By: Jason Loughren
3/13/2010
After a rainy Friday all over the state of Florida it was a perfect night for racing at the Clay by the Bay. Fans welcomed back the regular season of racing in grand fashion with six classes of door slamming action along with the fan participation races at the intermission. Over one hundred cars helped start the season in exciting fashion at East Bay Raceway Park.
In the Gagel’s Open Wheeled Modifieds Buzzie Reutimann used a mid- race pass on Austin Sanders to take the lead and eventually the win. Reutimann quickly made his way to the front of the field from a 6th place start and was able to hold off the strong run of Sanders. Sanders, who was the pole sitter finished 2nd. Bruce Harvey battled his way to a third place finish. Alex Boerner started in the 9th position and finished in the 4th position. John Bradley rounded out the top-5. Reutimann and Bruce Harvey won the heat races.
The Outlaw 4’s took to the track next with eleven cars taking the green flag for their 15 lap feature event. Cecil Martin started on the front row and quickly built a wide lead over the field. Martin was able to survive numerous restarts on route to his first victory of the season. Brian Danforth finished 2nd. Matthew Haynes finished with a strong 3rd place finish. Travis Staats and Amanda Rogers rounded out the top-5. Amanda Rogers and Haynes won the heat races.
Twenty cars started the 15 lap Street Stock feature event. Donnie Reed started in the 7th spot and quickly worked his way through traffic to the front of the field. Buck Skinner and Reed battled for the lead during the early laps until Skinner blew a radiator ending his night. Reed was able to hold off pole sitter Buck Woodhouse to take the win. Buck Woodhouse finished 2nd. James Hook started back in the 10th spot and battled his way to a 3rd place finish. Gary Sheffield drove in the top-5 all night long and came home with a 4th place finish. Matt Bozeman appeared to have a 5th place finish but was DQ’d in post race tech inspection. Roy Woodhouse ended up being credited with the 5th place finish. Sheffield and Reed won the heat races.
In the Racecar Engineering Late Models Josh Peacock found his way to victory lane after a dominating performance. Peacock took the win after starting on the front row and leading the entire event. J Jimmy Waldrop had a strong run and finished in the 2nd position. Phillip Cobb started and finished 3rd. Paul Gibbs ran in the top 5 all race and finished 4th. Wallace Peacock finished 5th after starting in the last position. Gibbs and Waldrop won the heat races.
The East Bay Sprints hit the track for the first time this year. Kurt Taylor started on the front row and drove away from the field in a caution free main event. AJ Maddox battled his way to a 2nd place finish after starting 7th. Jeanette Burnette finished in the 3rd spot. Tim George ran strong and finished 4th. Gene Lasker rounded out the top-5. Lasker and Maddox won the heat races.
In the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers Raymond Vann held off a last lap restart challenge from last season’s points champion Jim Baker to take the win. Baker finished 2nd. Red Vann started on the pole and finished 3rd. Wayne Kissam started 17th and finished 4th. Robert Kissam rounded out the top-5. Baker, Kissam and George Handy were victorious in the heat races.
ASA Sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, March 20, 2010. The Racecar Engineering Late Models, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, and Dirt Daubers will be in action on Cutter Power Equipment Night. There will also be kid’s bike races. For more information go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.