Team-USA Mod-Lites Night Two Sees New Comer Matt Jester In Victory Lane

by Bill Green “From Behind The MIC!”

Tampa, FL. (Feb. 20th, 2004) Night two of the Team-USA Mod-Lite 1st Annual Winter Nationals was action packed. After Wednesday’s practice and Thursday’s competition, the drivers were starting to get a little bolder by Friday’s finals.

From the Mod-Lite C-Main initial start, that saw outside pole sitter T. J. Farrar miss a gear in his #12 car and collected 8 cars in turn one. The field would be relined-up for a complete restart as no laps were complete. Second time around Farrar would lead the field in to the first turn and stay up front till the end, but only after the #54X of Dan Sikes pressured him side-by-side for the final 4 laps.

A big wreck on lap-3 would see the #65 of Joe Stucky on a wild ride in turn one, leaving the ground and doing a barrel-roll, before coming to rest on all 4 wheels. Joe was OK, if you call a lot of frustration, OK. Also moving on, as only four cars move up to the B-main, would be the #03 of Chris Manning and the #8B of Brian Woodall. The B-main had a little less action wreck-wise, but still loads of passing and root’n for a position or two.

Kelly Glass in the #01 would be the class of the B-main coming home first in the 24-car field. The #95 of John Callaway would come from 17th starting position to go second and earn a spot in the A-main. Third would go to Rusty Harris in the #81 machine, while the final transfer position went to the #28, Troy Jacobs.

A-main action had another 24-car field set to do battle as the Zero-J of Matt Jester lead them under the green flag for the 25-lap Feature event. Lap-2 would see the big pile-up, when the #6G of Dennis Lamphier got airborne in turn-1 after contact at the end of the front stretch. Lamphier wound up on his left side, but was rolled upright and exited the car on his own power. Getting collect in the may lay to miss the #6G, would be the #59 of Tracy Fritter, Tony Courtney’s #72 and the #940 of Tyler Reno.

Once the race resumed, Jester maintained the lead, but was being pressured by the #44 of Shanon Buckingham. Buckingham would put the chrome horn to the #0J several times, but Jester would stand up to the task. Only difference would be that of the bobble Jester made in turn-4 on lap-22, that caused Buckingham to rear-end him and send the #0J spinning. Buckingham took exception to being sent to the back of the lead lap, and he left the track.

The action didn’t skip a beat trackside though, as the #18 of Jamie Crutchfield hounded the leader the rest of the way and made a bold move out of turn-4 at the checkered flag for a photo finish. Jester came home victorious by a few inches, with Crutchfield settling for second. Third place went to the Hard Charger of the race, Kelly Glass in the #01, coming from the 21st starting spot for the third place paycheck. Fourth went to the out-side pole sitter Mike Hay’s #22X and last night’s winner Kevin Batterbee brought the #9X into the final top-5 spot.

The Classic Modifieds put on a great show with the #18 of Robert “Eggs’n” Ham, winning the narrow-bodied class, Feature event. Going second would be the slick looking #54 of Shannan Dobson, with the #3D of Phillip Clevenger going third. Young Shawn “Free-Style” Reutimann would keep the local, but legendary, Reutimann family name on the podium rundown; bring the #17 car home fourth after testing every line possible on the raceway early in the event. Finishing in the fifth position would be the never say die #96 of Wayne DeClerck.

The TQ-Late Models saw Rick Stone win two features in a row in the #1X car. Never really challenged, the asphalt driver running only his second dirt race in as many nights was excited in Victory lane, "love this race track, not bad for an old asphalt driver!” Second would go to the #20 of Doug Mikesell, third to #28 Terry Dugger, fourth went to David Rad Sr’s #6 and fifth was Ken Mikesell’s #34.

Tomorrow night it’s the Final night of the 1st Annual Team-USA Mod-Lite Winter Nationals at East Bay Raceway Park. Racing starts at 7PM and all Grandstand Seats are just $5 for Adults. Call the track office at 813-677-RACE (7223) for more info.


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