The second annual Don Rehm Classic presented by Boomtrux.com led an exciting night of action at East Bay Raceway Park that featured six divisions of racing.

For the Top Gun Sprint Series, the Don Rehm Classic gives the teams a chance to take off the wings and do battle at the Clay by the Bay. Entering the contest, which is the final event of the Top Gun Sprints regular season, two-time series champion AJ Maddox led the points by 20 over Keith Butler.

Maddox would get started on the right foot by winning heat race, joining Andrew Griffin and Shane Butler as the trio of drivers who had the shot at the Lee and Jeff Barfield Clean Sweep Award, which offered $600 on this night.

Maddox and Butler would share the second row at the start of the 25-lap main event with Griffin poised on the inside of the third row. At the start, Billy Boyd and Bryan Eckley put themselves in position to have a say in the outcome, but Shane Butler would be running third for the first caution. It wouldn’t take long for Butler to assert himself into the lead on the restart as the race enduring a few early cautions. Maddox made the move to take second the seventh lap, but the leader was hiding among lapped traffic. Butler masterfully worked his way through the field to keep the point until a mid-race caution bunched the front runners again. As the second half began, action again centered on the lead two cars with Maddox pulling a slide job for the lead, only to have Butler take it right back by turn one. The final caution flew on lap 22 when Tim George and Boyd tangled in turn three, setting up a shootout to the finish. The lead changed hands four times in the last two laps and the two raced off turn four to Derek Powell’s checkered flag in a photo finish. It was Butler who claimed the win by the slightest margin, but his second place finish gave Maddox his third series title.

John Inman etched his name in the record books, capturing the opening feature in the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Micro Sprints. Inman took the lead on the third lap of the 15-lap main that ran without a caution flag. Corey Dyal and Larry Rarer took home heat wins.

Street Stock action saw a familiar face in Victory Lane as 2018 division champion John Bradley made the most of his infrequent appearances. Bradley thanked Bud his car owner who wanted to go racing tonight. Bradley grabbed the lead with a masterful outside move on a lap 2 restart and kept Jerry Bruce at bay throughout the remainder of the contest. Bradley and Tim Gay won heat events.

Bruce Harvey slipped past race leader Forrest Gough with two laps remaining to notch a win in Late Model Sportsman main. Gough had taken a heat win and stands in position to claim the division title. Jesse Brown added a heat win.

Raymond Rogers Sr. and Nick Brown took heat wins in the V-8 Warrior class, which saw a number of new competitors. Juston Meeks took the early lead in the feature, but Wayne Kissam assumed command on lap 3. Nick Brown was lurking and made his move to the front on lap 7. George Handy followed through to take second and set up a strong battle to the finish. Brown refused to give up the bottom line, forcing Handy to the high side for a lap 13 pass for the win.

The final feature of the night saw the Studio Red Salon Gladiators put 20 cars on the track for their 15-lap finale. Heat winner Kyle Bowman notched the fifth feature win of the season. The winner was celebrating the win and the birth of a child who arrived on Thanksgiving, giving credit to the crew members who prepared the car for the night while he was attending to being father of a newborn. Bowman was joined by Robert Kissam as heat race winner earlier in the night.

East Bay Raceway Park will be in action next Saturday, Dec. 7. Gagel’s Open Wheel MOdifieds and Late Model Sportsman will wrap up their 2019 campaign with topless action. Also on the schedule are the V-8 Warriors, Dirt’s 4 Racing Street Stocks, Studio Red Salon Gladiators and Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association.

TOP GUN SPRINTS

DON REHM CLASSIC PRESENTED BY BOOMTRUX.COM: Shane Butler (18), AJ Maddox (3A), Andrew Griffin (27), Bryan Eckley (12B), Brandon Grubaugh (G6), Billy Boyd (4), Connor Loeffler (22), DJ Peeples (30), Johnnie Alexander (113), Keith Butler (19), Ryan Bartholomew (G11), Kyle Connery (91), Luke Hill (41), Matt Kurtz (20), Steve Muller (29), Jimmie Miltner (4×4), Tim George (B2), Skeeter Kelley (11), Chris Hahn (2), Garrett Green (82), Cole Nichols (N20), Anthony D’Alessio (17C), Billy Bridges (11B)

Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS MICRO SPRINTS

Feature: John Inman (59x), Chris Livernois Jr. (71), Doug Dyal (97D), Paul Seburn (23), William Burnside (13), Brian Baxter (98), Corey Dyal (00D), Jerod Meyers (7), JoJo Davis (27), Larry Rarer (97Z), Joe Bartow (3)

