15.922 seconds.
Strickler, the second feature winner, had started on the pole of the 28-car field, but was quickly passed by Kevin Adams who led the first seven laps, while Strickler continued to drop back. Adams had mechanical problems and was passed by Dale Mathison on lap eight. Third starting Devin Gilpin took the lead at the mid-way point with Portland, Oregon’s Billy Workman, Jr. in hot pursuit.
Workman used and outside move in turn four to take the lead on lap 19 with Adams now second and Strickler fighting his way up to third was leading on lap 21 and lost the lead but was saved by a yellow flag for debris on the track one lap later with Strickler now in second. Workman got high in turn three and Strickler was there to capitalize on the miscue.
Strickler won over Roger Crouse who advanced six positions in the last five laps, Kyle Bronson, Kenny Wallace and Austin Sanders in the top five. Behind them making top ten finishes were David Schmauss, Bill Howard, Workman, Jr., Devin Dixon and Dennis Haven. Heats went to Kevin Adams, Workman, Gilpin and Strickler.
Thanks, Jean Lynch for East Bay Raceway Park
Professional MotorSports Services
Modifieds 2/3/2014 First A-Main Tuesday
A-Main:1. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 2. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 3. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 4. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 5. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 6. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 7. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 8. Buzzie Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL), 9. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 10. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 11. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 12. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 13. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 14. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 15. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL), 16. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV), 17. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL), 18. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL), 19. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD), 20. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 21. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 22. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 23. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 24. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 25. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA), 26. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 27. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 28. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 29. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL), 30. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 31. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL),
Heat Race 1:1. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 2. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 3. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 4. Buzzie Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL), 5. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 6. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 7. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL), 8. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL),
Heat Race 2:1. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 2. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 3. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA), 4. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 5. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 6. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL), 7. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 8. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD),
Heat Race 3:1. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 2. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 3. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 4. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 5. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 6. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 7. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL), 8. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL),
Heat Race 4:1. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 2. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 3. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 4. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 5. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 6. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 7. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV),
Qualifying 1:1. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 2. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 3. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 4. Buzzie Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL), 5. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 6. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL), 7. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 8. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL),
Qualifying 2:1. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 2. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 3. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 4. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA), 5. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 6. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 7. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL), 8. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD),
Qualifying 3:1. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 2. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 3. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 4. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 5. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 6. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 7. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL), 8. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL),
Qualifying 4:1. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 2. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 3. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 4. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 5. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 6. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 7. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV), 8. David Reutimann (Sherrills Ford, NC),
Professional MotorSports Services
Modifieds 2/4/2014 2nd A-Main Tuesday Night
A-Main:1. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 2. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 3. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 4. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 5. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 6. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 7. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL), 8. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 9. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 10. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD), 11. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 12. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 13. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 14. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL), 15. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 16. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 17. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 18. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 19. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 20. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 21. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 22. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 23. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 24. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV), 25. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL), 26. David Reutimann (Sherills Ford, NC), 27. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 28. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 29. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL), 30. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA), 31. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL),
Heat Race 1:1. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 2. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 3. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 4. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 5. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 6. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL), 7. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 8. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA),
Heat Race 2:1. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 2. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 3. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 4. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL), 5. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 6. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 7. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 8. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL),
Heat Race 3:1. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 2. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 3. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 4. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 5. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 6. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 7. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD), 8. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL),
Heat Race 4:1. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 2. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 3. David Reutimann (Sherills Ford, NC), 4. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 5. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 6. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL), 7. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV),
Qualifying:1. Kyle Bronson (Brandon, FL), 2. Dale Mathison (Clearwater, MN), 3. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN), 4. Matt Cooper (McKenzie, TN), 5. Kenny Wallace (St Louis, MO), 6. Travis Varnadore (Dover, FL), 7. Jason Gross (Osceola, WI), 8. Devin Dixon (Apollo Beach, FL), 9. Kevin Adams (Cameron, WI), 10. Lucas Lee (Paris, TN), 11. Michael Turner (Paris, TN), 12. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), 13. Roger Crouse (Plant City, FL), 14. Billy Workman Jr (Portland, OR), 15. Austin Sanders (Seffner, FL), 16. Buzzie Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL), 17. Mike Potosky (Guys Mills, PA), 18. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI), 19. Jeff Matthews (Dover, FL), 20. Bill Howard (Apollo Beach, FL), 21. Tait Davenport (Benton, KY), 22. Matt Miller (Tampa, FL), 23. Alex Boerner (Seffner, FL), 24. Troy Girolamo (Williston, ND), 25. David Baxter (Eau Claire, WI), 26. David Schmauss (Tampa, FL), 27. Dave Jamison (Peebles, OH), 28. Thomas Sigler (St. Mary’s, WV), 29. Scott Mooers (Osteen, FL), 30. Paul Rivall (Tampa, FL), 31. Dennis Haven (Brentford, SD),