East Bay Raceway Park Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Winternationals
by Terry Young
GIBSONTON, Fla. -- A new high car count thus far for the 30th Annual WINTERNATIONALS was established this evening as the LUCAS OIL Dirt Late Model Series fell just short of breaking the 100 car mark as 98 cars signed in for the evenings activities.
Under beautiful sunny skies and a breezy afternoon, I was reminded once again just how great it is to spend a February day in the beautiful Tampa area! 106 different drivers have now participated in this years Speedweeks at East Bay Raceway and only 9 drivers made the first three events. Those drivers include Earl Pearson, Jr., Matt Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Shannon Babb, Rick Eckert, Dennis Erb, Jr., Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith and Donnie Moran.
This evenings event would be the first points race of 2006 for the LUCAS series drivers. As such, this also marked the first event of the year where provisionals became available to drivers. This event utilized the 2005 final point standings as the gauge for eligibility for a provisional. LUCAS OIL drivers are allowed a maximum of 8 provisional starting spots over the course of the season.
RESULTS
COMP CAMS Qualifying Results:
Tim McCreadie 15.412 Josh Mcguire 15.420 Dale McDowell 15.487 Vic Coffey 15.501 Chub Frank 15.510 John Blankenship 15.551 Shannon Babb 15.610 Terry English 15.621 Jimmy Mars 15.628 Brian Birkhofer 15.657 David Scott 15.666 Eric Jacobsen 15.672 Earl Pearson, Jr., 15.780 Rusty Dixon 15.783 Don O'Neal 15.783 Bryan Collins 15.798 Jason Montgomery 15.835 Anthony White 15.836 Bart Hartman 15.855 Matt Miller 15.883 Freddy Smith 15.886 Donnie Moran 15.889 Darren Miller 15.897 Don Hammer 15.901 Joe Morris 15.921 Scott James 15.930 Marshall Austin 15.957 Gerald Davis 15.964 Dennis Erb, Jr. 15.976 Dan Stone 15.996 Jared Landers 16.002 JordanBland 16.012 Dean Carpenter 16.026 Eddie Carrier, Jr. 16.094 Steve Casebolt 16.096 Wendell Wallace 16.109 Rick Eckert 16.112 Doug Horton 16.115 Ricky Arms 16.115 Ricky Elliott 16.120 Sonny Conley 16.123 Jimmy Owens 16.127 Marshall Green 16.137 Brad Neat 16.152 John VanDenBerg 16.153 Brian Shirley 16.163 Garrett Durrett 16.177 John Mason 16.185 Tim Fuller 16.188 Clint Coffman 16.199 Tim Dohm 16.201 Clint Smith 16.223 Rodney Melvin 16.254 Billy Moyer 16.278 Mike Johnson 16.279 Scott Dedwylder 16.293 Randy Weaver 16.307 Brady Smith 16.322 Steve Hillard 16.323 Dan Schlieper 16.329 Bo Feathers 16.354 Steve Francis 16.371 Wayne Johnson 16.427 Robbie Blair 16.432 Tim Senic 16.438 Corey Conley 16.456 Justin Rattliff 16.459 Jackie Boggs 16.471 Terry Casey 16.512 Wade Witherspoon 16.515 Ray Cook 16.553 Randy Korte 16.623 Jeff Cooke 16.641 Michael England 16.681 Danny Mitchell 16.710 Anthony Rushing 16.720 Butch McGill 16.727 Freddie Carpenter 16.757 Davey Johnson 16.764 C.J. Rayburn 16.787 Richard Wheelihan 16.791 Joey Tanner 16.804 Jason Flory 16.804 Roger Lucas 16.825 Randy Lucas 16.844 Damon Eller 16.882 Brent Robinson 16.888 Lee Thomason 16.922 Charles Duncan 17.056 Scott Riggs 17.173 Ellis Parker 17.343 Larry Smith 17.416 Jeff Gress 17.437 Kristin Flory 17.478 Christian Rayburn 17.499 Michael Jackson 17.653 Bob Geiger 18.296
Qualifying Complete Time Listing
GROUP 1
Shannon Babb 15.756, 15.610 Jason Montgomery 15.913, 15.835 Wayne Johnson 16.609, 16.427 Clint Coffman SPIN, 16.199 Dean Carpenter 16.026, 16.209 Vic Coffey 15.594, 15.501 Chub Frank 15.575, 15.510 Dale McDowell 15.909, 15.487 Brad Neat 16.152, 16.839 Daniel Stone 16.112, 15.966 Joey Tanner 16.804, 17.534 Wade Witherspoon 16.533, 16.515 Anthony White 15.836, 16.517