STREET STOCKS

Feature: John Bradley (57), Nick Hebrank (24), Tim Gay (90), Mike Wilson (89), Matt Bozeman (58), Billy Barstow (56), Paul Davis (10), Henry Burnside (31), Ken Lawrence (38), Doug Johnson (09), Cody Gibson (189), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (B75), Alton Dowling (55). DQ – Jerry Bruce (35)

LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN

Feature: Bruce Harvey (27), Forrest Gough (21), Wallace Peacock (21P), Josh Peacock (14), Jimmy Waldrop (9), Tanner Cobb (03), Roger Crouse (15), Megan Meyer (11M), Jesse Brown (7), Cole Crawford (4), Tim Dowling (12D), T.J. LaFlamboy (4×4), Buck Woodhouse (55)

V-8 WARRIORS

Feature: George Handy (105), Nick Brown (12), Wayne Kissam (07), Kayla Handy (18), Juston Meeks (10M), Raymond Rogers Sr. (10), J.D. Gillette (64), Billy Smith (00), Jason Burnside (12J), Raymond Rogers Jr. (48), Kalen Maynard (2), Gary Lucas (23)

STUDIO RED SALON GLADIATORS

Feature: Kyle Bowman (46k), Rodney Martin (21), Daniel Bowman (46), Patrick Fiore (88), Logan Casteel (7), Thomas Adams (T2), Jeff Smith (15), Robert Zutz (47), Robert Kissam (911), Nick McAllister (97M), Tracy Maynard (62), Alyssa Grant (36g), Patrick Tabb (03), Kever Raulerson (99R), Davey Martin (55), Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Trevor Johnson (05), Derrick Edwards (17), David Zemar (13). DNS – Terry Burke (16)

Racers note: There will be an open practice session on Friday, Nov. 29 from 6 – 9 pm

A chilly night of racing offered eight divisions with an annual special event for the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Sprints contesting the 25-lap Bob & Marge Long Memorial.

A field of 13 charged to start Derek Powell’s green flag to open up the action.  Harley Zimmerman grabbed the early lead, only to lose control in the fourth turn and get sent to the tail. Billy Boyd Jr. inherited the point and began to fight off the forward movement of 2019 feature winner Robbie Smith. The duo traded the front position each lap until Smith gained the spot on lap 8. His time in the lead would be short as Joe Zuczek, who had been battling Andrew Griffin for third in the early stages, made the decisive pass at the halfway mark to sweep past Smith and Boyd for the lead. Griffin followed through for second until a lap 16 spin put him out of contention. Zuczek endured some late race cautions, but managed to keep ahead of Smith. Zimmerman rallied back to nearly make his way to the lead lap and ended up third. Only Zuczek and Smith were on the lead lap when the checkered flew. Smith and Griffin won their heat events.

Keith Nosbisch had to hunt down early race leader Josh Peacock, who had inherited the lead from Jimmy Waldrop, to secure the top spot in the Pro Late Model 30-lap feature. In gaining his eighth feature win, Nosbisch grabbed the lead on the 14^th lap to hold it for good. Travis Varnadore had a good run going and pushed to the rear of the leader, but could not seize the lead. Nosbisch and Adam Boyd had won the heats.

Paul Davis appeared to be on his way for his first East Bay Raceway Park feature event in Street Stock racing when disaster struck. Davis lost control just after taking the white flag, allowing Thomas Pratt to sneak by for the victory. Pratt backed up his earlier heat race win with point leader Matt Bozeman on top in the first preliminary.

A new name graced Victory Lane in Outlaw 4 competition. Eric Knight pestered point leader and race leader Brandon Yates and made the late race pass to roll to his first win after a number of runnerup finishes. Cecil Martin, who experienced mechanical issues in the feature, claimed the heat.

In V-8 Warriors, it appeared Collin Kruse had won his second feature of the year, but the tech man felt otherwise. Kruse was disqualified and George Handy gained his seventh feature victory of 2019. Handy and Nick Brown started their nights with heat race wins.

Robby Hoffmann became the first driver in 2019 to 10 feature wins, continuing his dominance in the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Mini Sprints. Hoffmann, who earlier received his bonus check and trophy for winning the Mini Fall Brawl, was able to take the lead on lap 5 and head out for the win. Hoffmann and Dusty Cates found heat wins.

