After a one-week break mandated by Mother Nature, East Bay Raceway Park returned to action on a hot summer Saturday night. Many of the drivers on hand worked hard to get their equipment in top shape and it showed with some great performances.
Jerod Meyers picked up his first feature victory of the 2018 season, dominating the competition in the 12-car Micro Sprint class. Meyers becomes the third different winner of the year and the victory will help move him into the top 10 with a lot of racing still on the schedule.
John Bradley made an outside pass to win his heat race, then repeated the feat in the feature to claim victory there. Bradley slipped past early race leader Matt Bozeman and set sail for the 15-lap win. It was Bradley’s second feature victory as the current points leader now has 8 top five finishes in 9 starts.
Gonzo Godwin got the best of the field in the Florida Old Time Modified 12-lap main. Dan Darnell made a late race charge, but fell just short as the laps wound down.
Hayden Campbell is no stranger to East Bay’s victory lane and he made a return visit tonight in the Bob & Marge Long Memorial 25-lap main event for the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Sprints. Campbell shot to an early lead and encountered lapped traffic on lap 3. Campbell was able to slide by, but a hard charging Robbie Smith was not as fortunate, making contact and taking a tumble. Smith was OK, but clearly disappointed. On the subsequent restart, Billy Boyd and Andy Kelly made contact, resulting in Boyd flipping in turn one as the red flag returned.
Once the race went green, it stayed that way until a lap 20 caution for 2017 East Bay Sprints champion Justin Webster who stopped on the track. Campbell now had his hands full with Sport Allen’s effort, using the higher line to seek an advantage. There was none to be found as Campbell cruised back to Victory Lane.
The night’s action concluded with a last lap shootout in the Gladiators between race leader Daniel Casey and challenger Daniel Bowman. Bowman took the lead momentarily after a lap 12 restart, but caution flew again, putting Casey in control. The two renewed the battle through the last laps. Casey had the lead off turn four, but contact with Bowman got him sideways and Bowman was able to squeeze across the line in front.
MICRO SPRINTS
Jerod Meyers (0), Chris Livernois Jr. (71), Mike Meyers (7), Matt Wedgewood (4), Paul Seburn (23), Don Quinn Sr. (3D), Shannon Austin (60), William Burnside (13), Kevin Strife (46), Joe Bartow (3), Brian Baxter (98), Mariah Austin (5)
STREET STOCKS
John Bradley (57), Henry Burnside (31), Matt Bozeman (58), Jason Pope (55), Josh Jones (B75), Robert Allen (98), James McPeak (7), Allen Bailey (51), Billy Barstow (75), Kyle Kruse (1K), David Barwick II (89), Robert Tyler (9), Jesse Brown (12)
Q AUTO & INJURY ATTORNEYS SPRINTS
Hayden Campbell (5), Sport Allen (88), Brandon Grubaugh (G6), Dennis Misuraca (3), Frank Beck (89), Frank Carlson (20), Joe Zuczek (50), Dylan Colding (23D), Guy Bos (3K), Nikki Voisey (96), Justin Webster (21), Matt Kurtz (82), Johnnie Alexander (8), Andre Sheneman (29), David Slawiak (96x), Kurt Taylor (55), Michael Steinruck, Robbie Smith (6S), Billy Bridges (11B), Andy Kelly (11), Billy Boyd (4), Aileen Collins-Love (17c), DJ Peeples (30). DNS – Keith Butler (19), AJ Maddox (3A)
GLADIATORS
Daniel Bowman (46), Daniel Casey (3D), Robert Kissam (911), Jeff Smith (15), Socks Dittebrand (222), Brittany Hart (81H), Kever Raulerson (99R), Wayne Kissam (07), Ronald Sorensen (99), Logan Casteel (7), Bailey Purcell (14), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (81), Rick Rutledge Sr. (4), Davey Martin (55), Ricky Richards (37), Patrick Tabb (03), Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Ethan Dansby (26), Johnathan Wood (56B)
FLORIDA OLD TIME MODIFIEDS
John “Gonzo” Godwin (22G), Dan Darnell (111), David Kelley (46), Roger Herbach (4), Robert Campbell (11), Jamie Frankland (1), Danny Bowman (00)
NEXT WEEK AT EAST BAY RACEWAY PARK
