| East Bay Gets 2006 Season Underway | By Larry Jewett
 The 2006 racing season got off to a roaring start at East Bay Raceway Park. A field of more than 125 cars packed the pit area for a six-division program.
The Outlaw 4 class had the honor of producing the first feature event of the season. Pete Grantham jumped into an early lead when a lap one incident stopped the field. Two cars came together on the frontstretch and one driver took exception, bringing security to the scene. Once calm was restored and the cars were cleared, Grantham resumed his lead.
The defending division champion, Chad Rose, was running inside the top five until being sidelined early by mechanical problems. Alex Boerner was on the move through the field, moving into fourth by the second lap and taking third a lap later.
Marty Dailey was chasing Grantham, but the leader was starting to stretch it out. As the field hit the halfway mark, the fastest car on the track appeared to be young Austin Gillman, making his first start in a stock car. Gillman started deep in the field but gained fifth at the crossed flags. Steve Miller moved to third, then went past Dailey for second by lap 11. Gillman resumed his charge, taking fourth as Dailey's car broke a lap before the end. Grantham went unchallenged to the checkered, followed by Miller, Boerner, Gillman, and Kenny Beggarly. Heat winners were Zach Amundsen and Robert Douglas.
A field of 19 Limited Late Models charged to the starting line for their 15-lap main. The red flag came quickly as Bob Fleming and Mark Alderman tangled with both cars heading straight into the backstretch wall. A fuel spill brought the precautionary stop and both cars were removed from the race.
Shane Koperda assumed the early race lead until heat winner Bruce Harvey slipped by on lap four. Heat winner Ryan Mitchell locked horns with Koperda in a battle for second that was interrupted by caution flags. Koperda prevailed on the restarts, leaving Mitchell to battle a fast-moving Rich Kessinger, who gained third with Dale Pope grabbing fourth by lap 10. Mitchell rallied back for fourth while Kessinger took over the runner-up spot.
Mitchell spun as the field was approaching the white flag, ending his hopes and setting up a short dash to the finish. Harvey kept back Kessinger's advance to pick up the win with Koperda keeping third. Pope prevailed for fourth as J.R. Prather rallied for a fifth place finish.
A field of 27 Open Wheel Modifieds graced the night's action as heat winners included Bobby Dixon, Roger Crouse, and 2005 division champion Buzzie Reutimann. Former track champion John Bradley led the cars to the green in the 15-lap main and used that spot to take the early race lead. Crouse had advanced to second and some masterful passes had put Buzzie Reutimann into third. Deeper in the field, Jeff Mathews, who started 21st, was working into the top 10.
By the seventh lap, Mathews was inside the top five as Reutimann slipped by Crouse for second. On lap 11, Reutimann made his move in the battle of the track titlists. Crouse and Mathews were locked into combat for third position. Jamie Burrows and David Reutimann were exchanging their positions just outside the top five.
David Reutimann, a regular on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series, was spending an off-weekend in a Modified racing with his father Buzzie and cousin Greg. David Reutimann started 18th in the feature, but had become a force in the top five. As the field approached the white flag, Mathews took the high line to snatch second from Bradley while David Reutimann came into the top five behind Crouse. At the checkered flag, 64-year-old Buzzie Reutimann captured the win, ahead of Mathews, Bradley, Crouse and David Reutimann.
Daniel Lewis brought the field of Street Stocks into the frontstretch for a 15-lap main. There was plenty of shuffling behind as Paul Gibbs, Matthew Grissom, and Buck Woodhouse were holding spots in the top five. Heat winner Grissom got by Lewis to take the lead, but that lead was short lived.
Three laps later, Grissom lost control while leading, handing the lead back to Lewis. Heat winner Woodhouse stayed right in the leader's shadow until Gibbs slipped by on a restart. Buckshot Meixner and Grissom started their respective drives from deep in the field, relegated to the tail after separate incidents. Grissom used the inside line to pick off a couple of spots en route to the runner-up position. As the race wound down, Lewis prevailed with Grissom, Gibbs, Woodhouse, and Meixner claiming top five spots.
The 25-lap Late Model main had Ted Erskine in command at the start, but Erskine lost the handle in front of the field on the second lap. The lead went to Phillip Cobb, who made short work of the rest of the group, leading the rest of the way. The best race wasn't for the win in this case as there was side-by-side action featuring 2005 champion David Schmauss, K.D. Kelley, and Donnie Tanner at different times throughout the race.
Kelley developed a flat tire and Tanner took a wild ride through turn one, but saved the car without losing a spot. Schmauss took position of second until Tanner took it away at the halfway mark. Roger Crouse slipped by polesitter Bill Howard to move into the top five. Crouse and Schmauss were engaged in a classic battle, seeing Crouse take second. Marshall Austin was following Crouse to the front, but Cobb had the field covered. Cobb parked his ride in Victory Lane, followed by Crouse, Austin, Bobby Alexander Sr., and Wallace Peacock. Cobb and Jack Nosbisch Jr. won heat races.
The final race of the night featured 23 cars in the 4 cylinder Bomber class. The class, new in the 2005 season, has grown to impressive heights with intense competition. The feature event was marked by high attrition and rollover action, which saw the cars drive away after the incidents in some cases.
Newcomer Michael Tuggle proved to be a force in the class, holding the lead through the early and middle stages. Buck Skinner gave chase, making the pass for the lead after contact with Tuggle. Tuggle refused to go quietly, powering back past Skinner, who slipped out of contention. The next challenge came from 2005 champion D.B. Hogwaller, but it was too late. Tuggle, D.B. Hogwaller, W.B. Hogwaller, Justin Kirker, and George Christiansen completed the top five. The heats were won by D.B. Hogwaller and Skinner, two of the top drivers in the class in '05
Racing action returns to East Bay Raceway Park Saturday with a five-division program on tap, including the first events for the 360 Sprints and the Limited Sprints. Complete information is available at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
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