IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

November 23, 2008 Schmauss Victorious Eastbay Again 99 Cars on Hand for Cold Night in Gibsonton Saturday, November 22, 2008– While most tracks have concluded their racing season, Eastbay Raceway Park would once again show why it is considered the premier racing facility in the country as 99 teams were on hand on a cool night in November. The heat from the racetrack would be enough to keep the fans warm and focused on the non-stop racing action that can only take place at “The Clay by the Bay.” The 1st A-Main featured a tight contest between the 1st and 2nd place teams in the Limited Late Model Championship race, Tim Gay and Forrest Gough. The #11 machine of Bobby Johns held on to the lead for the majority of the event, but would finally give way to the #21 of Forrest Gough. Side-by-side action is the norm at Eastbay, but 4-wide at the stripe was too much for several drivers including Ricky Land, Tim Dowling and JR Prather. Prather would rejoin the field and finish 5th. Gough and Gay continued to battle, but at the end, it was Gough hanging on for the win. Gay finished 2nd, Johns 3rd, and Doug Watson 4th. Gay was the winner of heat race #1 with Ricky Land finishing 2nd and Alex Boerner 3rd. John Bradley won heat race #2, JR Prather finished 2nd and Daniel Woody 3rd. The Outlaw-4’s featured birthday girl Shirlene Hammond in the #22 machine looking for her 1st A-Main Feature Event win at “The Clay by the Bay.” Hammond had come close several times before, once within a half a lap of winning, but had been unable to finish it off with a win. This time, she got out front and drove hard to her 1st win of the 2008 racing season. Matt Haynes finished 2nd, Shane Burrows 3rd, Sean Bass 4th and Michael Gulvin 5th. Hammond also won her heat race while Matt Haynes and Art Gulvin finished 2nd and 3rd. In heat race #2, it was points leader Shane Burrows getting the win, Bass finished 2nd and Dan Chambers 3rd. The Convire 4-Cylinder Bombers are quickly becoming the most competitive field in the country for any division and they would be on their “A Game” for their A-Main. Jimmy O’Dell is the #27 machine had been dominate all night, but a last-lap, final-turn push propelled Collin Kruse to his 5th A-Main Feature event at Eastbay this year. O’Dell crossed the stripe 2nd, Robert Kissam 3rd, Jim Baker 4th and George Handy 5th. O’Dell was the winner of heat race #1 with Kever Raulerson and Collin Kruse finishing 2nd and 3rd. George Christensen was the winner of heat race #2 with Collin Kruse and Colonel Miller finishing 2nd and 3rd and in heat race #3 it was Roberto Morfin, Kyle Kruse and Gary Killeen finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The Late Models rolled onto the track for their A-Main event that featured Eastbay veterans such as David Schmauss, Wallace Peacock, Bobby Alexander and Points Leader KD Kelley. Kelly was running strong when Travis Varnadore, currently 2nd in points himself, got into the back of Kelley, turning him around in turns 1 and 2. Both drivers would have to tag the rear of the field. All the while, the #105 machine of David Schmauss grabbed the lead and was expected to drive away from the field, but the #B69 car of Bryan Bernhardt closed up on the leader working lap #19. The caution came out on lap 20 which tightened the field up for a 5 lap shootout. Schmauss immediately opened up a 2 car length advantage over Bernhardt and held on for his 2nd win of the 2008 racing season. Bernhardt held on to finish 2nd, Ryan Mitchell 3rd, Steve Miller 4th and Bobby Alexander, Sr. 5th. Heat race #1 went to David Schmauss with the 5k car of Ryan Mitchell finishing 2nd and Ted Erskine 3rd. KD Kelley won heat race #2 with Steve Miller and Bryan Bernhardt 2nd and 3rd. Travis Varnadore won heat race #3 with Jeff Mathews and Bobby Alexander, Sr. 3rd. The Motorstats.com Street Stocks were 20 cars deep for their A-Main and put on perhaps their best performance of the year. David Roberts battled with Randy Tyler, James Hook, Donnie Reed and Buck Skinner as he attempted to hang on to the lead. Points leader Donnie Reed started back in the 10th position but after several cautions, worked his way to the front and past Roberts for his 3rd win of the season. Buck Skinner finished 2nd, Mathew Grissom 3rd, David Roberts 4th and Tim Yeager 5th. Grissom won heat race #1 with Reed and Joel Goldfrank finishing 2nd and 3rd. Heat race #2 win went to #17 Danny Hill. Buck Woodhouse and Thomas Hill finished 2nd and 3rd and in heat race #3 it was Buck Skinner, James Hook and Gary Sheffield finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Powder-Puff action wound up the evening as the ladies took to the track for a 10 lap shootout. Kelley Hill took the lead on lap 1 and proceeded to check out on the field, but a car had stopped on the track and Hill wasn’t able to maneuver around the 911 machine of Ashley Purcell. Hill was retired to the pits and Lori Miller in the #13 car took the lead and hung on for the win with Tamara Calabrese and Jennie Mark finishing 2nd and 3rd. ASA sanctioned racing resumes at Eastbay Raceway Park Saturday night, November 29th at 6:30pm. The Mod Gobbler 50 by Evergreen Development and Construction 50 lap, $1000 to win event will be the headliner. Also included will be the Limited Late Models, the Motorstats.com Street Stocks the Outlaw-4’s and the Convire 4-Cylindeer Bombers. For more information, call the track office at 813-677-7223, or visit us on the web at www.eastbayracewaypark.com Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!