IT'S
TIME TO RACE!!
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East Bay Raceway Park Friday Night Action Topped by NLMS Opening Night
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by Bill Greenb>
Tampa, FL (Apr. 23rd, 2004) East Bay Raceway Park kicked off their first of several 2004 Friday Night stock car shows this week, with the National Late Model Series. The Georgia based racers draw many Florida drivers though, as Florida drivers would pilot 19 of the 31 cars at stop number 7 for the 2004 Championship run.
Qualifying would be the first big hurtle for the NLMS regulars, as only 16 cars would go directly into tomorrow’s 75-lap, $5000 to win feature, so starting spots for heat events was critical. It would take 4 heats, of 10-laps each to set the top 16. Everyone else would find themselves in one of 2 last chance races tomorrow.
Heat-1 would find fast qualifier Chelsey Dixon on the pole. His fastest lap would be a 17.358. That would all be wiped out in turn 4 of lap 2 when he and Michael Lloyd would spin as they rubbed through the turn. Back to back of the pack and Gary Spivey would take the Heat-1 win and the pole position for tomorrow. Second went to Aaron McQuaig, third was Scott Thompson and Bobby Padgett took fourth.
Heat-2 had both local EBRP drivers Bill Howard and Timmy Gay in the line-up, but only Howard would get directly into the Saturday feature, taking third. Winning heat-2 would be Jeff Fonther, with Henry Carpenter third and Bret Carlton fourth.
Heat-3 saw passed NLMS Champion Ivedent Lloyd of Ocala in first, followed by Skip Pannell second, Jason Davis Third and Johnny Collins fourth.
Heat-4had a wild start as the outside starters in row 1 and 2 would spin in turn 2 and go to the back of the pack, leaving pole-sitter Steve Lade to take the win. Second would go to Richard Ferry, with last place starter Bill Littell going third and Toby Justice getting the final guaranteed starting spot for the next day’s feature.
Tonight’s racing would also see a first at East Bay Raceway Park as the Pro Kart class was invited to show the stock car crowd what they’re all about. The first ever money race at East Bay for the karting crowd would be an exciting one, as 15 four-cycle Pro Karts took to the 1/8 mile interior oval for the 25-lap Feature. The early pace was set by teammates Tim Simmons and J. R. Garcia, III. Contact on lap 8 would see the two hooked up together and Simmons loosing a chain. Garcia would battle back for a second place finish, but Brandon Bull would win the lion’s share of the purse with the victory. The final money spot, third, went to Jason Gillespie.
Street Stocks lead the regular Saturday Night racers to the green with 22 cars going 15-laps for Championship points. Austin Sanders would spin the 64 while battling for a top 3 spot on lap 2, and that would put Danny Paris in the pits with a flat tire and suspension troubles. After a lap 3 spin by Mac Kersey, it would be the lap 4 restart that would really cause problems as the 007 of Chad Smith and the 14 of Jack Rowland made contact. The red flag would fly for 25 minutes while safety crews worked to get Sonny Whitsler out of his car. He would be a’ok it seemed, but transported for observation. Surviving several more yellows to take the win would be the 83 of Wayne Hayes. Second went to Richard Peacock, while Mac Kersey survived an early spin for third. Fourth was 16th starter Tony Traina and Austin Sanders came back for fifth.
The length of the red flag in the Street Stock race would cause a postponement of the Mini-Stock and Open Wheel Modified feature races to the next regular night they are to run. That means double features for the Mini-Stocks on April 31st and OWM on May 6th.
Tomorrow night will see the finals of the National Late Model Series weekend, plus Limited Sprints, Classic Cars and an Open Fan Participation Race sponsored by Bargo Auto Sales and Tampa Bay Auto Sales. Racing starts at 6:30. Be here early!
We’ll see you at the races!
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