By: Jason Loughren
3/20/2010
Fans and drivers gathered at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday guaranteed to see their own version of March Madness as around 100 cars signed in ready to go. The action was fast and furious as another great crowd packed the grandstand at the Clay by the Bay on Cutter Power Equipment Night.
Eighteen cars started the 15-lap Street Stock feature event. Ed Hill started on the poll and led the early laps. Thomas Pratt ran near the front the entire race and battled Hill and Donnie Reed for the lead on a late lap caution restart.
After taking the lead on the restart, Pratt won the race in convincing style. Reed started 4th and finished 2nd. Pole sitter Hill finished 3rd. James Hook started last and finished 4th with a strong run. Buck Woodhouse rounded out the top-5. Reed and Pratt won the heat races.
The Limited Late Models made their first run of the young season as full field of cars took the green flag. The action was frantic during the early laps as William Hampton, Alex Boerner, Forrest Gough and JR Prather, Jr. battled at the front of the field. A lap 8 red flag was brought out as William Hampton’s fuel cell ruptured in turn 3 after heavy contact from the cars driven by Thomas Scott and Tommy Evonosky.
A great job was done by the track safety crew to quickly and safely remove the spilled racing fuel from the racing surface. Tim Powers took the lead after the mayhem on lap 8 and was able to hold off the hard charging Phillip Cobb to take the win. Cobb started in the 14th position and finished 2nd. Alex Boerner ran in the top-5 all race and finished 3rd. Dan Darnell and John Wilson rounded out the top-5. Prather, Jr. and Gough won the heat races.
In the Racecar Engineering Late Models Josh Peacock won his second feature event of the season after starting in the 6th position. Peacock battled with Philip Cobb for the win as the laps wound down. Cobb finished 2nd. Bryan Bernhardt finished 3rd after starting 8th. The pole sitter Mavrick Varnadore finished 4th. Paul Gibbs hung around the top-5 all night long and finished 5th. Bernhardt and Dennis Williams won the heat races.
Twenty nine Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers took the green flag for their 15 lap feature event. Roberto Morfin, Jr. was able to hold off the hard charging Robert Kissam to take the win. Kissam appeared to have a 2nd place finish but was disqualified. Elliot Morgan was the hard charger of the night, started 14th and worked his way to a 2nd place finish. Jim Baker had a solid run and finished 3rd. Kever Raulerson finished 4th and Robert Purcell rounded out the top-5. Bubba Puyear, Morfin, Jr. and Robert Kissam won the heat races.
The newest class of racing at East Bay the Dirt Daubers continued to thrive as all time high of 13 cars hit the wet track. Cal Lange was credited with the win in the Dirt Daubers after four other cars were disqualified post race inspection.
ASA Sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The Racecar Engineering Late Models, Limited Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4’s and Old Time Mods will be in action. For more information go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.