KERSEY, CONYERS, ECKSLEY, SIMPSON AND SKINNER CLAIM EAST BAY WINS
By John Berti
Gibsonton, FL - July 30, 2005 - A band of violent thunderstorms ripped through Gibsonton at around 5:00 p.m. Wind driven rain so intense that it blew over some of the sponsor signs in the infield and behind the third and fourth turn retaining wall made prospects of running a race program at East Bay Raceway Park look bleak.
Fortunately, it was a fast moving storm and about twenty minutes later it was over with a breathtakingly beautiful arched rainbow appearing in the Eastern skies.
The track crew went to work and had the track in race ready condition by post time leaving just a few muddy areas on the berms in the turns and infield areas.
Five divisions saw action on this night: Limited Late Models, Limited Sprints, Outlaw Fours, Street Stocks, and Four Cylinder Bombers. Heat winners were as follows:
Street Stocks - Mac Kersey and Matthew Grissom Outlaw Fours - Jim Courson and Brad Boerner Limited Sprints - Bryan Ecksley and Greg Leonard Limited Late Models - David Simpson and Shane Koperna Four Cylinder Bombers - Buck Skinner and Brenton Gardner
Twenty-two cars made up the starting field for the 15 lap Street Stock Feature. Matthew Grissom led the first lap from his pole starting position. Mac Kersey went to the outside and passed Grissom in turns 3-4 to take the lead on lap 2.
Austin Sanders, 15th starter on the grid, was running very strong and was the driver to watch over the remainder of the race. He passed cars on both the high and low side on his way to the front. He made a high line pass by Donnie Reed putting him in second place on lap 10.
Steven Burch got by Reed for third on lap 12 while Sanders was turning up the wick in the battle for the lead.
Sanders car seemed to be working best in the track's second groove. As the race wound down he made several attempts to pass on the outside, but Kersey managed to turn aside all the challenges. Sanders changed his strategy on the last lap trying the low side coming off turn four, but once again Kersey was up to the task keeping Sanders at bay to the checkers. Burch, Reed and Tony Traina completed the top five finishers.
Seventeen Outlaw Fours took the green for their 15 lap feature with Jim Courson coming from the #1 hole to take the early lead.
The action was getting intense. A three wide battle insued for the lead on lap three going down the back stretch between Courson, Eddie Mercer and former Open-wheel Modified driver Jeff Conyers with Mercer coming out on top.
Mercer's lead was short-lived as Conyers assumed the lead on lap five.
Lap six turned out to be a difficult lap to get in the record books as the caution flag was displayed not once, not twice, but three times. The first caution came out for Adam Weeks who struck the front stretch wall. The second was for a straight away tangle involving Dorsey Strickland, Travis Varnadore and Wayne Williams. The final was for a spin by Chad Rose between turns one and two. Mercer also retired his #22 to the pits on this lap.
The remainder of the race showcased a phenomenal run from the back of the pack by point leader, Chad Rose. Rose was back into the top five by lap 10. He passed Cecil Martin for fourth the next lap and took the measure of Pete Grantham for third on lap 13. Conyers and Courson were just too far ahead and the laps were too few for Rose to place any better. As the checkered flag flew over the field it was Conyers in for the victory; Courson, second; Rose, third; Grantham, fourth; and Martin, fifth.
The winged warriors of the Limited Sprint class were next to take to the speedway for a 15 lap main event. A fine field of 19 sprints made up the starting field.
This was to be Bryan Ecksley's night. Hot off a qualifying heat win he went all the way in the top spot leading all 15 laps.
Don't think for a moment that Ecksley had a easy time of it: Tyler Godwin and Greg "Sticks" Leonard also had designs on winning.
Godwin was all over Ecksley trying to get by until something happened to his car and he faded quickly back into the field. On lap 11 he brought his car through the gates and into the pits.
Leonard tormented Ecksley over the next few laps until Frank Beck III came into the picture. Leonard's attention turned to protecting second and away from challenging for the lead. The two diced it out with second changing hands a couple of times before Leonard was able to take the spot once and for all. Beck III had to settle for third followed by Andy Kelley and David Kelley.
A total of 17 competitors came to post for the 15 lap Limited Late Model Feature.
David Simpson got the lead from the drop of the green from his outside pole position and went on for the wire-to-wire win.
Bruce Harvey and Tom Evonosky, Sr. made this race an exciting one with strong runs from deep in the field.
Harvey started 12th and was by Ryan Mitchell for fourth by lap six. The best move of the night saw Harvey pass both J.R. Prather, Jr. and Shane Koperna in one sweep on the outside going down the back stretch on lap 8. He was able to close in on Simpson and make a few attempts to get by, but it just wasn't in the cards for him to win this night.
Evonosky, Sr. put in a late race charge moving into the top five with five laps to go. With the popsicle sticks up (two laps to go) he advanced up one more spot getting by Forrest Gough.
It was Simpson the winner padding his point lead. Harvey was runnerup followed by Tim Bronson; Evonosky, Sr,; and Gough.
The steadily growing Four Cylinder Bomber class, 14 strong, wrapped up the night with the running of their 15 lap feature.
In a division noted for drivers with colorful names it was Buck Skinner leading from green to checker. Point leader D.B. Hogwaler was the runnerup. Seventeen year old Brenton Gardner took third. J.R. Prather, Sr. bounced back from a skirmish to finish fourth. Landy Fonte came home fifth.
Cush Rivette celebrated his 77th birthday with the fulfillment of his wish to drive a Four Cylinder Bomber car on the famed East Bay Raceway Park clay oval. Rivet drove a smart race, stayed on the lead lap, and brought the car home in one piece with a respectible top ten finish.