GROUP 2
Bryan Collins 16.025, 15.798 Steve Casebolt 16.382, 16.096 Jimmy Mars 15.628, 15.864 Josh McGuire 15.420, 16.181 Randy Lucas 16.844, 18.665 Evan Harrell Terry English 15.621, 15.670 John Blankenship 15.72615.551 Sonny Conley 16.123, 16.184 Joe Morris 16.141, 15.921 Eric Jacobsen 15.672, 15.945 Danny Mitchell 16.710, 16.832 Rusty Dixon 16.435, 15.783
GROUP 3
Don Hammer 15.981, 15.901 Bo Feathers 16.501, 16.354 Michael Jackson 17.653, SPIN Gerald Davis 16.127, 15.964 Marshall Austin 16.277, 15.957 Tim McCreadie 15.412, 15.563 David Scott 15.666, 16.942 Ricky Elliott 16.154, 16.120 Freddy Smith 16.478, 15.886 Jordan Bland 16.347, 16.012 Brian Shirley 16.163, 16.265 Dennis Erb, Jr. 16.060, 15.976
GROUP 4
Doug Horton 16.115, 16.138 Scott Dedwylder 16.293, 16.356 Brian Birkhofer 15.657, 15.804 Bart Hartman 15.855, 16.247 Tim Senic 16.764, 16.438 Tim Dohm 16.439, 16.201 John VanDenBerg 16.153, 16.191 Charles Duncan 17.198, 17.056 Dan Schlieper 16.329, 16.539 Garrett Durrett 16.397, 16.177 Don O'Neal15.960, 15.783 John Mason 16.185, 16.253
GROUP 5
Jeff Cooke 18.074, 16.641 Richard Wheelihan 17.136, 16.791 Matt Miller 15.883, 15.948 Randy Weaver 17.460, 16.307 Scott James 16.051, 15.930 Darren Miller 16.522, 15.897 Jimmy Owens 16.127, 16.187 Earl Pearson, Jr.15.962, 15.780 Jared Landers 16.070, 16.002 Mike Johnson 16.485, 16.279 Steve Hillard 16.323, 16.479 Billy Moyer 16.278, 16.411
GROUP 6
Brent Robinson 16.888, 16.928 Butch McGill 16.661, 16.727 Marshall Green 16.137, 18.440 Ellis Parker 17.343, 17.405 Rodney Melvin 16.551, 16.254 Damon Eller 16.882, 17.200 Davey Johnson 16.764, 16.982 Lee Thomason 17.265, 16.922 Freddie Carpenter 16.775, 16.757 Scott Riggs 17.173, 17.342 Eddie Carrier, Jr. 16.094, 16.323 Jackie Boggs 16.471, 16.476
GROUP 7
Brady Smith 16.485, 16.322 Clint Smith 16.714, 16.223 Jeff Gress 17.437, SPIN C.J. Rayburn 16.896, 16.787 Roger Lucas 16.825, 16.978 Rick Eckert 16.112, 16.132 Ray Cook 16.709, 16.553 Kristin Flory 17.478, SPIN Justin Rattliff 16.459, 17.393 Robbie Blair 16.877, 16.432 Michael England 16.681, SPIN Ricky Arms 16.115, 16.634
GROUP 8
Larry Smith SPIN, 17.416 Tim Fuller 16.188, 16.475 Randy Korte 16.623, NO TIME Anthony Rushing 17.178, 16.720 Jason Flory 16.804, 16.893 Steve Francis 16.507, 16.371 Wendell Wallace 16.577, 16.109 Donnie Moran 15.889, 15.949 Christian Rayburn 17.499, 17.842 Corey Conley 16.880, 16.456 Terry Casey 16.696, 16.512 Bob Geiger 18.322, 18.296
Heat #1
Joe Morris-Jason Montgomery Jimmy Mars-Tim McCreadie Dean Carpenter-Sonny Conley Tim Fuller-Randy Weaver Tim Senic-Jeff Cooke Richard Wheelihan-Charles Duncan Bob Geiger Finish: 1.Jason Montgomery 2.Tim McCreadie 3.Randy Weaver 4.Tim Fuller 5.Jeff Cooke 6. Dean Carpenter 7.Joe Morris 8.Sonny Conley 9.Charles Duncan
Heat #2
Scott James-Anthony White Brian Birkhofer-Josh McGuire Eddie Carrier, Jr.-Jimmy Owens Clint Coffman-Brady Smith Corey Conley-Butch McGill Joey Tanner-Scott Riggs Evan Harrell Finish: 1.Scott James 2.Eddie Carrier, Jr. 3.Anthony White 4.Brian Birkhofer 5.Jimmy Owens 6.Clint Coffman 7.Evan Harrell 8.Josh McGuire 9.Corey Conley 10.Butch McGill 11.Joey Tanner 12.Brady Smith 13.Scott Riggs
Heat #3
