September 25, 2010

By: Russ Calabrese
9/25/2010
A great night of action here at The Clay by The Bay as 100 cars entered for tonight’s events.
The first Feature of the night was the Precision Kia Street Stocks. On the front row was Sheffield and Kruse leading them to the green flag. But it was Clarence Pratt picking up his second win of the season as he held off the hard charging of current points leader Donnie Reed who picked up second place. Finishing third was Thomas Pratt, fourth went to Billy Carlbert, Jr. Buck Woodhouse finished in the fifth position. Howard Osteen and Donnie Reed picked up the heat wins.

Next up were the Old Time Mods. Roger Herbach picked up his first win of the season and held off Zack Amundsen for several laps before spinning out with just a handful of laps left. That moved Don Land into second and Zack coming back to finish in the third position.

Points Leader Bryan Bernhardt and David Schmauss led the Racecar Engineering Late Models for 25 Laps of side by side action. Several cautions came out through out the race but Schmauss never looked back on the re-starts. David Schmauss was able to hold off last years defending Champion Jeff Mathews for the Win. Mathews finished second while current points leader Bryan Bernhardt finished third, Alex Boerner and Mavrick Varnadore rounded out the top five. Brothers Mavrick and Travis Varnadore both picked up the heat wins.

After becoming a daddy just 3 days ago, Danny Martin, Jr. led the entire race for the East Bay Sprints. Second went to Tim George, followed by Travis Bliemeister, Clint Reynolds and Dakotah Stephens. Heat winners were Tim George and Danny Martin, Jr.

Thirty Three cars registered for the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers. Top 7 from the 3 heats advanced to the A-Main. Kever Raulerson, Jim Baker and Robert Purcell advanced from the B-Main into the A-Main. It was the 8X of Richie Acres and Troy Dittebrand battling it out with 3 laps to go and crossing the finish line first was Acres. But during Post Race inspection, Acres was disqualified failing muffler inspection. Thus, handing over the win to Troy Dittebrand. Michael Eaton, Richard Humfeld, Johnnie Alexander and Robert Kissam were your Top 5. Don T. Quinn, Thomas Burnside and Jimmy Odell picked up the heat wins.

In the Dirt Daubers, it was William Bolle in his Bill Elliott throw back to win his first Feature.

ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, Oct. 2nd, 2010. Action for Racecar Engineering Late Models, Limited Late Models, Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modifieds, Precision Kia Street Stocks and Outlaw 4s will fill the bill.
Plus a $200 to win for Fan Participation. For more information, go to
www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

By:  Jason Loughren

09/18/2010

The skies were clear as four classes of cars were at the track ready to rock and roll for an exciting night of racing at the Clay by the Bay.

The Outlaw 4’s Mathew Haynes took the win after a wild final lap.  Shirlene Hammond and Chris Zimmerman were running nose to tail as they came off of turn 4 on the last lap.  Zimmerman and Hammond got together and they both spun right in front of the flag stand.  Haynes took the win which was his 6^th of the season.  Travis Staats started 16^th and finished 2^nd after a strong run.  Jason Russell finished 3^rd.  Brittany Yates picked up her first top-5 of the year with a 4^th place finish.  Jesse Brown rounded out the top-5.  Billy Howard and Zimmerman won the heats.

In the  Q Auto and Injury Limited Late  Models Forrest Gough led flag to flag to pick up his second feature win of the season.  Gough held off the charge of Tim Powers on multiple restarts.  Powers captured a 2^nd place finish.  John Bradley finished 3^rd.  Roger Crouse started deep in the field and finished 4^th.  Waylan Haynes rounded out the top 5 with a 5^th place finish.  Scotty Williams and and Gough won the heat races.

In the Racecar Engineering Late Models Josh Peacock dominated the caution marred event for the win.  The win was Josh Peacock’s 6^th win of the season.  David Schmauss finished 2^nd.  Philip Cobb ran strong and finished 3^rd.  John Koller started 10 and finished 4^th.  Ted Erskine started 5^th and finished 5^th.   Cobb,  Schmauss and Wallace Peacock were victorious in the heats.

In the Motorstats.com 4 cylinder bombers Roberto Morfin, Sr. started on the pole and led all the way to take the checkered flag for his second win of the year.  Points leader Kever Raulerson appeared to have finished in second place but was DQ’d in post race inspection.  Mathew Odell finished 2nd after starting 9^th.  Mike Lacey finished 3^rd.   Troy Dittebrand and Brett Calonge rounded out the top-5.  Morfin, Sr.,  Chuck Mathias, and Raulerson won the heats.

Johnnie Alexander won the B  Feature Event.

