Tampa, FL — (April 26, 2014) — Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprints made their first appearance of the 2014 season with 27 cars signing up to win the $1,000 courtesy of Buddy’s Home Furnishings. Also the Florida Mini Sprints were on hand along with the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Street Stocks and the Limited Late Models.
Before the features would start the Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprints came out on to the front stretch for a meet and greet with the fans as they got up close with them and got autographs from their favorite drivers.
First feature of the night was the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Street Stocks where Billy Barstow and Thomas Burnside won their heats early on. Scotty Kay, Jr. and Thomas Burnside made up the front row for their 15 Lap Feature Event. Before the feature started a lucky fan from the Riverview area won $100 courtesy of Q Motorsports and Q Auto & Injury Attorneys. When the green flag waved Kay, Jr. quickly took the lead with Burnside and Ronnie Whitley the top three until caution would come out on lap three as Robert Morfin, Sr. spun in turn four. Kay would lead the way until the final caution of the night came on lap eleven as Chris Graebner’s car went up in smoke ending his night with a thirteen place finish. On the final restart on lap eleven it was Kay, Jr. leading with Tim Gay in second after starting fifteenth spot was now up to second with just four laps remaining with Burnside holding on to third. It would be a single file restart and when the green waved it was Kay, Jr. leading until the last remaining laps as Tim Gay was able to get by Kay, Jr. and go on to win his fourth feature making it a perfect four for four feature wins for the early 2014 Season. Rounding out the top five was Scotty Kay, Jr., Thomas Burnside, Buck Woodhouse and Billy Barstow.
Next were the Florida Mini Sprints with Robby Hoffman, Dave Hall and Robbie Smith winning their heat races early on. Eighteen drivers would start the 15 Lap Feature as they went Green White Checker without any cautions. Hoffman would lead the entire race as he drove thru traffic leaving the field behind. Hoffman picked up his very first feature win in just a hand full of starts in just his Rookie year. Rounding out the top five were John Moss, John Craddock, Connor Borah and Robbie Smith.
Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprints were next for their 25 Lap Feature Event paying $1,000 to the winner courtesy of Buddy’s Home Furnishings and if a heat winner took the checkered would be eligible for an extra $200 from the Jeff Barfield Memorial Sweep. Those drivers winning their heats were AJ Maddox, Danny Martin, Jr. and Tim George. Starting on the front of the feature it was Jimmy Ballew and Kerry Gilbert but before the races could get under way Ballew seemed to have mechanical issues and would not start on the pole ending his night with a twenty sixth position. That would move Tim George up to the pole with Gilbert remaining on the outside front row. When the green waved it was George leading the way until the next lap as Johnny Gilbertson got by George taking over the lead and then on the next lap it was Billy Boyd, Jr. slowing on the backstretch ending his night. On the restart Gilbertson led the way as he came upon lap traffic by lap five. By lap eight Danny Martin, Jr. would move up to second and then taking the lead on lap nine. On lap ten Brandon Grubaugh spun in turn two and with nowhere to go the leader Martin, Jr. tangled with Rex Howe in turn two. That would put Martin, Jr. to the tail end and taking over the top spot again was Gilbertson. On the restart it was Gilbertson leading with Kerry Gilbert and Mark Ruel, Jr. the top three. On lap twelve Martin, Jr. tangled with Rebecca George with George hitting the front stretch wall. Rebecca was okay and walked away with the front suspension broke ending her night with twenty first position. On the restart Gilbertson lead the way for a few laps until caution waved again as Howe slowed and his night ended. On the restart on lap fourteen Gilbertson would lead the field to the green with Ruel, Jr., Sport Allen up to third after starting from the twelfth position with Gilbert and AJ Maddox rounding out the top five. When the final green waved on lap twenty three Allen was trying to hold off Maddox and Martin, Jr. after he made his way back up to third. When the checkered waved it was “Superman” back in Victory Lane holding off Maddox, Martin, Jr., Mark Ruel, Jr. and Johnny Gilbertson rounding out the top five. “When the green flag waved I gave up as we struggled all night” Allen said. “As the race went on I was able to adjust the wing inch after inch and found myself a line along the top side of the track and was able to stick with it” he also stated. He also thanked his sponsor Taylor Andrews for sticking with him for so many years and giving him great support as they have been friends for a very long time. He also thanked his crew, family and friends for their support as well.
