Attention Drivers:  We have Four 55 Gallon drums of Methanol we need to sell.   We are dropping the price of these drums to $200.  If you are interested and would like one or more of these, call Janet at the office.  813-677-7223.

A strong shower arrived just in time for driver’s meeting and washed out the night’s racing action at East Bay Raceway Park.

Track officials will be working with Florida Pro Late Model officials to find a suitable date for the return of the travelling series.

East Bay Raceway Park will be back in action on Saturday August 4 with Q Auto & Injury Sprints, Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks, Gladiators, and Micro Sprints.

Again this week, we are having to say goodbye to one of our racing family, Ray Miller, who passed away on Thursday.  Mr. Ray Miller was the promoter of the National Late Model Series that ran all over the South.  He brought his series to East Bay Raceway Park through the years.  Ray was a such a pleasure to be around and he never missed a chance to find humor in every situation.  He was a very caring person and very passionate about his racing series and the entire racing community.  He will be greatly missed in the racing community.  Ray’s visitation will be held in Fort Valley, Georgia on Monday, July 30^th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.  Our sympathy goes out to his family and also to Todd Hutto and his family, who were very close to Ray.

For three drivers, the Saturday night racing at East Bay Raceway Park brought each of them their third feature victory of the season.

Kevin Strife started the trend with his win in the Micro Sprint main. The current point leader backed up his heat victory by taking the top spot in the 15-lap for the third time. Strife was able to move out front early, but the position battles inside the top five were constantly contested. Steve Diamond was able to hold second until Cliff Evans slipped past on lap 9. Evans gave chase, but could not close the gap as Strife cruised to the win. Mike Meyers, who finished third in the main, won the first heat race.

Brandon Yates notched his third straight Outlaw 4 victory for the 2018 season to steady his point lead in the division. Eric Knight took the early lead with Yates on his tail. Yates slipped to the bottom on lap 6 to grab the lead that he would never relinquish. Three-time feature winner Billy Dukes was able to ease into second place. Yates had started the night with a heat race win.

Billy Boyd Jr. caught and passed 2017 East Bay track champion Justin Webster to secure the lead in the 15-lap Q Auto and Injury Attorney Sprint main. Webster’s bid was hampered by lapped traffic that did not yield and Boyd went to the high side in the first and second turns to find a clear path. It was Boyd’s third triumph of the season. Frank Beck and Joe Zuczek started their nights with preliminary wins.

Thomas Pratt grabbed the early lead from the pole at the start of the Street Stock main and came home victorious, but not without a battle. Two-time feature winner Tim Gay closed in on Pratt, who ran a steady and consistent line to hold off the challenges. Gay and Tim Dowling recorded heat wins.

David Kelley backed up a heat race win with a feature victory in the Florida Old Time Modifieds. Kelley, driving a 1940 Ford, had his hands full with steering issues and the challenge of Dan Darnell, but he was able to park in Victory Lane for the first time this season.

East Bay Raceway Park will be back in action July 28 with Gael’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Late Model Sportsman, Gladiators, V8 Warriors and Mini-Sprints. Summertime starting hours are in effect with hot laps at 7 p.m. and racing action is underway at 7:30 p.m.

Micro Sprints

Kevin Strife (46), Cliff Evans (17), Mike Meyers (7), Bruce Conner (80, Jerod Meyers (0), Steve Diamond (9), Matt Wedgewood (4), Chris Livernois Jr. (71), Joe Bartow (3), William Burnside (13). DNS – Mariah Austin (5), Shannon Austin (60)

Outlaw 4s

Brandon Yates (53), Billy Dukes Jr. (15), Eric Knight (7V), Cecil Martin (15), Nick Hebrank (7), Vernon Hart Jr. (48), Bryan Sykes (23S), Mark Moniz (41e)

Q Auto & Injury Attorney Sprints

Billy Boyd Jr. (4), Justin Webster (21), Joe Zuczek (50), Frank Beck (89), Dylan Colding (23d), Billy Bridges (11B), Nikki Voisey (96), Kyle Connery (91), David Slawiak (96x), Bryan Eckley (12B). DNS – Kurt Taylor (55)

Street Stocks

Thomas Pratt (22), Tim Gay (90), Tommy Hill (1H), John Bradley (57), David Barwick II (89), Robert Tyler (9), Henry Burnside (31), Thomas Braswell (67), Tim Dowling (55), Allen Bailey (51). DNS – Kenny Lawrence

Florida Old Time Modifieds

David Kelley (46), Dan Darnell (111), Roger Herbach (4), Jamie Frankland (1), Lars Amundsen (00), Gonzo Godwin (22G)

Too many times over the last couple of years, East Bay Raceway has had to say goodbye to many drivers, employees and good friends.

