Brandon Grubaugh dominated his heat in the Top Gun Sprints action, then backed it up with a wire-to-wire win in the 25-lap A main. The leader quickly caught the back of the 17-car field, heading into lapped traffic by lap 3. The first yellow was displayed for a Harley Zimmerman spin, bunching up the field behind Grubaugh with Andrew Griffin settling into second. Griffin kept the spot until the next restart on lap 11 when Danny Martin Jr, snuck past to move to the runner-up spot. The caution returns on lap 18 as Shane Butler rolled to a stop. Soon after, some of the top runners started to experience tire issues, but the issues did not strike the top two. With Martin closing, Grubaugh was often able to power away as the laps ticked off. When the checkered waved on the 25-lap main, Grubaugh had the series win and the additional $900 awarded in the Lee and Jeff Barfield Memorial Clean Sweep. Besides Grubaugh, Tyler Clem and Garrett Green won their heat events.
In the 604 Late Models, Jeff Mathews experienced a tight condition right from the start and dropped out of the top five. Just past the half way mark, the offending tire gave way, forcing Mathews to the pits. After a quick change, he was able to return on the lead lap and began his charge to the front. Mathews slipped past leader Jesse Brown with four laps to go to earn the win. Doug Horton led 25 laps until retiring from the event. Mathews and Horton were heat winners.
Seth Geary had been trying so hard to claim a win in the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, but could never quite seal the deal. The racer who hails 15 minutes from the track finally mounted the charge that got him his first win at the Clay by the Bay. Austin Sanders and Tyler Clem prevailed in the heats.
Former track champion Robby Hoffmann found victory lane in a relief role in the Q Mini Sprint 15-lap main. Hoffmann had to hold off heat winner Brad Sutton and was able to scoot home with the opening feature of the night.
Darren Bass was held out of victory lane in Mod Lites in 2020, but that drought has ended now that he parked in victory lane on Saturday night. Bass had control of the entire race, facing down challenges from heat winner Alex Cline. Dylan Dunn also won a heat event.
The final class of the night was the Outlaw 4s and 2020 track champion Stephen Hohlbaugh got his defense off to a good start. The race stayed green for 12 laps with the only yellow showing when Hohlbaugh and Thomas Braswell made contact in the backstretch, damaging the left front of Hohlbaugh’s car. The damage was not enough to affect the performance as Hohlbaugh sparred with Billy Dukes to the end and came home victorious. Hohlbaugh and Dukes were heat winners.
The action returns on Saturday March 27 with the return of the 602 Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, V-8 Warriors, Micro Sprints, 4.6L Fords and Gladiators.
TOP GUN SPRINTS
Feature: Brandon Grubaugh (G6), Danny Martin Jr. (24), Justin Webster (21), Tyler Clem (6S), Harley Zimmerman (00), Jeff Bye (26), Clint Weiss (0x), Cole Nichols (N20), Scott Baldwin (4(, Garrett Green (82), Shane Kreidler (52), Chris Hahn (2), Andrew Griffin (32), Shane Butler (18), Sheldon Kinser Jr. (17c), Tyler Orzechowski (38), Luke Hill (41). DNS – Frank Carlsson (20), Hayden Campbell (5)
604 LATE MODELS
Feature: Jeff Mathews (33), Josh Peacock (9J), Jesse Foster (14J), Thomas Burnside (13), Jimmy Wagner (17W), Jesse Brown (7JR), John Norris (87), Doug Horton (46), Phillip Cobb (03), Keith Nosbisch (02), Jason Pope (102), Jimmy Waldrop (9), Matt Herlong (131), Tim Dowling (12D)
GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
Feature: Seth Geary (7G), Tyler Clem (14), Jeff Mathews (33), Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Tim McLeod (192), Austin Sanders (A69), Patrick Passanise (19), Scott Bane (23B), Jim LaFreniere (50). DNS – Paul Rivall (15R), Doug Dyal (97D)
MOD LITES
Feature: Darren Bass (14B), J.T. Joiner (6J), Jeff Bonnema (5B), Alex Cline (07), Jeff Wolfe (83), Terry Joiner (6), Thomas Walsh (32T), Broderick Kennedy (24), Kevin McKenzie (41B), Dylan Dunn (22). DNS – Andrew Smith (71)
Q MINI SPRINTS
Feature: Robby Hoffmann (21), Brad Sutton (9), Michael Luckert (93), Stephen Thomas (7S), Jo JO Davis (7J), Randy Thomas (4R), Charles Landis (12)
OUTLAW 4S
Feature: Stephen Hohlbaugh (23s), Billy Dukes Jr. (82), Eric Knight (7), Vernon Hart Jr. (D4R), Mark Moniz (41E), Thomas Braswell Jr. (88), Randy Johnson (1), Brad Button (25), Michael Heard (21). DNS – Cody Risavalto (20), Andy Logan (1FL)