The final feature of the night was the Limited Late Models. Winning their heats were Timmy Dowling and Forrest Gough. Defending Champion Dale Pope and Jeremy Simpson would start on the front row for the 15 Lap Feature. When the green waved Pope quickly jumped out in front until the first caution came out on lap one as Dalton Goldhammer spun on the backstretch. Another caution would come out on lap two as cars tangled on the backstretch sending several cars to the pits ending their nights. On final restart on lap seven Pope was still leading with Forrest Gough second and Jason Pope in third. On lap ten Gough and Pope were side by side at the start finish line bringing the crowd to their feet. Gough would get by Pope and lead lap eleven as Pope would take the lead back over on lap twelve. Coming out of turn four as the two were battling a lapped car was in the middle of them as Gough would go low and Pope appeared to go high as Gough crossed the line by mere inches over Pope. Rounding out the top five were Jason Pope, Scotty Williams and Stephen Hohlbaugh.
Racing continues next weekend as the Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Street Stocks, V8 Warriors and the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers will be in action. For further information, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com for call 813-677-7223 for more information.
Racing Results:
Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Street Stocks 15 Lap Feature
1. 90 Tim Gay
2. 21 Scotty Kay, Jr.
3. 13 Thomas Burnside
4. 55 Buck Woodhouse
5. 75 Billy Barstow
6. 89 David Barwick, II
7. 55R Roy Woodhouse
8. 95JR Justan Rodgers
9. 58 Matt Bozeman
10. X Rick Martin
11. 51M Roberto Morfin, Sr.
12. 26 Jeff Weaver
13. G95 Chris Graebner
14. 84 Ronnie Whitley
15. 56 Brett Koch
16. 96 Larry Chumney
17. 15 Bill Whitney (DNS)
Florida Mini Sprints 15 Lap Feature
1. 12 Robby Hoffman
2. 44 M John Moss
3. 71 John Craddock
4. 29 Connor Borah
5. 77 Robbie Smith
6. 67 Dave Hall
7. 45 Kenny Brewer
8. 8 Rae Lynn Moss
9. 86 Russ Heider
10. 22 Eddie Moss, Jr.
11. 30 John Crowder
12. 0 Luke Fidler
13. 24 Ken Penta
14. 38 Mike Brewer
15. 20J Chris Belcher
16. 4 Anthony Backus
17. 9 Austin Rice
18. 68 Dirk Miller
19. 3D Robert Snyder (DNS)
Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprints 25 Lap Feature
1. 88 Sport Allen
2. 3A AJ Maddox
3. 24 Danny Martin, Jr.
4. 83 Mark Ruel, Jr.
5. 15 Johnny Gilbertson
6. 55 Kerry Gilbert
7. 1* Tim George
8. 21 Jason Webster
9. G6 Brandon Grubaugh
10. 52 Shane Kriedler
11. 3T Johnny Alexander
12. 30 D.J. Peeples
13. 3XK Guy Bos
14. 17C Aileen Collins
15. 8 Rich Alexander
16. 3K Kurt Taylor
17. 10X Sean Clark
18. 6S Robbie Smith
19. 80 Lorenzo Capitano
20. 2x Rex Howe
21. 21A Rebecca George
22. 22 Shawn Murray
23. 82 Matt Kurtz
24. 4 Billy Boyd, Jr.
25. 07 Clint Reynolds
26. 0 Jimmy Ballew
27. 38 Tony Agin (DNS)
Limited Late Model 15 Lap Feature
1. 21 Forrest Gough
2. 88 Dale Pope
3. 102 Jason Pope
4. 27 Scotty Williams
5. 75 Stephen Hohlbaugh
6. 49 Randy Shields
7. 55 Timmy Dowling
8. 73 Jeremy Simpson
9. 222 Troy Dittebrand
10. 09 Jessica Robbins
11. 93 Paul Sampson
12. 0 Darrell Taylor
13. 57 Curtis Book
14. 71 Richard Livernois, Jr.
15. 985 Henry Burnside
16. 18 Dalton Goldhammer
17. 7JR Jesse Brown (DNS)
18. 22 Danny Bowman, Sr. (DNS)