Bryan Bernhardt made a late race pass to secure the win in the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modified main event, which featured most of the vehicles racing without their tops. Bernhardt was able to sweep by early leader Phillip Cobb late in the race. A spate of late race cautions kept erasing Cobb’s advantage until Bernhardt was finally able to make the winning pass. Bernhardt and Cobb had scored heat race wins to start their nights.

Cobb was seeking his second feature win of the night after claiming the 15-lap Late Model Sportsman victory. The return to Victory Lane marked the culmination of a months-long battle with car related issues that led to recent DNFs. The night was all about securing the right outcome and Cobb thanked those involved for getting the car in a position top be a contender and winner. Cobb took the lead at the start and was never seriously challenged throughout the event. Cobb had narrowly lost his heat race earlier in the night with Shan Smith making a last lap pass for that win. Forrest Gough added a heat win to his point-leading 2018 effort.

Point leader John Bradley picked up his third main event win of the season, ending his own personal victory drought that had gone too long. Bradley was out front from the start and never seriously challenged. His big lead was wiped out by a lap six caution, but it took two turns to again stretch out what proved to be the winning margin.

Steve Diamond recorded his first east Bay Raceway Park feature win by topping the class in the Mini Sprint main. The recently relocated racer has now added the Clay by the Bay to the number of tracks in the Northeast where he secured main event wins. Diamond started on the pole after finishing third in a an exciting heat race for the division that was won by Ronnie Whitley on a late pass.

Jamie Frankland won the preliminary in Florida Old Time Modifieds, but it was a powerful drive by Danny Bowman in the Reutimann tribute 00 that decided the main event. Bowman was locked in behind Frankland and Charlie Sanders with no place to until an opening developed. Bowman took advantage of the opportunity to take the lead. It was far an easy victory as he spent that last part of the event carefully watching the temperature gauge. Bowman made it two in a row for the division.

East Bay Raceway Park has three more weeks of racing on the 2018 calendar. The next event (Dec. 1) will be headlined by the Don Rehm Classic presented by Boomtrux.com, featuring the 2018 season finale for Top Gun Sprints. Local divisions on the card include Street Stocks, Micro Sprints, V8 Warriors, Outlaw 4s (topless) and Gladiators. The Gladiators will take part in a special “bump and run” race, presented by N-E-Where Transport.

GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS

Feature: Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Phillip Cobb (03), Dale Kelley (22), Austin Sanders (64), Eric Moon (18), Roger Crouse (15), Drew Jackson (08), Keven Devrieze (99), Don Crandall (9c), David Pollen Jr. (10), Billy Howard Jr. (47)

LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN

Feature: Phillip Cobb (03), Forrest Gough (21), Shan Smith (17ss), Wallace Peacock (21), Waylon Haynes (11), Jared Allison (18), Taylor Gant (33), Buck Woodhouse (55), Wesley Livernois (44), Roger Crouse (15), Dennis Williams (17JR). DNS – Daniel Woody (29)

STREET STOCKS

Feature: John Bradley (57), Dennis Williams (24), Henry Burnside (31), Robert Allen (98), Allen Bailey (51), Robert Tyler (99), Doug Johnson (09)

MINI SPRINTS

Feature: Steve Diamond (9), Brad Sutton (9), Ronnie Whitley (84), Joe Bartow (3)

FLORIDA OLD TIME MODIFIEDS

Feature: Danny Bowman (00), Jamie Frankland (1), Charlie Sanders (7A), Robert Campbell (11). DNS – Dan Darnell (111)