TAMPA, FL (February 15, 2014) – Davey Johnson returned to East Bay Raceway Park’s victory lane tonight, for the first time since the 2001. The veteran driver took the lead on lap 12 and held off a hard charging Earl Pearson Jr. in the closing laps for his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win. Trailing Johnson and Pearson to the finish line in the 38th Winternationals finale was Don O’Neal, Eddie Carrier Jr., and Jimmy Owens.

“We had to work on the car most of the night to get it ready for today. I want to thank Austin Hargrove, we brought him in during the off-season and he has made a big difference in our race team. Our business slowed down a little last year, and we were able to travel more and run some bigger shows. I think we are ready for a really good season,” said Johnson.

“We have always liked coming down here to East Bay. The last time we won here was in the Rocket House Car in 2001. The track was really racy tonight! Our car worked better on the bottom, and then we moved up the track late in the race, and it was still fast. Man, it feels good to win here again.” (more…)

TAMPA, FL – Bobby Pierce took the lead at the start of the race and never looked back as he went on to win Saturday afternoon at East Bay Raceway Park. It was Pierce’s first ever win at East Bay as well as his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Pierce was followed across the finish line by Gregg Satterlee, Steve Francis, Billy Moyer, Jr., and Eddie Carrier Jr.

“It feels great to win here at East Bay. My dad never won here. We have been coming down here for three years now and to finally break through with this win, I don’t know what to say,” said the 17-year-old, who became the second youngest driver to win a Winternationals event in a Late Model at East Bay.

“I am going to have to text my buddy Tyler Reddick, and tell him I won. He is the youngest to win here [when he was 15], so I have to rub it in a little. It was important to win that first heat and get the pole. We have had a tough week with our other car. I am not sure if something is bent on it or what, so we brought this one out today. If dad let’s me, I guess I should drive it tonight,” said the winner.

“My biggest challenge today was to conserve tires. Obviously, in a day race there was no moisture out there. You have to drive the car straighter. Traffic wasn’t too bad out there. I kept some distance between myself and the last place car for a while, and then I thought I had better get going. I knew someone was close behind me, so I had to pick up the pace a little bit,” said the driver of the Pierce Posse, Champion, Bob Pierce Race Cars, Pro Power Racing Engines, Chevrolet. (more…)

TAMPA, FL (February 14, 2014) – Billy Moyer survived a back-and-forth battle with John Blankenship to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Friday Night at East Bay Raceway Park. Moyer denied Blankenship’s first ever win at East Bay by taking the lead with eight laps to go from Blankenship and went unchallenged the remaining laps. With his win Moyer scored his 778^th win of his career. Blankenship finished second, followed by Scott Bloomquist, Don O’Neal, and Gregg Satterlee rounded out the top five.

“The car was just phenomenal all night long. When he (Blankenship) got around me, I thought I was in trouble. There was a bunch of heavy traffic, and I lost contact with him. That caution about halfway through the race really helped me,” said Moyer.

“On the restart I was able to stay with him [Blankenship]. It looked like his car was going away a little bit, then we had that last caution with nine to go, and I was thinking I had a real good shot at him. We were able to get out of the corners better than him. His [Blankenship’s] car would drift up the track, and that’s when we passed him,” said Moyer. (more…)

TAMPA, FL (February 13, 2014) – Dennis Erb Jr. earned his first victory of the season on Thursday Night at East Bay Raceway Park. Erb had a fierce battle all race long and finally overtook Billy Moyer for the lead with seven laps to go in the 38th Annual Winternationals event. The race was broadcasted live on MAVTV American Real Network. Trailing Erb and Moyer to the checkers were Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, and Brandon Sheppard.

“It feels great to beat Billy [Moyer] here and get a win for C.J. Rayburn and Rayburn Race Cars. The last few years we’ve really ran well here. We just got this car at the beginning of January and rushed to get it together to bring it down to Golden Isles and East Bay. When he [Moyer] started running that high-line through one and two, I thought maybe I had a shot at him,” said the winner in Lucas Oil Victory Lane with his Crew Chief, Heather Lyne.

“We got by him a couple of times early on, but never took the lead at the flag stand. Those couple of cautions there really helped me. Then he [Moyer] started going up the track in turn two to get around that hole up there. We stayed glued to the bottom and eventually we were able to get by him,” said the driver of the JR McBride Leasing, Kuntz and Company-powered #28E C.J. Rayburn Race Car. (more…)

TAMPA, FL  – Eddie Carrier Jr. made a clean sweep of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing action on Monday Night at East Bay Raceway Park. Carrier set a new track record during Miller Welders Time Trials, won his heat, and led all 25 laps for the victory in his Carl Grover Motorsports/Rocket Ford.

Carrier earned his first career win at East Bay over Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, and Billy Moyer, Jr. Carrier’s Salt Rock Express is powered by a Grover Race Engines

“If we didn’t win tonight, we may never have another chance like this. When you set a new track record, win your heat, and lead every lap in the feature, it’s really awesome. It says a lot about our race team. My car owner, Carl Grover and my dad (Eddie Carrier Sr.) have been so instrumental in my career, I can’t thank them enough. This car has been so good out of the box this year, Rocket Chassis worked real hard at the end of last year on this design and this year it’s been superfast,” said the winner.

The younger Moran held his own for most of the distance, fighting off challenges from several drivers. “To run second with this group of drivers says a lot,” said the 19-year-old. “My dad (Donnie) told me to be patient. To out run guys like Billy Moyer, his son, Sheppard, and everybody else here… wow is all I can say.” (more…)