 ASA Sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, September 25^th,  ²⁰¹⁰ with the Racecar Engineering Late Model’s, East Bay Sprints, Precision Kia Street Stocks,  Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers and the Dirt Daubers.  The Old Time Mods will also compete.   For more information go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

By:  Larry Jewett

9/11/2010

            An afternoon rain led to a one-hour delay for the start of the East Bay action on Saturday, September 11. The delay proved to be the harbinger of what was ahead as rain showed up after five heat races were completed, canceling the rest of the night’s action.

            The Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modifieds were able to complete a pair of heats, won by Roger Crouse and John Bradley. Three Precision Kia Street Stock races brought wins for Jarod Gay, Thomas Pratt and Garry Sheffield. Heavy rains with lightning brought the checkered flag on the rest of the action.

            ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, September 18, 2010.  Action for Racecar Engineering Late Models, Q Auto & Injury Attorney Limited Late Models, Outlaw 4s and motorstats.com 4 cylinder Bombers will fill the bill. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

By:  Larry Jewett

9/4/2010

Double features for Racecar Engineering Late Models topped a full program as the weekly schedule kicks back in for East Bay Raceway Park. Action is scheduled every Saturday night through December 11.

In the make-up feature from July 24, 12 returned cars took the green for the 25-lapper. Point leader Bryan Bernhardt grabbed the early lead, only to see Travis Varnadore whiz by on lap 3. Varnadore was able to hold back Bernhardt to claim his first feature win of the season. David Schmauss claimed third with Mavrick Varnadore and Ted Erskine rounding out the top five.

The second feature brought 21 cars to the green, but a bad case of yellow feature hit the class. Numerous caution flags prevented the field from getting a rhythm until attrition had wiped away most of the competitors. Just like the previous race, Travis Varnadore and Bernhardt locked into an early struggle, but the wild card was Josh Peacock who didn’t run the first race. Peacock moved to the lead on lap four, leaving the others to scrap for second. It would be Varnadore who would claim the runner-up spot, ahead of Bernhardt, Frankie Erskine Jr. and Paul Gibbs.

The Precision Kia Street Stocks brought a new winner to Victory lane as Billy Carlbert Jr. masterfully held off challenges by Thomas Pratt and Donnie Reed. Pratt’s bid ended with a turn one spin while reed simply couldn’t bypass a determined Carlbert. Point leader Reed had to be satisfied with second. Garry Sheffield was strong through the middle portion of the 15-lapper and ended up second. Jarod Gay added another top five with a fourth and Eric Moon came from18th for fifth. Heats were won by Buck Woodhouse, Thomas Pratt and Dave Floyd. Floyd was unable to compete in the feature as the car broke a right front wheel crossing the finish line in the heat.

The Q Auto & Injury Attorney Limited Late Models opened with Tim Powers and Forrest Gough as heat winners. Both drivers struggled in the feature, getting caught in incidents not of their own making. Alex Boerner had the early lead, but spun collecting Gough who continued from the tail, where he was caught up in another incident. Daniel Woody inherited the lead, but spun collecting second running Tim Gay. Both went to the rear, but gay was on a mission. He managed to reach third by lap 11, then scooted past Scottie Williams and race leader John Bradley with a lap to go. Gay said in Victory lane that he knows the contact through the night bent something in the car but he was happy to be there. Tim Powers rallied from the rear to claim second, ahead of Bradley, Williams and Ricky Land.

East Bay Sprints had plenty of thrills for the near capacity crowd on hand. Early leaders Kurt Taylor and Gene Lasker made contact in the fourth turn, ending Lasker’s challenge. Taylor was able to stay in front for the rest of the laps, picking up his second win of the season. Danny Jones had the best charge to get to second with Tim George, Keith Butler and Rocky Sullivan in the top five. George and Travis Bliemeister picked up heat wins.

A field of 37 motorstats.com 4 cylinder Bombers led to three heats and two features. George Handy, Raymond Vann and Chuck Mathias were best in the heats. Jimmy Odell battled Jimmy Williams for a B main win. The A main saw two rollovers as Patrick Fiore and George Ingram went airborne in separate incidents. Both drivers were unhurt, but the cars were done for the night. In racing action, Johnnie Alexander added a second feature win to his tally, crossing ahead of Raymond Vann, Troy Dittebrand, Kever Raulerson and Thomas Burnside.

            ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, September 11, 2010.  Action for Racecar Engineering Late Models, Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modifieds, Q Auto & Injury Attorney Limited Late Models, Precision Kia Street Stocks and motorstats.com 4 cylinder Bombers will fill the bill. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

Saturday – Aug. 28th, 2010 – Tampa, FL – With 2 weeks off, almost 100 cars showed up tonight to get their racing fix. Heat races began around 6:30 pm when from the North, Mother Nature showed up. After a small shower came through, it looked as if the rain had quit. But, with more Storms in the area, Officials made the decision to cancel the night’s events.