It is with a very heavy heart that we say goodbye to our dear friend, Don Rehm! Don has been a part of our family for many years here at East Bay. Not only did he sell sprint tires and run the Top Gun Series that ran here during the year, his shop was on East Bay’s property and he was a daily lunch partner of Al’s.

What has made this even harder is how unexpected it was. It is in times like this that you reflect on those friendships and all the memories and good times that were shared to get you through the grief and pain that you are feeling.

Our hearts go out to Ann, Heather and Jennifer and the rest of the family. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Know that your racing family is feeling this loss with you and we are here for your family!!  Rest in Peace Don!!!

Services will be at Southern Funeral Care in Riverview on Tuesday, July 24^th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Visitation and service to follow.

As of 2 p.m., it was all systems “go” for tonight’s racing at East Bay Raceway Park. See you there!

Several new names were added to the feature winners list for the 2018 season at East Bay Raceway Park as five divisions competed in Saturday night action.
In the Late Model Sportsman main event, Bruce Harvey grabbed the lead on a lap 4 restart to pace the rest of the way in the 15-lap main. Harvey had passed Phillip Cobb to take over second on lap three, setting himself up to make the choice on the Ybor City restart. Harvey chose the low line and outgunned race leader Forrest Gough for the lead. The feature win capped a perfect night as Harvey had won the heat race in the class. It was Harvey’s first feature win of 2018.
Bryan Bernhardt capitalize on a great start at the drop of the green to complete a wire-to-wire win the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds. In grabbing his third feature win of the season, Bernhardt added to his current point lead. Runner-up Austin Sanders closed in the late stages,but could not catch Bernhardt. Phillip Cobb and Bernhardt had won preliminaries.
Nick Brown scored his fourth V8 Warrior main event of the season in convincing fashion. Brown, who started last in a 17-car field, had charged into the top five by the sixth lap. Brown took the lead as the field was coming to complete lap 11, slipping past Collin Kruse. Heat race winner were Scott Bane and Jason Burnside.
John Craddock returned to the cockpit after a five-month absence and didn’t miss a beat in winning the Florida Mini-Sprint Association 15-lapper. The race ran without a caution and Craddock kept the competition at bay throughout. Craddock, who won his heat, fended off an early challenge from fellow heat winner Russ Heider, who slipped back with mechanical issue. A late charge by Robby Hoffman came up a bit short and Craddock parked in Victory Lane.
Ricky Rutledge Jr. went from a victim of misfortune three weeks ago to a feature race winner in the Gladiator competition. Rutledge, who opened the night with a heat race win, started sixth in the feature. Dustin Wilson grabbed the early race lead and had a strong run going. Rutledge, meanwhile’ was making a move to the front. He got a good run off turn two and slipped inside to take the lead. From there, there was no looking back as his first feature win came after weeks of hard work to repair the race car and get it competitive again. Daniel Bowman won his heat, but could not start the feature.
East Bay Raceway Park will return to action on July 21. Summer hours are in effect with hot laps at 7 and racing beginning at 7:30. The July 21 schedule includes the Q Auto & Injury Sprints, Micro Sprints, Street Stocks, Outlaw 4s and Florida Old Time Modifieds.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN
Bruce Harvey (27), Phillip Cobb (03), Forrest Gough (21), Bill Howard Sr. (45), Buck Woodhouse (55), John Bradley (45B), Don Sniff (10), TJ LaFlamboy (44). DNS – Jared Allison (18)
GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Austin Sanders (64), Phillip Cobb (03), Dale Kelley (22), David Pollen Jr. (88), Billy Howard Jr. (47), Roger Crouse (15), Michael Cherry (17C), Pat Passanise (24), John Zuidema Jr. (47Z), Don Crandall (9c)
V8 WARRIORS
Nick Brown (17), Collin Kruse (92), Scott Bane (23B), Tommy Hill (5H), Michael Hart (99), Raymond Vann (32), George Handy (105), Jeff Edgar (98x), Jessica Robbins (09), Jeff Weaver (26), B.J. Feiden (115), Robert Grant (36), Jason Burnside (12J), Kalen Maynard (2), Gary Lucas (23), Nate Whitehurst (07), Alan Smith (67)
FLORIDA MINI SPRINTS
John Craddock (71), Robby Hoffman (66), David Hall (67), Austin Craddock (17), Joe Askew (78j), Adam Barnes (64), Brad Sutton (9), Russ Heider (86), Jamie Tinkham (51). DNS – Dallas Casey (87)
GLADIATORS
Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Bailey Purcell (14), Jeff Smith (15), Patrick Tabb (03), Daniel Casey (3D), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (81), Brittany Hart (81H), Logan Casteel (7), Rick Rutledge Sr. (4), Johnathan Wood (56B), Dustin Wilson (42), Kever Raulerson (99r), Kenneth Rowe (03T), Robert Kissam (911), Wayne Kissam (07). DNS – Daniel Bowman (46) . DQ – Thomas Adams (T2)