Pratt Prevails in Modified Shootout at East Bay

Despite near record heat, a good crowd was on hand for the five-division racing card at East Bay Raceway Park. The June 27 event marked the third consecutive week of racing and served as the last before the mid-summer break with the next event on August 1.

Fresh from a Friday night win at Bubba Raceway Park the night before, Rich Pratt held off the charge of Jeff Mathews to capture the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modified main. In Victory Lane, Pratt praised the level of competition seen by Modified racers at East Bay, realizing his win was no easy chore.

Drew Jackson held the early lead with Pratt tucked behind. It was a matter of only a few laps before Mathews asserted himself in a charge to the front. He pulled up beside Pratt, but a caution moved Mathews back to third. In less than a half lap, Mathews was by Pratt and in pursuit of Jackson. Mathews caught the leader as the field was coming down to complete lap 10, but the two made contact in the first and second turns, sending both to the rear with nine laps complete.

Pratt gained the lead at this point, but a spate of cautions began to show with top five cars getting caught up in the mishaps. Pratt held the lead, but would have different challengers until defending track champion Bryan Bernhardt gained the spot with five laps to go. Mathews slipped into second a lap later and began the charge to the front, actually nosing ahead at the white flag. Mathews and Pratt raced wheel-to-wheel into turn three, but Pratt was steady enough on the bottom to bring home the victory. Mathews and Jackson were heat race winners.

The night was not completely lost for Jeff Mathews as he opened the program with a dominant win in the Late Model Sportsman main. The race saw just one caution early, allowing Mathews to score a convincing win. Forrest Gough closed at the mid-race point, but slipped back as Tanner Cobb claimed second late in the race. Cobb and Mathews were heat winners.

The tech man had a say in the outcome of the V-8 Warrior feature event. Juston Meeks dominated the race and went to Victory Lane, but the next stop was the tech shed and Meeks saw his feature taken for incorrect tires. The outcome gave the win to Gary Lucas who had fought hard to hold onto second throughout the race and put himself in position for his first win of the year. Lucas and Wayne Kissam won their respective heats.

Paul Seburn added his second feature win of the year, backing up a March triumph with a Saturday night win in the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Micro Sprints. Seburn hunted down early race leader Doug Dyal and scooted away for the feature win to back up his earlier heat win.

Kyle Bowman topped the Gladiator main event for his first feature win of the season. Rodney Martin led from the start with Bailey Purcell in tow. Kyle Bowman grabbed the lead on lap six and found himself defending against a familiar foe as brother Daniel had used the high line to grab second. Kyle prevailed in the main. Daniel Bowman and Bailey Purcell brought home heat wins.

The next racing event will be held August 1 with a visit from the Top Gun Sprints with Mod Lites, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, V-8 Warriors, and Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Mini-Sprints. Special Event pricing is in effect.

GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS

Feature: Rich Pratt (13), Jeff Mathews (33), Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Dale Kelley (22), Billy Howard (47), Frank Lewis (72L), Drew Jackson (08), Jim Baker (69X), Scott Bane (23B), Pat Passanise (19), Roger Crouse (15), Megan Rae Meyer (11M), Jerry Bourland (777). DNS – Austin Sanders (64)

LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN

Feature: Jeff Mathews (33), Tanner Cobb (c03), Forrest Gough (21), Scotty Williams (27W), Jesse Brown (7), Steve Brendle (141), Megan Rae Meyer (11M), Tim Dowling (12D), Thomas Burnside (13), Cole Crawford (4), Jason Pope (102), Buck Woodhouse (55), Hunter Boyd (6), Keven Devrieze (99)

V-8 WARRIORS

Feature: Gary Lucas (106), George Handy (105), Collin Kruse (92), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (81), Kalen Maynard (2), Cody Mezyk (40), Macy Bozeman (58), Wayne Kissam (107), Robert Grant (124), Randy Shields (49), Kayla Handy (104), Bill Whitney (15). DQ – Juston Meeks (10)

Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS MICRO SPRINTS

Feature: Paul Seburn (23), Jerod Meyers (7), William Burnside (13), Jo Jo Davis (27), Joshua Davis (J), Doug Dyal (1G)

GLADIATORS

Feature: Kyle Bowman (46K), Daniel Bowman (46), Patrick Tabb (07), Alyssa Grant (46A), Davey Martin (55), Derrick Edwards (17), Ricky Rutledge Sr. (4), Nick McAllister (97M), Hunter Lovelady (68), Callie Gubich (513), Rodney Martin (21), Bailey Purcell (14), David Zeman (13), Tracy Maynard (62), Nick Sperbeck (34)