Nosbisch Claims Scott Thompson Memorial
By Larry Jewett
9/19/09
Sandwiched in the middle of the five divisions Saturday night, the South Shore Auto Sales Late Models brought the crowd to its feet with the running of the “Scott Thompson Memorial.” The 50-lap main saw excitement at every turn.
The race, held in honor of area racer Scott Thompson, tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2006, was originally scheduled in May. The postponement brought 33 cars to the pit area with only 24 spots available.
West Virginia racer Doug Horton caught an airplane ride to be at East Bay for this race. Horton’s heat win and subsequent luck of the draw put him in the pole for the main. Former EBRP feature winner Josh Peacock was stationed at his side. Peacock took the early race lead with Jason Fitzgerald launching into second and hounding Peacock on the outside. Fitzgerald was able to prevail by lap three and held the top spot as the field raced into traffic on lap 8. Jack Nosbisch slipped onto Fitzgerald’s bumper, then darted by for the lead. His advantage was short-lived when Nosbisch spun in turn four with 13 on the scoreboard. Fitzgerald regained the lead for the restart, but faced pressure from Keith Nosbisch. Keith went to the high line and gained the lead by lap 16.
There was no shortage of action deep in the field as Jeff Mathews made the march from the back toward the front. Mathews, the track’s point leader, was seventh at the halfway mark. With 30 laps complete, Horton jumped back into contention to get to second. In short order, he reeled in Nosbisch, grabbing the lead on lap 38. After a restart, Nosbisch needed two laps to gain the front. A restart with six to go saw Horton try to weasel low, breaking the momentum from the field and setting Nosbisch free. Peacock tangled with Mathews over the last few laps with contact on the frontstretch. Keith Nosbisch could not be denied, earning the $3,800 victory. The rest of the top five found Peacock, Horton, Mathews and Jack Nosbisch in position. Peacock, Horton and Jack Nosbisch won preliminaries. Mathews, Doug Watson and Rich Pratt earned starting spots through the B main.
Jeff Mathews added his eighth win of the season in Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds. Mathews used the pole start to prevail in the contest, backing up his heat win. Dale Kelley claimed second while Buzzie Reutimann came from the rear to score third. Tim Gay and Roger Crouse rounded out the top five. John Bradley also won a preliminary.
Buck Skinner was the king of the Street Stocks, gaining his seventh A main. A strong run by James Hook yielded a second place with Ed Hill, point leader Donnie Reed and Buck Woodhouse trailing. