East Bay Raceway Park | Karnac Racing News

Waylon Hayes Picks Up Very First Feature Win On Dramatic Restart At East Bay Raceway Park

March 9, 2013 – Tampa, FL – It was opening night for the 2013 Season at East Bay Raceway Park. Over 80 cars were in attendance tonight. Fans were ready as the season kicked off with the Limited Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, Outlaw Fours and the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers.

The first feature of the night went to the Street Stocks. Dennis Williams, Matthew Grissom and Dennis Wilson, Jr. won their heat races. For the feature it was Wilson, Jr. and Grissom making up the front row. When the green flag waved it was Wilson, Jr. leading the way until the first caution came out as Morfin, Sr. spun and bringing the field back to a complete re-start. The green waved once again and Wilson, Jr. led the way until he and Williams tangled in turn three with both cars spinning and kept going as the field avoided contact with them. On lap five it was Tim Gay taking over the top spot and never looking back as he went on to win the first feature of the 2013 Season. Justan Rodgers, Thomas Burnside, Dennis Williams and Mike Wilson rounded out the top five. (more…)

By Scott|2013-03-10T20:48:14-04:00March 10th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Recaps 37th Annual DART Winternationals

WAYCROSS, GA (February 25, 2013) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series completed another successful Dart Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida last week. There were 46 different drivers that entered the week-long events. Race fans were entertained with some of the most exciting racing action including five (5) different winners out of the six (6) race events during the week. Don O’Neal won the Dart Winternationals points title and the $5,000 bonus with an outstanding week of consistency. O’Neal earned podium finishes in five (5) out of the six (6) events including one win, two 2nd place finishes, two 3rd place finishes and a 8th place finish to beat out 2012 Dart Winternationals Champion Dennis Erb who was the only repeat winner during the Dart Winternationals. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-26T00:55:55-05:00February 26th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series|Comments Off

DANNY HOLTGRAVER SHINES OVER A STELLAR FIELD WINNIING THE 360 12TH ANNUAL RONALD LANEY MEMORIAL WORTH $10,000 SATURDAY AT EAST BAY RACEWAY PARK

TAMPA, FL……..Like a man on a mission, young Danny Holtgraver of Pittsburgh PA made his move early passing race leader Tim Shaffer for the lead with an inside move in turn one of a lap three restart and was never challenged in his quest for the15th Annual King of 360’s crown and the $l0,000 that also marked the 12th Annual Ronald Laney Memorial at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday night.

“This is unbelievable, “ said the 23 year old after his biggest win ever, ”my mechanic Brian Kemenah had everything so close to perfect on this J&J, powered by a Kistler engine and riding on VRP shocks, that it would have been hard to screw up. What a world of difference from the last time I was here in 2009, when I flipped half way down the back straightaway.”
“My owners Rob Hunter and Bryan Grove brought on board our sponsors Canton Erectors and Berlin Natural Bakery and I want to give a special thanks to Rob Timmons and Chris Bowe for spending endless hours with Brian in the shop every night,” added Holtgraver. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-24T16:36:04-05:00February 24th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

First Time Winner Shane Lewis From Pennsylvania Wins Final Night Of 37th Annual Winternationals At East Bay Raceway Park

February 23, 2013 – Tampa, FL – Over 45 Mini Sprints were on hand for the final night of the 37th Annual Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. Over 17 states were represented for the 3 day event.

The first of four heat races were run and heat race number one went to last year’s winner from Delran, NJ in his Hyper Chassis/Kawasaki 636cc engine was Tyler Devault. Heat race number two went to Honeybook, PA’s Hyper Chassis/750 cc engine was Shane Lewis. Heat three went to Deland, Florida’s Dirk Miller in his Hyper Chassis/750 cc engine. The final heat race went to Osceola, Arkansas’s Travis Senter, Jr. in his PMP/FTZ 750cc engine.

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By Scott|2013-02-24T16:20:28-05:00February 24th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

CANADIAN STEVE POIRIET IS SURPRISE WINNER IN 2ND NIGHT OF KING OF 360’s AT EAST BAY RACEWAY PARK

TAMPA, FL……Because of the luck of the draw Steve Poiriet from St. Mathieu de Bebeil, Quebec had to start 12th in the last heat race for the 48 cars on hand for the l5th Annual “King of 360’s” Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park, but he finished fifth and acquired enough passing points to start third in the feature and came home with his first win ever at East Bay worth $l,500.)

A regular on the ESS (Empire Super Sprints) tour where he is a three time Champion in just the seven years he has been running the 360 sprints after starting off in Modifieds where he was successful at Drumondville with six big block championships.. He described the reason he likes Sprints is the feel of the gas pedal and the response of the chassis.

Tonight is not his biggest win in Sprints because he won the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals three times – 2007, 2008 and 2012 at Ohsweken Speedway. But he told track announcer Russ Calabrese that all his family at home was tuned in to watch the Winternationals at East Bay and can’t wait for the $10,000 to win tomorrow in the12th Annual Ronald Laney Memorial.

He used his Eagle chassis powered by an A.M.B. engine to patiently wait for the right time to make his move on the leader Michael Parent. With Michael Miller on the pole for the 25 lapper and Parent starting outside, Poiriet lined up third with Jason Sides outside. Local runner Gene Lasker started fifth inside Jerod Roller. Robbie Smith, Tony Agin. Tim Shaffer and Danny Smith made up the first ten. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-23T22:09:25-05:00February 23rd, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

Zearfross Back In Victory Lane At East Bay Raceway Park

February 22, 2013 – Tampa, FL – Over 45 Mini Sprints were on hand for night #2 of the Florida Mini Sprints Winternationals in conjuction with the King of the 360 Sprints.

First to run was the four heat races for the Mini Sprints. Heat number one went to Brock Zearfross in his Edge Chassis 600cc Yamaha from Jonestown, PA. Heat race two went to Osceola, Arkansas’s Travis Senter, Jr. in his PMP Chassis 750cc FTZ engine. Third heat race went to Tim Buckwalter from Douglasville, PA in his SB3 Chassis 750cc Suzuki engine. The final heat race went to Shane Lewis from Honeybrook, PA in his Hyper Chassis 750cc engine.

After the four heat races of the 360 Sprints were run, the B-Main for the Mini Sprints were next. Winning the B-Main was Steve Crabtree from Leesburg, FL in his PMP Chassis with a 750cc Suzuki engine.

Then after the two B-Mains were run for the Sprints, it was feature time for the Mini Sprints. Starting on the pole was Brock Zearfross and on the outside front row next to him was Tim Buckwalter. When the green flag waved it was Buckwalter showing the way for the first four laps until the red was displayed as five cars tangled on the front stretch. Nicholas Snyder almost flipped over on his tail tank but the car never went over. Also involved was Carli Yent, John Moss and Eddie Moss, Jr who had a birthday on Friday. Everyone was okay. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-23T22:05:41-05:00February 23rd, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

TIM SHAFFER WINS THURSDAY NIGHT OF EAST BAY’S 15th ANNUAL KING OF 360’S

TAMPA, FL……..Tim Shaffer had Ron Hammons 360 Maxim powered by a Bob Hampshire engine hooked up to the new surface at East Bay Raceway Park as he took the lead on lap nine of the 25 lap opening night feature over a field of 48 cars to start the 37th year anniversary year for the Winternationals.

Just as he did in 2010 when he captured both preliminary night features, Shaffer looked strong out of the box collecting the $1,500 prize with no challengers past the half-way mark on this the l5th Annual “King of 360’s”.

“We have a pretty good team that makes it a fun way to make a living. Life is too short to not have fun at this and when they made the track wider, that was to our liking,” said the happy winner to track announcer Russ Calabrese. “When Danny Martin spun and almost collected me on lap 18, but we escaped, it was our night to win, so we will take it.”

He started his Maxim third behind Kyle Sauder and Michael Miller with Jerod Roller outside. Row three showed Greg Wilson and Jason Sides followes by Terry McCarl, Danny Holtgraver, Ryan Moore and Lou Kennedy in the top ten. After a shaky start which was yellow flagged, Miller jumped to the lead and pulled away to a two second lead.