The Studio Red Salon Gladiators 15-lap feature was run with few cautions and plenty of three-wide racing. With position battles on each lap, there was no shortage of excitement. Ay the head of the field, point leader Logan Casteel and three-time feature winner Kever Raulerson were determined to fight to the finish. Raulerson, who had been dealing with ground issues with the car, causing him to miss a number of races, picked up where he left off and gained his fourth win. Raulerson won his heat as did Kyle Bowman.

Charlie Sanders enjoyed the spoils of a heat race win in the Florida Old Time Modifieds and then backed it up with a win in the feature. Sanders took the early lead, but an early spin put him well behind the pack. Undaunted, Sanders chased down the competitors and made the winning pass on Jamie Frankland to claim his first feature “in a long time”.

The next action at East Bay Raceway Park will be held on Saturday, November 30 with the running of the Don Rehm Classic for non-wing Top Gun Sprints. They will be joined by Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks, V-8 Warriors, Studio Red Salon Gladiators and Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Micro Sprints.

Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SPRINTS

Feature: Joe Zuczek (50), Robbie Smith (6S), Harley Zimmerman (00), Johnny Alexander (113), Nathan Barouch (13), Steven Muller (29), Jeff Bye (26), Billy Boyd Jr. (4), Tim George (B2), Andrew Griffin (32), D.J. Peeples (30), Billy Bridges (11B), Bryan Eckley (12B). DNS – Ed Hill (117H), Dylan Colding (23D), Chris Hahn (2)

PRO LATE MODELS

Feature: Keith Nosbisch (02), Travis Varnadore (95), Tanner Cobb (03T), Jeff Mathews (33), Josh Peacock (9P), Bill Howard (45), Keven Devrieze (99), Jesse Brown (7), Cole Crawford (4), Wallace Peacock (21P), Adam Boyd (6B), Thomas Burnside (13B), John Norris (87), Jason Russell (75R), Jimmy Waldrop (9), Billy Boyd Sr. (3)

STREET STOCKS

Feature: Thomas Pratt (22), Jerod Gay (90), Mike Wilson (89), Jerry Bruce (35), Doug Johnson (09), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (B75), Billy Barstow (56), Henry Burnside (31), Matt Bozeman (58). DNS – Cody Gibson. DQ – Paul Davis (10)

OUTLAW 4S

Feature: Eric Knight (7), Brandon Yates (53), Vernon Hart (48), Mark Moniz (41E), Stephen Hohlbaugh (23s), Bob Fleming (88), Alan Weeks (5), Candice Kealy (D4R), Cecil Martin (15)

V-8 WARRIORS

Feature: George Handy (105), Jason Burnside (12j), Wayne Kissam (07), Gary Lucas (23), Rhett Wilson (17), Kalen Maynard (2), Macey Bozeman (58), Troy Dittebrand (30), Nick Brown (12). DNS – Juston Meeks (10), Mark Pickelsimer (6). DQ – Collin Kruse (92)

Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS MINI SPRINTS

Feature: Robby Hoffmann (66), Jamie Tinkham (51), Steve Diamond (X9), Dusty Cates (6), Kenny Brewer (45), Austin Craddock (17), Brad Sutton (9), Dennis Sanchez (9S), David Hall (67), Jake Salvati (17J), Charles Kalck (22), Zack Amundsen (12), Chris Diamond (9D), Dirk Miller (68), Joseph Davis (7J), Bruce Comer (21). DNS – Russ Heider (86)

STUDIO RED SALON GLADIATORS

Feature: Kever Raulerson (99R), Logan Casteel (7), Alyssa Grant (36G), Bailey Purcell (14), Robert Kissam (911), Daniel Bowman (46), Tracy Maynard (62), Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Thomas Adams (T2), Jeff Smith (15), Davey Martin (55), Bob Zutz (47), Terry Burke (16), Rodney Martin (21), Kyle Bowman (46K), Patrick Tabb (03), Nick McAllister (97M). DNS – Ricky Rutledge Sr. (4), Tyler Davis (1)

UPDATE: THE BOB & MARGE LONG MEMORIAL WILL NOW BE 25 LAPS WITH $1,100 TO THE WINNER; ADDITIONAL MONEY PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY OF BOB AND MARGE LONG

Defending Gagel’s Open Wheel Modified track champion Bryan Bernhardt parked in Victory Lane at the conclusion of the Larry Miller Memorial 50-lap race, but it was not an easy win.

Bernhardt took control at the start of the race, but faced constant challenges from Phillip Cobb and Jeff Mathews through the early green flag laps. The caution first waved when Austin Sanders clipped a barrier and spun, relegating Sanders to the rear of the 15-car field. The yellow flag would appear three more times in the next four laps, giving the leaders a difficult stretch to maintain any advantage over competitors. Cobb and Mathews were both able to sneak past Bernhardt on a lap 13 restart, but the situation was wiped out by a Don Crandall spin, giving Bernhardt his spot back. When the race went green, it was Billy Howard who vaulted from fourth to second, a place he would hold when the caution appeared a lap later.

