“The MAILMAN” Vernon Hart Jr. wins Outlaw 4’s to close out the Season at East Bay Raceway Park
“The MAILMAN” Vernon Hart Jr. wins Outlaw 4’s to close out the Season at East Bay Raceway Park
Vernon Hart Jr. picks up his second win of the season in the outlaw 4’s at East Bay raceway Park Saturday night. In a season that brought a lot of heart break to the 48 team with some bad luck hear and there, the Mailman has found his stride to end the season strong. A long time Supporter of Sunshine State Racing and Karnac, Vernon now puts his sights on the 2021 Season and plans to continue his winning way’s. Vernon has won in almost every class on asphalt and is now making his name on the dirt. He is now starting to prepare for the winter nationals at Hendry County Motorsports Park.
Full Story From East Bay Website and results below.
An eight-division program saw five season championships claim and included a new division in its first EBRP competition.
Earning the honor of 2020 track champions were Paul Seburn (Q Micro Sprints), Stephen Hohlbaugh (Outlaw 4s), George Handy (V-8 Warriors), Bryan Bernhardt (Gagel’s Modifieds) and Tanner Cobb (Late Model Sportsman)
Micro Sprints opened the action as the first of eight features. The 10-lap main saw heat winner Doug Dyal in pursuit of point leader Paul Seburn, but Seburn was able to scoot to his sixth win of the year and secure the track title in the final race for the division.
The V-8 Warriors were also scheduled to close their season. Raymond Vann and Jason Burnside opened the night with preliminary wins. In the 15-lap feature, Burnside assumed immediate control and began to stretch his lead while some tight battles were taking shape in the top five. The race was stopped at the halfway mark when Wayne Kissam made hard contact with a spun Juston Meeks, forced a red flag for clean-up efforts. When the race resumed, Burnside pulled away from the field, but started to be reeled in by Gary Lucas. With two laps to go, Lucas was able to slip past Burnside and claim his second feature win of the year. Lucas ended up as runner-up in the point standings to teammate George Handy.
Street Stocks still have one race left in their season and the night saw one of the most exciting finishes. Heat winners Paul Davis and Richard Livernois started on the front row, each looking for their third main event win of the year. Livernois took the early lead and Davis settled second. Defending champion Matt Bozeman slipped past Davis briefly, but Davis was able to regain his spot in pursuit of Livernois. As the field began to work through traffic, the gap tightened. The white flag came out with David right behind Livernois. The lead dup encountered a pair of backmarkers in the third turn of the final lap with Davis going low and Livernois high. The decision proved to be the right one for Davis, who squeaked out the win.
The 4.6L Ford class that competes at other Florida race tracks had sought an opportunity to compete at East Bay and a decision was made to add the class for this night. A field of 11 cars, including drivers who towed more than three hours, got an opportunity to try their hand at the Clay by the Bay. Jesse Brown and Ernie Turner won their respective heat races, but it would be South Florida racer Coty Gray who won the caution-free 15-lap main.
The Late Model Sportsman track championship had already been claimed by five-time feature winner Tanner Cobb, but the final race on the schedule provided its share of excitement. Cobb and Jon Basquin opened the action with heat wins. In the main, Kenny Monahan claimed the early race lead and carried it through the first 10 laps until Phillip Cobb stepped to the outside to pull away for the win.
By virtue of his appearance, Stephen Hohlbaugh clinched the point title and settled in for the competition. The 2019 class champion, Brandon Yates, won the heat race. Billy Dukes took the early lead in the feature. Dukes lost the lead momentarily to Vernon Hart on lap four, but gained it back before the lap was complete. Dukes would not have it easy as Hart stayed within striking distance. Hart was able to slide by as Dukes exited the race with an apparent tire issue. Hart avenged a disappointing finish in his last run by claiming his second feature win of the season.
The Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds wrapped up the year, but the point race was long decided with Bryan Bernhardt successfully defending the title. On this night, Bernhardt and Austin Sanders would open with six-lap heat wins. Roger Crouse held down the top spot in the feature, but only for two laps as Bernhardt swept by. The most consistent challenge to Bernhardt came from Sanders, who stayed close but could not bypass the eventual winner.
The final class of the night saw Gladiators with a good turnout in what be a lead-in to their final race next week. Bailey Purcell and Ricky Rutledge Sr. claimed their preliminaries and would start the feature in the second row. Patrick Tabb started off as the early lead, a quest to secure his fourth feature of the year. Tabb held on through the halfway mark, but Derrick Edwards would move into the top spot on lap 9. From there, Edwards had little trouble on the remaining laps, crossing the line in front of the field. The trouble came in the tech shed when Edwards, driving the car of another competitor, was found in violation, handing the win to Tabb.
The final night of the 2020 season will take place on Dec. 19 with a 50-lap Pro Late Model topless race paying $2,500 to win as well as Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Sprints, Street Stocks, Gladiators, Q Mini Sprints and Florida Old Time Modifieds.
GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
Feature: Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Austin Sanders (64), David Pollen (88), Roger Crouse (15), Jake Leitzman (2), Megan Meyer (11M), Pat Passanise (19), Paul Rival (15R), Doug Dyal (97D), Billy Howard (47), Tim McLeod (192), Eric Moon (18)
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN
Feature: Phillip Cobb (03), Kenny Monahan (311), Wallace Peacock (P1), Brenden Smith (17ss), Josh Peacock (0), Jimmy Waldrop (9), Cole Crawford (4), Thomas Burnside (13), Megan Meyer (11M), Jon Basquin (16), Tanner Cobb (03c). DNS – Skyler Camper (28)
STREET STOCKS
Feature: Paul Davis (10D), Richard Livernois (71), Buck Woodhouse (55), Matt Bozeman (58), Billy Barstow (756), Danny Bowman (115), Jon Kohutich (7x), Tyler Davis (55T), Doug Johnson (09), Allen Bailey (51)
V-8 WARRIORS
Feature: Gary Lucas (106), Jason Burnside (12J), George Handy (105), Nick Brown (12), James Hall (87), Raymond Vann (1), Randy Shields (49), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (81), Derek Gray (189), Cody Mezyk (40), Macy Bozeman (58), Kayla Handy (104), Juston Meeks (10), Wayne Kissam (107), Jeremy Simpson (72)
OUTLAW 4S
Feature: Vernon Hart (48), Stephen Hohlbaugh (23S), Mark Moniz (41E), Kenny Novak (53), Brandon Yates (22), Billy Dukes (82), Thomas Braswell Jr. (88)
4.6 FORDS
Feature: Coty Gray (2x), Michael Arnett (4x), Shawn Senokosoff (13), Chris Oncken (883), tom Boddy (01), Ernie Turner (44), Richard Pressley (24), James Norwood (1X), Jesse Brown (29), Lenny Gorman (57), Trevor Appling (75)
Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS MICRO SPRINTS
Feature: Paul Seburn (23), Doug Dyal (97D), Joshua Davis (9), William Burnside (13), Daniel Riotto (24)
GLADIATORS
Feature: Patrick Tabb (03), Bailey Purcell (07), Ricky Rutledge Sr. (4), Daniel Bowman (46), Alyssa Grant (47), Robert Kissam (911), Dalton Ellis (46k), Jerry Moore (70), Hunter Lovelady (68), Tracy Maynard (62), Rodney Martin (21), Joshua Ashmore (29), Callie Gubich (513), Randy Tyler (22), Brittany Hart (99), Davey Martin (55). DQ – Derrick Edwards (13)
