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By Rick Anges
The light rain fell right before the evenings racing started, but with over one hundred and fifty cars in the pits and over a thousand rabid stock car fans who hadnt seen any racing for the last two weeks due mother natures moisture, Rain Out was not a word in anyones vocabulary this night.
Although the U.S.C.S. cars did not show for the extra money put up by the track there were still twenty-four Sprint Cars lined up for the thirty lap Ted Fleming feature event. On the pole was Joe Melnick in the #8m who had not raced at Eastbay in quite sometime, the next three slots all belonged to former Eastbay track champions, #41 Gene Lasker, #2a of Kenny Adams and the #88 of Sport Allen rounded out the top four spots.
On the the drop of the green there was huge pile up in front of the flag stand and with cars on top of each other and pieces scattered on the front stretch the red flag was brought out. Four cars were involved in the mele, #00 of young Danny Martin jr., #22 of Sheldon Kinder, #14 Mike Parting and the #6m of Mike Miller. Miller was the only car able to continue as the rest sustained major damage.
On the restart Melnick jumped out but with class of cars behind him it was going to be tough to hold the lead for long. Lasker took a high line and was hooked up sliding past Melnick and taking a good strong lead but Adams who had also gotten around Melnick never lost site of the Black #41 and made several attempts to get past but was foiled by Lasker each time.
#88 Sport Allen who was in a heated battle with Casey Johnson #31 finally got by the young gun and closed in on the lead duo. With Lasker out front by several car lengths Allen and Adams put on one hell of a show sliding high and low swapping second place several times all the while slicing and dicing their way through lapped traffic never losing site of the leader. Lasker meanwhile must have felt the heat behind him as he smacked the front stretch wall coming out of four but was still able to hold onto the lead.
But that bobble allowed Adams and Allen to catch up with him and with a high groove slide Sport Allen dove into the lead. Once out front Allen was all but gone which left Lasker and Adams to battle it out for second. With the laps winding down Lasker nearly spun coming off turn two allowing Adams by and setting his sites on the leader. On the last lap in turn four Allen slipped and Adams took the high line, they were nearly side by side at the finish but Sport was able to hold onto the win. Gene Lasker held on for third, the #1A of Robbie Smith who started fifteenth on field burrowed his way through the pack for fourth and last years track champion #6 Johnny Gilbertson came in fifth. Heat winners were Joe Melnick, Gene Lasker and Kenny Adams.
Twenty Late Models lined up for the feature race and when the smoked cleared it was the #47 of Bill Howard emerging the winner holding off the late charges of Bobby Alexander Jr. #0 in second, crowd favorite Donnie Tanner #88 in third, #12 Jack Nosbich in fourth and Kieth Nosbich #02 rounding out the top five.
Raymond Rogers #32 was the winner in the Limited Late Model feature. Second place went to #21 Forrest Gough, David Simpson #23 third, in fourth #90 Terry Gay and rounding out the top five was Shane Koperda #83.
Scotty Williams #27 topped the thirty car Mini-Stock Feature, second went to William Hampton #29, third in the #7jr was Forrest Gough, Ken Rutledge #36 was fourth and in fifth was John Miskolczi.
Limited Sprint Feature went to the #02 of Gene Lasker holding off the #4 of Kurt Taylor, #1 Tim George took third spot over #85 Clyde Poole and #30 Darrin Miller.
Steve Johnson #14 who won the foot dash for cash earlier was able to hold off a late race charge from #23 Terry Bronson who started in the rear of the field to take the Street Stock A-Main. #22 Bryson Ryker took third, fourth went to #9 Tim hunt and rounding out the top five was the #12 of Gary Sheffield.
Rick Anges
[Ed Note: Post race incidents and technical DQ's may change the finishing orders. Visit the Official East Bay website for photos and more.]
SUMMARY- 360 SPRINTS-Heat 1 Joe Melnick - Heat 2 Gene Lasker - Heat 3 Kenny Adams Main-Sport Allen, Kenny Adams, Gene Lasker, Robbie Smith, Johnny Gilbertson, Casey Johnson, Roland Johnson, Red Stauffer, Paulie Milum, Mike Partin, Jim Perricone, Darryl Smith, Joe Melnick, Frank Carlsson, Micheal Miller, Brian Maddox, Bob Auld, Jess Fordyce, Tim Holston, Sheldon Kinser Jr., Danny Martin Jr., Brandon Dover
LATE MODELS-Heat 1 Donnie Tanner - Heat 2 Jeff Choquette Main-Bill Howard, Bobby Alexander Jr., Donnie Tanner, Jack Nosbisch Jr., Keith Nosbisch, Bobby Alexander Sr., David Schmauss, Bob Peterson, Trevor Merrill, J R Austin, Jeff Choquette, Frank Erskine, Tim Gay, K D Kelley, Tex Erskine, Craig Montessi, Dan Darnell, Roger Crouse, Ted Erskine, Phillip Cobb, Teddy Jernigan
LIMITED LATE MODELS-Heat 1-Terry Gay - Heat 2 Raymond Rogers Main-Raymond Rogers, Forrest Gough, David Simpson, Terry Gay, Shane Koperda, Ricky Land, John Norris, Jerry White, Keith Simpson, Jerry Rogers, Randy Shields Jr., Jim Rowley, Tom Zalys, Kim Norris, Steve Warner, Mark Alderman, Paul Samson, J R Prather Jr., Dave Wright, Jeremy Simpson, Ed Hill
LIMITED SPRINTS- Heat 1-Darrin Miller - Heat 2 Gene Lasker Main-Gene Lasker, Kurt Taylor, Tim George, Clyde Poole, Darrin Miller, Andy Kelley, Donnie Maxwell, Jimmy Bellew, David Kelley, Allen Achillich, Jim McIntosh, Matt Stegeman, J J Dutton, John Retzlaff, Terry Fritcher, Curt Sutton, Tony Piniero
MINI STOCKS-Heat 1 Charlie Paris - Heat 2 Scott Howard - Heat 3 Scotty Williams Main-Scotty Williams, William Hampton, Forrest Gough, Ken Rutledge, John Miskolczi, Derick Nagle, Dustin Perez, Rich Livernois, Casey Murphy, Arnold Perkins, Chris Livernois, Greg Pae, Chad Rose, Steve Wright, Brian Debore, Leon Coulter, Joey Preece, Jim Courson, Mark Nagle, Charlie Paris, Larry Stepp, Scott Howard, Spencer Buzbee, Devin Dixon, Marty Dailey, Daniel Bowman, Jimmy Waldrop, Robert Auguston, Brian Jenson, Ronnie Inman
STREET STOCKS-Heat 1 Chad Smith - Heat 2 Steve Johnson - Heat 3 Gary Sheffield Main-Steve Johnson, Terry Bronson, Bryson Ryker, Tim Hunt, Gary Sheffield, Jim Greenwood, Danny Paris, Mike Gamache, Joe Greenwood, Jack Rowland, Chris Cole, Tim Spencer, Eric Johnson, Bruce Ponti, Chad Smith, Ron Pope, Tony Jackson, Bruce Harvey, James Escobar, D J Sanders, Jason Dyal, Jeff Stewart, Eric Teal, Jason Bronson
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