On the next restart, Mathews would again become the challenger and make a successful pass for the lead on lap 19. It would take Bernhardt just two laps to grab the top spot again, just before another caution showed. By this point, a new challenger emerged and it was Sanders who had to claw his way through the field from the lap 7 incident. Sanders would pull alongside Bernhardt as the pair ran clean throughout a long green flag period. The caution came out on lap 32 when Travis Varnadore had a tire issue. On the restart, Mavrick Varnadore briefly captured second, but the caution flags were not over. Dale Kelley spun with five laps to go and Billy Howard went around with only two laps remaining. The green-white-checker run was all Bernhardt, who fought for control of his car throughout the late stages, but his well-prepared machine was up to the task as he celebrated his sixth feature of 2019.

George Handy joined the “Six Feature Wins” club earlier in the night by capturing the V-8 Warrior main. Handy opened the race on the pole and was able to move away from challengers in short. Jason Burnside won the heat race for the division.

Forrest Gough added his fifth win in seven starts by topping the Late Model Sportsman 15-lap feature. Tanner Cobb added his first heat race win of the year to start the night in a positive direction.

Doug Dyal endured mechanical issues throughout the early part of the season, but he threw the proverbial monkey from his back last week with a win in the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorney Micro Sprints. On this night, he backed up his effort with a wire-to-wire win in the class feature that saw no cautions. Chris Livernois Jr. and Bill Gise, making his first East Bay start in 2019, won the heat races.

Patrick Fiore captured his second feature win in the Studio Red Salon Gladiators action, keeping the car on the bottom of the race track throughout the event. He had his hands full throughout the race by the challenges of Tracy Maynard, but Fiore was not to be denied.

In the Florida Old Time Modified feature, Dan Darnell’s #111 came home victorious, but there was a new driver climbing from the car. Tim Gay, no stranger to Victory Lane in his Street Stock efforts, was able to drive the car on a special night. For this week’s race, the car was powered by an engine that had been built by Tim’s late father Gary. Jamie Frankland claimed the heat race.

Racing action resumes on Nov. 16 with the Bob and Marge Long Memorial for the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Sprints. They will be joined by Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, V-8 Warriors, Outlaw 4s, Studio Red Salon Gladiators, Florida Old Time Modifieds and the Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Wingless Mini-Sprints. The event will also feature recognition for top competitors who took part in the Fall Mini Brawl earlier this year with trophies and awards.

GAGELS’ OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS

Feature: Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Austin Sanders (64), Mavrick Varnadore (4), Jeff Mathews (33), Drew Jackson (08), Shane Burrows (70B), Phillip Cobb (03), Michael Wesselman (418), Travis Varnadore (205), Billy Howard (47), Josh Sanford (3), Dale Kelley (22), Randy Shields (69XL), Don Crandall (9c), Scott Bane (23B)

V-8 WARRIORS

Feature: George Handy (105), Wayne Kissam (07), Juston Meeks (10), Jason Burnside (12j), Kalen Maynard (2), Gary Lucas (23), Jessica Robbins (09), Macy Bozeman (58). DNS – Nick Brown (12)

LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN

Feature: Forrest Gough (21), Todd Alexander (0), Waylon Haynes (11), Tanner Cobb (03T), Scotty Williams (7), Keven Devrieze (99), TJ LaFlamboy (44). DNS – Jim Rowley (25). DQ – Cole Crawford (4)

Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY MICRO SPRINTS

Feature: Doug Dyal (97D), Bill Gise (111), Chris Livernois Jr. (71), Larry Rarer (97Z), William Burnside (13), Paul Seburn (23), Joseph Davis (27), Jerod Meyers (7), Corey Dyal (00D). DNS – Joseph Taylor (29)

STUDIO RED SALON GLADIATORS

Feature: Patrick Fiore (88), Kyle Bowman (46K), Alyssa Grant (36G), Tracy Maynard (62), Logan Casteel (7), Nick McAllister (97M), Thomas Adams (T2), Robert Kissam (911), Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Davey Martin (55), Bob Zutz (47), Danny Bowman (46), Jeff Smith (15), Terry Burke (16), Derrick Edwards (17), Hunter Lovelady (68), Rodney Martin (21), Tyler Davis (1), Chase Seward (20), Trevor Johnson (05)