Site search Web search

Where the weather is a little hotter
and the racing is a lot faster...All Year Round!

Stock Car Racing all year round!

Front Page | Archive | Drivers | Tracks | History | Events | Viewpoint | Got News? | Message Boards | Chat
 Rick Anges | Robin Miller | Jane Smith | Sharon Fancher | Guests | Classifieds | E-mail | Links | Weather | MotorHeads| Search | Sponsorship | Advertise | Letters

Southern Short Track Stock Car Racing

2001 NEWS ARCHIVE

2000 News Archive

 
1999 News



Please Visit Florida Stock Car Racing Sponsors!


Saturday, February 2, 2002

"King" of the 360's 2/1

by Leo Dougherty

PICTURE


East Bay Raceway, Gibsonton, FL (2/1/02)-Friday nights program was named in memory of John Bankston, who lost his life last year while racing at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH. Members of the Bankston family were present and each driver was given a decal in the drivers meeting with Bankstons number 8 and his name to display on their wing. This column, however good or bad it may be, is dedicated to the memory of John Bankston. As I wrote last year from Eldora Speedway, please keep John Bankston, his family, his friends, his fans, and the good folks at East Bay for their tribute to him in your thoughts and prayers.
PICTURE

This is a photo of the page dedicated to John Bankston in the 2002 East Bay Raceway Winternationals.

PICTURE

Jason Sides in victory lane with John Bankstons daughter on his left. (Leo Dougherty)





Jason Sides of Bartlett, TN drove his way into the record books here at East Bay Friday night and for his efforts received the John Bankston Memorial trophy from Bankstons daughter Kelly. It took him ten laps to break out of fourth place, where he started the race.

Thats when he made what might be called the cool move of the race, moving by Greg Leonard, Joey Saldana and Terry McCarl in one pass. From that point on, the race belonged to him.

Leonard led the first ten laps but was dogged by Saldana and McCarl, who were waging a battle of their own. The two fought back and forth for second place for four laps but McCarl wasnt able to get by Saldana and make it stick during that time.

When Sides took over the lead it changed the running order, putting McCarl out of the top three, and putting Leonard back to third place. McCarl did get by Saldana briefly on lap eleven but gave it back on lap fourteen. Saldana and McCarl followed across the line in that order.

I will post the official finish here sometime on Saturday and will include an updated points list if it is available.





HEAT WINNERS

1. Tim Crawley

2. Joey Saldana

3. Shane Stewart

4. Greg Wilson

5. Terry McCarl

6. Gary Wright

7. Greg Coverdale





C MAIN Mike Woodring

1st B MAIN Lance Dewease

2nd B MAIN Sport Allen





Ryan Coniam waged a torrid battle in the fifth heat with Terry McCarl and Jac Haudenschild. The three battled three wide for a full lap during the race refusing to give quarter to anyone. It took McCarl until the last two laps to get by Coniam and Haudenschild missed by inches getting by Coniam at the checkered flag.

In the sixth heat, Freddie Rahmer got up and over a wheel in turn three and drove straight into the wall. His hit was so hard that it lifted his car off the ground and spun him completely around but he walked away from the car before the safety crew got to the crash scene.

Despite the crash Wright had earlier in the day he came back to win the sixth heat in convincing fashion.

Wayne Pennington, trying to gain a spot on Red Stauffer in the seventh heat, got his front wheels so high of the ground it looked like it might go over on its back. When the front came down he tried to get back in the throttle and lifted the front end again, nearly spinning out. He nevertheless recovered without creating a caution condition and finished the race.

Seventeen year old Kyle Drum took a wild ride at the start of the second B main, flipping down the front stretch ending up against the wall in turn one. The top wing looked like it had been mounted on the front when the car was towed off the track but Drum was unhurt.

Jan Opperman, Jr. made an appearance at East Bay tonight to sign copies of an autographed photo of his fathers sprint car.

Leo Dougherty writes the "Makin Tracks" articles on Hoseheads.com






Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
<news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!



Click Here for links to all 2002 News Articles

Copyright© Future Enterprises 1997-2002 KARNAC.com is electronically published by Future Enterprises. The KARNAC© name, logo and trademarks are owned by and used with the permission of Future Enterprises of Florida. Reproduction or republishing in whole or part for inclusion in any work is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the electronic publisher. Information may, however, be printed for the sole purpose of contacting our advertisers.

 

    COMING EVENTS







Executive Racing School