Mr. Bud Open Wheel Modified Championship Sees Some Wild Action
by Bill Green
Tampa, FL (Oct. 18th, 2003) - East Bay Raceway Park celebrated the fourth of seven, Mr. Bud Championship Nights with “The Bud Girls” and a Mr. Bud Open Wheel Modified Champion.
Once again qualifying would be the first order of business, with 8 drivers holding a new track record for at least a short time. Eighth on the clock was Jerry White and he would be the first into the 17-second club, with a 17.983. That would last for 9 more qualifiers, but Jeff Mathews would bet the mark with a 17.871. That looked to be top dog on the night until the 23rd or the 26 qualifiers. That’s when “Prime Time” Bobby Dixon would take a lap at 17.781 in his easily recognized #205 machine and become the New Regular Season Track Record Holder.
The 25-lap, $1000 to win feature would see the lucky pill draw go to Bruce Watkins for the pole and Buddy Wisham outside of him. Fast qualifier Bobby Dixon would start outside row three in 6th, but a 10-car pile-up on the backstretch, would mar the original start. With seven cars leaving the event before it really got started, plus Mike Rudder exploding a motor on lap 5 and a rear end blowout on the Doug Metz machine on lap 7, it began to look like survival of the fittest.
Veteran Open Wheeler Jamie Burrows would use the very bottom groove, plus a few inches of infield to take the Mr. Bud Championship win and the cash. He was followed closely by fast qualifier “Prime Time” Bobby Dixon for second, legendary driver Buzzy Reutimann return to the top-5 in third, pole sitter Bruce Watkins finished fourth and Jeff Mathews fought back from an early spin for fifth.
Limited Late Models opened the regular feature events with a strong run from a full 24-car field. It was 2003’s win leader Forest Gough leading the field to the checkered flag for win number 9. Second went to William Hampton, with Jeff Mathews third, J. R. Prather, Jr. fourth and Roger Crouse fifth.
Limited Sprints returned the wings to the top of the cars and Tim George made a quick clean-sweep of the night, winning his heat and the 15-lap feature. Second in the feature went to Tim Holsten, visiting Mopar driver Frank Beck, III took third, Ford driver Donnie Maxwell took fourth and track record holder Larry Brazil, Jr. was fifth.
Street Stocks came to the line 26 cars strong, but Jason Bronson would come from 8th to the win over Rob Hall second, Eric Johnson third, Paul Gibbs fourth and Tim Spencer fifth.
Late Models would see a great drive from a very proud father, with his son turning the wrenches. K. D. Kelly would silence the skeptics as he would go wire to wire in a masterfully driven race working lapped traffic for his first ever win, over Keith Nosbisch second, David Schmauss third, Bill Howard fourth and Trevor Merrill fifth.
Mini-Stocks would finish off an exciting evening of racing with Daniel Bowman, Jr., getting his first ever feature win also, beating Brian DeBore who was left in second, third would go to Josh Peacock, Rich Livernois hung on for fourth and Dorsey Strickland fifth.
Next week it’s Mr. Bud Limited Late Model action, plus Old Time Sprints & Vintage Stock Cars. Oct 31st & Nov 1st, the USCS Sprint Car Florida Fall Brawl visits East Bay Raceway Park for their Finals and the “Lonnie Prevatt” Memorial.