Next Saturday night is Sunshine Speedway Alumni night here at The Clay By The Bay. Along with that, the Racecar Engineering Late Models make their return with Double Features. Also running that night will be the Limited Late Models, East Bay Sprints, Precision Kia Street Stocks and the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers.

Also on Thursday, Open Practice for all classes will be held from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Friday, Double Features for Go-karts. So next weekend will be a busy weekend of racing here at East Bay Raceway Park.

By:  Jason Loughren, 07/10/2010  Four exciting classes of cars hit the track for another great night of racing at the Clay by the Bay.  The rains of last weekend were long gone and nothin g but blue sky was over the track as the events started on another action packed night at the best dirt track in the South

The Outlaw 4’s saw double duty which included a makeup feature event from the rain out a few weeks ago.  Amanda Rogers started on the pole and lead every lap on the way to her first victory of the season.  Billy Howard finished 2^nd.  Points leader Mathew Haynes finished 3^rd.  Stephen Hohlbaugh and Jesse Brown rounded out the top-5.

In the regularly scheduled feature event for the Outlaw 4’s Billy Howard won the feature holding off the late challenge of Keith Heard to take the win.  Heard finished 2^nd.  Chris Zimmerman finished 3^rd.  Mathew Haynes finished 4^th and Cecil Martin rounded out the top-5.

 In the Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks Donnie Reed was involved in a first lap caution which sent him to the back of the field.  Reed was able to withstand the attrition that saw only 6 cars finish the main event to take the win.  The feature win was his 6^th of the season. Buck Woodhouse finished 2^nd.  Doug Johnson appeared to have a top 3 finish but was DQ’d in post race inspection.  Curtis Book started 18^th and finished 3rd.  Roy Woodhouse finished 4^th and Shane Grissom was 5^th.  Reed and Mike Wilson won the heats.

The Limited Late Models were in action as Forrest Gough dominated the early laps of the race.  Gough was leading in the late laps when he had trouble in turn 2.  Tim Gay was along side of JR Prather, Jr. and took the lead as the cars crossed the line with one lap to go.  Gay held off the challenge of Prather, Jr and Alex Boerner to take the win which was his third of the year.  Forrest Gough finished 2^nd.  Boerner finished 3^rd.  Bradley battled for a 4^th place finish.  Shane Koperda finished 5^th which was his first top-5 of the season.  Bradley was victorious in the heat race.

The Motorstats.com 4 cylinder bombers were up next to wrap up the evening as Michael Eaton took the win which was his first ever win at East Bay Raceway Park.  George Handy finished 2^nd.  Johnnie Alexander finished 3^rd.  Kever Raulerson and Robert Purcell rounded out the top-5. Eaton, Gene Gross, and Kelli Hill went to victory in the heat races.

ASA sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010 with Gagel’s Open Wheel Modified, Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks, Outlaw 4’s, Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, and the Dirt Daubers.  For more information go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

By:  Larry Jewett

06/26/2010

Gagel’s Auto Parts Open Wheel Modified point leader Austin Sanders prevailed in an exciting feature to cap off a six-division program as East Bay Raceway Park slammed the door on the month of June.

 The night’s action began with the Limited Late Models as John Bradley prevailed for his second feature win. Forrest Gough came from the rear of the field to score a second place, ahead of heat race winner Bob Peterson, Scotty Williams and Dan Darnell. Shane Koperda also scored a heat win.

 The Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks saw Donnie Reed go wire-to-wire to pick up his fifth win of the year. He was hounded by Eric Moon and point leader Thomas Pratt, who finished second and third. Jeff Rodgers ran a steady fourth while Buck Woodhouse came up to fifth, despite being sent to the tail after four laps for a turn four incident. Moon, Ron Abney and Collin Kruse claimed preliminaries.

The program was halted for 30 minutes after the Street Stock main due to rain and lightning. When the show resumed, the 4 Cylinder Bombers stepped up to the plate and brought 30 cars out for the start of their 15-lap main. Point leader Kever Raulerson appeared to be on the way to a win when the car suffered issues two laps from the finish. For Elliott Morgan, it was vindication. Morgan was transported from the track two weeks ago after a backstretch wreck, but tonight his race ended in Victory Lane. Michael Eaton picked up second with Troy Dittebrand charging from deep in the field for a third place run. Fourth went Kelli Hill with Gene Gross rounding out the top five. Raulerson, Johnnie Alexander and Roberto Morfin Sr. started their nights with heat wins.