Marshall Austin-Bart Hartman David Scott-Dale McDowell Steve Casebolt-Marshall Green-Scratched Prior to Heat Tim Dohm-Steve Hilllard Justin Rattliff-Michael England Jason Flory-Ellis Parker Finish: 1.Bart Hartman 2.Steve Casebolt 3.Michael England 4.David Scott 5.Tim Dohm 6.Jason Flory 7.Marshall Austin 8.Justin Rattliff 9.Steve Hucovski 10.Ellis Parker
Heat #4
Gerald Davis-Matt Miller Eric Jacobsen-Vic Coffey Wendell Wallace-Brad Neat Clint Smith-Dan Schlieper Jackie Boggs-Danny Mitchell Roger Lucas-Larry Smith Finish: 1.Matt Miller 2.Gerald Davis 3. Vic Coffey 4.Eric Jacobsen 5.Jackie Boggs 6.Clint Smith 7.Roger Lucas 8.Dan Schlieper 9.Danny Mitchell 10.Wendell Wallace 11.Larry Smith
Heat #5
Daniel Stone-Freddy Smith Earl Pearson, Jr.-Chub Frank Rick Eckert-John VanDenBerg Rodney Melvin-Bo Feathers Terry Casey-Anthony Rushing Randy Lucas-Jeff Gress Finish: 1.Earl Pearson 2.Chub Frank 3.Anthony Rushing 4.Rick Eckert 5.John VanDenBerg 6.Bo Feathers 7.Randy Lucas 8. Dan Stone DNF 9.Freddy Smith DNF 10. Terry Casey DNF 11.Rodney Melvin DNF 12. Jeff Gress DNF
Heat #6
Dennis Erb, Jr.-Donnie Moran Rusty Dixon-John Blankenship Doug Horton-Brian Shirley Billy Moyer-Steve Francis Wade Witherspoon-Freddie Carpenter Damon Eller-Kristin Flory Finish: 1.Donnie Moran 2.Dennis Erb, Jr. 3.Doug Horton 4.Billy Moyer 5.Steve Francis 6.Rusty Dixon 7.Wade Witherspoon 8.Brian Shirley 9.Freddie Carpenter 10.Damon Eller 11.John Blankenship 12.Kristin Flory
Heat #7
Jared Landers-Darren Miller Don O'Neal-Shannon Babb Ricky Arms-Garrett Durrett Mike Johnson-Wayne Johnson Ray Cook-Davey Johnson Brent Robinson-Christian Rayburn Finish: 1.Shannon Babb 2.Don O'Neal 3.Jared Landers 4.Darren Miller 5.Davey Johnson 6.Garrett Durrett 7.Ricky Arms 8.Ray Cook 9.Christian Rayburn 10.Brent Robinson 11.Mike Johnson 12.Wayne Johnson
Heat #8
Jordan Bland-Don Hammer Bryan Collins-Terry English Ricky Elliott-John Mason Scott Dedwylder-Robbie Blair Randy Korte-CJ Rayburn Lee Thomason-Michael Jackson Finish: 1.Bryan Collins 2.Terry English 3.Randy Korte 4.Don Hammer 5.Ricky Elliott 6.C.J. Raybrun 7.Lee Thomason 8.Scott Dedwylder
Starting Line-Up Scott James-Matt Miller Donnie Moran-Bart Hartman Shannon Babb-Bryan Collins Earl Pearson, Jr.-Jason Montgomery Tim McCreadie-Eddie Carrier, Jr. Steve Casebolt-Gerald Davis Chub Frank-Dennis Erb Don O'Neal-Terry English Jeff Cooke-Vic Coffey Billy Moyer-Randy Korte Tim Fuller-Jackie Boggs Doug Horton-Darren Miller
Lap 1-7 Matt Miller leads challenged by Moran Lap 8 - CAUTION Jason Montgomery stalls in 1 Lap 8-11 Miller continues to lead Lap 12 - CAUTION Gerald Davis spins off of 4 Restart Attempt - CAUTION Gerald Davis spins off of 4 Lap 12-22 Miller leads Lap 23 - Jeff Cooke spins on front stretch Lap 24-Miller leads Lap 25 - CAUTION spin in turn 1&2 involving Darren Miller/Gerald Davis Lap 26-38 Miller Lap 39 - CAUTION Gerald Davis spins
Matt Millermade his first ever visit to Victory Lane at the East Bay Raceway Park after leading wire to wire despite several late charge attempts from several drivers. Miller, of Waterville, Ohio drives the Stephen McCullough, Dirt Shop Incorporated, Banshee Graphics ROCKET #7. The team pocketed $7,000.00 for the nights efforts in the 40 lap A-Main event.
40 LAPS
FEATURE FINISH: 1. Matt Miller 2.Earl Pearson, Jr. 3. Dennis Erb 4.Donnie Moran 5.Tim McCreadie 6.Shannon Babb 7.Eddie Carrier, Jr. 8. Terry English 9. Doug Horton 10.Scott James 11.Chub Frank 12.Billy Moyer 13.Vic Coffey 14.Freddy Smith 15.Don O'Neal 16.Darren Miller 17.Steve Casebolt 18.Bryan Collins 19.Gerald Davis 20.Jackie Boggs 21.Randy Korte 22.Tim Dohm 23.Tim Fuller 24. Jeff Cooke 25.Bart Hartman 26. Jason Montgomery