Several new names were added to the feature winners list for the 2018 season at East Bay Raceway Park as five divisions competed in Saturday night action.
In the Late Model Sportsman main event, Bruce Harvey grabbed the lead on a lap 4 restart to pace the rest of the way in the 15-lap main. Harvey had passed Phillip Cobb to take over second on lap three, setting himself up to make the choice on the Ybor City restart. Harvey chose the low line and outgunned race leader Forrest Gough for the lead. The feature win capped a perfect night as Harvey had won the heat race in the class. It was Harvey’s first feature win of 2018.
Bryan Bernhardt capitalize on a great start at the drop of the green to complete a wire-to-wire win the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds. In grabbing his third feature win of the season, Bernhardt added to his current point lead. Runner-up Austin Sanders closed in the late stages,but could not catch Bernhardt. Phillip Cobb and Bernhardt had won preliminaries.
Nick Brown scored his fourth V8 Warrior main event of the season in convincing fashion. Brown, who started last in a 17-car field, had charged into the top five by the sixth lap. Brown took the lead as the field was coming to complete lap 11, slipping past Collin Kruse. Heat race winner were Scott Bane and Jason Burnside.
John Craddock returned to the cockpit after a five-month absence and didn’t miss a beat in winning the Florida Mini-Sprint Association 15-lapper. The race ran without a caution and Craddock kept the competition at bay throughout. Craddock, who won his heat, fended off an early challenge from fellow heat winner Russ Heider, who slipped back with mechanical issue. A late charge by Robby Hoffman came up a bit short and Craddock parked in Victory Lane.
Ricky Rutledge Jr. went from a victim of misfortune three weeks ago to a feature race winner in the Gladiator competition. Rutledge, who opened the night with a heat race win, started sixth in the feature. Dustin Wilson grabbed the early race lead and had a strong run going. Rutledge, meanwhile’ was making a move to the front. He got a good run off turn two and slipped inside to take the lead. From there, there was no looking back as his first feature win came after weeks of hard work to repair the race car and get it competitive again. Daniel Bowman won his heat, but could not start the feature.
East Bay Raceway Park will return to action on July 21. Summer hours are in effect with hot laps at 7 and racing beginning at 7:30. The July 21 schedule includes the Q Auto & Injury Sprints, Micro Sprints, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s and Florida Old Time Modifieds.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN
Bruce Harvey (27), Phillip Cobb (03), Forrest Gough (21), Bill Howard Sr. (45), Buck Woodhouse (55), John Bradley (45B), Don Sniff (10), TJ LaFlamboy (44). DNS – Jared Allison (18)
GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Austin Sanders (64), Phillip Cobb (03), Dale Kelley (22), David Pollen Jr. (88), Billy Howard Jr. (47), Roger Crouse (15), Michael Cherry (17C), Pat Passanise (24), John Zuidema Jr. (47Z), Don Crandall (9c)
V8 WARRIORS
Nick Brown (17), Collin Kruse (92), Scott Bane (23B), Tommy Hill (5H), Michael Hart (99), Raymond Vann (32), George Handy (105), Jeff Edgar (98x), Jessica Robbins (09), Jeff Weaver (26), B.J. Feiden (115), Robert Grant (36), Jason Burnside (12J), Kalen Maynard (2), Gary Lucas (23), Nate Whitehurst (07), Alan Smith (67)
FLORIDA MINI SPRINTS
John Craddock (71), Robby Hoffman (66), David Hall (67), Austin Craddock (17), Joe Askew (78j), Adam Barnes (64), Brad Sutton (9), Russ Heider (86), Jamie Tinkham (51). DNS – Dallas Casey (87)
GLADIATORS
Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Bailey Purcell (14), Jeff Smith (15), Patrick Tabb (03), Daniel Casey (3D), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (81), Brittany Hart (81H), Logan Casteel (7), Rick Rutledge Sr. (4), Johnathan Wood (56B), Dustin Wilson (42), Kever Raulerson (99r), Kenneth Rowe (03T), Robert Kissam (911), Wayne Kissam (07). DNS – Daniel Bowman (46) . DQ – Thomas Adams (T2)