The Florida Old Time Modified race saw a return winner in Tommy Zwally, who scooted to the lead in a battle of ’37 Fords, besting Roger Herbach. Gary Riccio took top honors in the eight-car heat.

The East Bay Sprints rolled out to a track perfectly suited for exciting action. Travis Bliemeister used the pole start to his advantage, sweeping out to the lead. Billy Boyd was his first pursuer, but Boyd was hunted down by Danny Martin Jr. As the field hit lapped traffic, Martin negotiated the situation better, coming out on top at the halfway mark. No one could catch Martin, who powered to a popular win. Bliemeister, Boyd, Tim George, and Rich Pratt (a former Late Model racer making his first East Bay start in a Sprint) rounded out the top five. George and Martin took heat wins.

And then, there were the Modifieds. Buzzie Reutimann moved from the outside of the front row for the early lead with Jeff Mathews in hot pursuit. Austin Sanders jumped to the top of the track and zipped past to grab the lead. Mathews became the aggressor in the chase for the lead with contact between the top two leading to body damage on both cars. Sanders continued to use the top of the track to his advantage, but had to work the magic on several restarts. Reutimann slipped past Mathews in time for the last restart, which saw Mathews advance before passing. Even though Mathews crossed second, he was scored fourth in the final tally, gaining second after spinning Reutimann on the race to the finish. Sanders scored his fourth feature win, a hard fought and popular victory. Reutimann was credited with second, ahead of Roger Crouse, Mathews and Bobby Dixon. Mathews and Sanders were winners of the heat events.

ASA Sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, July 10^th, 2010 with the start of the Red Hot Summer Series. Racing divisions include Limited Late Models, Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s, motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, Kid’s Bike races and Fan Participation Races. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.

By:  Jason Loughren

06/12/2010

The list of winners got a little longer after Saturday night racing action at East Bay Raceway Park. For the second time in three weeks, there were four new winners crowned.

The first came in the Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks as Clarence Pratt went wire to wire to claim his win. Clarence, twin brother of point leader Thomas Pratt, has had to endure the short end of the sibling rivalry, but gained bragging rights for the week. “One more lap and they would have had me. It was breaking up,” he said in victory lane. The “they” was four-time feature winner Donnie Reed who came home second. Eric Moon claimed third with Thomas Pratt and John Clark rounding out the top five. Moon, Buck Woodhouse and Reed won their heats.

The second new name is actually new only in 2010 as the driver returned to a spot where he had been many times before. “Superman” Sport Allen got back behind the wheel of an East Bay Sprint and charged to victory in his first regular season appearance. Allen had moved to second, then inherited the lead when Gene Lasker climbed the turn three wall, coming to rest in the frontstretch with badly damaged suspension. The incident also relegated point leader Tim George, who was in the top five, to a tail restart. Allen was followed by Travis Bliemeister, making his first start in more than two years. Third went to George, followed by Tony Agin and Clint Reynolds. Danny Jones (weight) and Kerry Gilbert (carburetor) lost top five finishes at the tech shed. Heats were won by George, Agin and Allen.

Josh Peacock secured his fourth win of the season, making a late race pass on Travis Varnadore. Peacock made countless attempts to secure the lead, but each was wiped out by a caution flag. He finally sealed the deal on the 22^nd lap of the 25-lap main. David Schmauss slipped past Varnadore for second. Ted Erskine and John Koller claimed fourth and fifth, respectively. Varandore and Peacock had heat wins.

For the Limited Late Models, a new name stepped to claim the win. Daniel Woody, who dabbled in the Late Model class, made a strong move to take the lead from point leader J.R. Prather Jr. in the late stages and claim his first Limited Late Model win. Prather padded his point lead with a second place finish with Forrest Gough, John Bradley and Dan Darnell finishing in the front half. Gough was the winner of the only preliminary.

Raymond Vann admitted to playing hooky last week from action in the motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers. “I took a week off to go fishing,” he said as he caught the big one Saturday night with the 15-lap feature win. Vann had to hold off a charging Johnnie Alexander. Matthew Odell made a late race charge for third. Richard Humfeld ran in the top five for the entire race, claiming fourth. Jeff Porter rounded out the top five in the 30-car field. Patrick Tabb Jr., Alexander and Elliott Morgan won heats. The feature race was delayed for 30 minutes after Morgan hit the backstretch wall and required the assistance of track safety crews.

Brett Phillips locked up the first win in Dirt Dauber action with Kendall Phillips along for the ride.

ASA Sanctioned racing returns to East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday, June 19^th, 2010 with the Racecar Engineering Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Precision Kia of Wesley Chapel Street Stocks, and Outlaw 4s. It’s also Golden Gate Speedway Alumni Night. For more information, go to www.eastbayracewaypark.com or call the track office.