Shaffer worked the inside groove for the next several laps, finally taking the lead for good on lap nine and lapping his first car on lap 10. By lap 17 Shaffer was a straightaway ahead when on lap l8 Danny Martin spun (that almost collected Shaffer) bringing the field to a tight formation with Miller second, Roller third and a hard charging Kennedy up into fourth, followed by Tim Crawley in fifth. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-22T15:20:13-05:00February 22nd, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

Pearson Powers to Lucas Oil Victory Lane at East Bay

TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) – Earl Pearson Jr. rallied from a flat tire to win the $10,000 DART Winternationals finale for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at East Bay Raceway Park. Pearson pitted on lap 37 after suffering a right rear flat and restarted from the tail. He charged through the field, taking the lead from Don O’Neal on lap 52 and led the remainder of the race.

Driving for NASCAR’s Bobby Labonte, Pearson took the Lucas Oil Products and MAVTV sponsored Longhorn Chassis Chevrolet to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time since July of 2010 at Tri-City (IL) Speedway. “It’s been a longtime, no doubt,” said the 4-time series champion who was all smiles from ear-to-ear. “This deal with Kevin Rumley came together just a few months ago and we have come out of the box running much better! I have to thank Steve Shaver, he was my crew chief this week, and everybody at Lucas Oil and MAVTV for their support! It feels great to be back in victory lane!”

Pearson’s win was the third of his career at East Bay and his 25th on the LOLMDS tour. Scott Bloomquist wound up second followed by O’Neal, Jared Landers, and Steve Francis.

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By Scott|2013-02-17T05:10:54-05:00February 17th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series|Comments Off

Owens Overtakes O’Neal, Wins Day Race at East Bay

TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) – Jimmy Owens passed race leader, Don O’Neal on lap 16 and went on the take the $7,000 main event at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday afternoon. The race was originally scheduled for Thursday Night, but was rained out. The win marks the second victory at EBRP for the 2-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion.

O’Neal and Dennis Erb Jr. battled it out for the first 15 laps, with Erb officially leading lap 9. Erb had a flat on lap 15, bringing out the first caution of the race. Owens, who started fifth passed O’Neal on the outside after the restart. Owens then led the rest of the race and picked up his second career win at East Bay and the 37th series win of his career. O’Neal came home in second, followed by Eric Jacobsen, John Blankenship, and Vic Coffey.

“For a day race, the track was really great! The crew went out and worked it after the rain delay and there were enough crumbs out there to give everybody traction for the first part of the race,” said the driver of the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. “From where we started, I figured that I needed to get to the front before the track took rubber. I saw Erb running up top and I don’t know what happened to him. John (Blankenship) and I had a really good race for second. I was finally able to clear him and was able to catch O’Neal and pass him for the lead.” (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-16T21:28:41-05:00February 16th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series|Comments Off

Don O’Neal Dazzles at East Bay, Wins Main Event

[imagebrowser id=24]TAMPA, FL (February 15, 2013) – Don O’Neal captured his 15th career win at East Bay Raceway Park tonight after taking the lead on lap 39. Doug Drown and O’Neal had a hard fought battle, exchanging the lead several times during the main event. O’Neal captured $10,000 for winning the first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points event of the season.

Drown led the majority of the 50-lap main event and held the top spot until O’Neal chased him down in lapped traffic. Drown fought back hard, closing to within a car length of O’Neal near the end of the race, but came up short in his bid for a first ever LOLMDS win. Pierce; the 16-year-old, second generation driver; held his own, finishing third. He was followed by the Optima Batteries Hard Charger, Earl Pearson Jr., who drove his way from the 18th starting spot to claim fourth, just ahead of Dennis Erb Jr.

“That was a thrilling race, the fans could not have asked for a better feature! We changed so many things on this car, and it was perfect in the end,” said the winner, O’Neal. “I got up to second and we (Drown) raced hard for the lead, I would get by him, then he would come back around me”. The 48-year-old O’Neal piloted the Optima Batteries and Jay Dickens-powered MasterSbilt House Car.

Drown is racing at East Bay for the first-time in his career this week and was excited with his runner-up finish. “Hats off to Don, he drove a great race! I thought we were going to get it for a moment. I looked over at the scoreboard and saw the 71 behind me, and I thought maybe I could him hold him off, but he is obviously one of the best drivers in the country. Just to run with these guys is quite an honor,” exclaimed the elated driver. (more…)

By Scott|2013-02-16T06:37:37-05:00February 16th, 2013|East Bay Raceway Park, Featured, Front Page News, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series|Comments Off