Jimmy Owens & East Bay Raceway Park Winners Saturday Night
By Larry Jewett
The richest race in the history of crate Late Models was contested at East Bay Raceway Park with over 60 drivers coming from throughout the country. The event, sanctioned by the StormPay.com crate Late Models, under the auspices of Crate Racin’ USA, paid $10,000 to the winner of the 100-lap main event.
Saturday activity opened with Open Wheel Modifieds taking the track for a 15-lap main. Jamie Burrows took over the lead at the start and Jeff Mathews made a strong charge to quickly take the top position. Mathews and Burrows were ahead of the action when Roger Crouse, David Schmauss and Wayne Hammond ended up stopped on the track.
Trevor Merrill and John Bradley slipped into the top five, but there was plenty of three-wide racing action throughout the field. Devin Dixon was driving a strong race to charge into third by the ninth lap. On the next circuit, Dixon slipped into second and chased Mathews. No one could catch the leader and Mathews ended up in Victory Lane. Dixon finished second with Burrows, Bradley, and Perry Brown rounding out the top five.
Three 20-lap B Main features set the rest of the field for the night’s 100-lap Crate Late Model main. Danny Jolly prevailed in a battle with Jack Pennington and Roger Crouse to take the first race.
Five cars piled into a turn two collision on the start of the second event. Scott Hutchinson took the lead as local racers Steve Mathis and Philip Cobb sparred for second. Pete Cochran spun on lap 12 for a caution period. Starting at the back, Cochran raced up to take second behind Hutchinson at the end of the race.
The third B Main saw Jeff Mathews return to the winner’s circle from his earlier Modified win. Mathews, one of a handful of local drivers doing double duty, prevailed over Ronnie Johnson and Steve Kosiski, locked in a photo finish for second. Johnson took the spot and moved to the 24th starting position.
Two provisionsals were available in the 26-car crate Late Model field. Those spots went to 2005 Crate Racin’ USA champion Denny Slayton and local racer Roger Crouse.
Four cylinder racing continued with two local divisions. The Outlaw 4 main saw Eddie Mercer loops his mount at the start, forcing him to the rear. Plenty of early attrition thinned the field as Pete Grantham led the early stages.
Grantham had challenges from Robert Douglas and a hard charging Mercer. Douglas yielded second on lap 10 and Mercer made his move quickly on Grantham. The move stuck as Mercer went from worst to first, followed by Grantham, Douglas, Jeff Conyers and Brad Boerner.
The 4 cylinder bombers brought 16 cars to the start as J.L. Moorehead took over. Moorehead was running strong until wisps of smoke began to show. Race favorites D.B. Hogwaler and Buck Skinner ran side by side on their way through the field. Hogwaler’s attempt to lead stopped when he lost a wheel in pursuit of the leader. As Skinner approached Moorehead, the leader’s engine let go, allowing Skinner to cruise to his seventh consecutive win.
The 26-car starting field gathered for the Jasper Engines and Transmission Crate Late Model World Championship presented by American Race Tires. Polesitter Rodney Melvin and outside front row mate Jimmy Owens brought the field to the start, but it was waved off when Slayton spun.
On the keeper, Owens marched outside to the lead with Melvin settling in second. Ken Schrader moved ahead of Jimmy Sharpe into fourth. On lap 5, Melvin darted past Owens, but it was short lived. Owens returned to the point and Sharpe regained his position behind Scott Sexton.
While the front five was holding its order, the action was coming deeper in the field. Several position swapping battles were taking place in mid-field as the leaders approached lapped traffic. Owens picked through a couple spots before a caution waved, re-racking the field and giving the leaders some breathing room.
On lap 20, Owens approached lapped traffic again, which held him up enough for Melvin to close. Owens dodged a bullet when Jeff Mathews spun directly in front of him, bringing another caution for a restart.
Ronnie Johnson was the driver on the move through the mid-stages of the race. After starting 24th, Johnson had moved up seven spots in the first 20 laps in a steady charge. Outlaw 4 racer Josh peacock, in his first Late Model start, suffered some car woes and parked the car on the top of the corner as the leader again approaching the field for lapping. Marshall Green had stepped up the pace move into seventh and challenge John Anderson.
Georgia racers Jake Knowles and Frank Ingram were sparring for 10th, swapping the position each lap. The two got into a three-wide battle that saw Ingram against the wall and done for the night.
Johnson hooked up to battle Ed Kosiski, making the pass and setting his sights on Shannon Buckingham. Owens continued to set a torrid pace at the head of the field, but late race cautions kept pulling the pack together. With 10 laps to go, Green and Johnson had the best battle on the track for seventh. Johnson moved low on the next lap to take spot.
Owens ran untouched for the rest of the event, picking up the $10,000 check in Victory Lane.
Melvin held second with Sexton third, Sharpe fourth, and Schrader fifth. Johnson ended up as hard charger, coming from 24th to seventh.
East Bay Raceway Park has two more weeks remaining in the 2005 season. Action continues Saturday, December 10 with Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s, 4 Cylinder Bombers, Gunslinger Trucks and a Fan’s Race.
More etails can be found at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
DRIVER HOMETOWN
1. Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2. Rodney Melvin Benton, IL
3. Scott Sexton Pigeon Forge, TN
4. Jimmy Sharpe Vidalia, GA
5. Ken Schrader Fenton, MO
6. John Anderson Omaha, NE
7. Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN
8. Marshall Green Woodstock, GA
9. Shannon Buckingham Morristown, TN
10. Ed Kosiski Ralston, NE
11. Chris Mullinax Birmingham, AL
12. Tim Busha Boaz, AL
13. Jeff Purvis Clarksville, TN
14. Devin Dixon Riverview, FL
15. Roger Crouse Plant City, FL
16. Mike Collins Council Bluffs, IA
17. Pete Cochran Villa Rica, GA
18. Jake Knowles Tyrone, GA
19. Frank Ingram Acworth, GA
20. Stacey Roberts Sylvester, GA
21. Jack Pennington Winston, GA
22. Denny Slayton Rossville, GA
23. Josh Peacock Dover, FL
24. Scott Hutchinson Johnston City, IL
25. Jeff Mathews Tampa, FL
26. Danny Jolly Christopher, IL
ENTRIES: 64
PROVISIONALS: Slayton and Crouse
LEAD CHANGES: 2
LAP LEADERS: Owens, 1-4; Melvin, 5; Owens, 6-100
LAPS LED: Owens, 99; Melvin, 1
HARD CHARGER: Johnson (started 24th and finished 7th)
CAUTIONS: 8
TIME OF THE RACE: 59 Minutes, 21.220 Seconds
B-MAINS (20 Laps – Top 2 Finishers Transfer To A-Main): 1ST B-MAIN: 1. Jolly; 2. Pennington; 3. Crouse; 4. Williams; 5. Ward; 6. Barrett; 7. Roberts; 8. Prewitt; 9. Jordan; 10. Browning; 11. DuSabban; 12. Haugen; 13. S. Smith.
Five cars piled into a turn two collision on the start of the second event. Scott Hutchinson took the lead as local racers Steve Mathis and Philip Cobb sparred for second. Pete Cochran spun on lap 12 for a caution period. Starting at the back, Cochran raced up to take second behind Hutchinson at the end of the race. 
On the keeper, Owens marched outside to the lead with Melvin settling in second. Ken Schrader moved ahead of Jimmy Sharpe into fourth. On lap 5, Melvin darted past Owens, but it was short lived. Owens returned to the point and Sharpe regained his position behind Scott Sexton.
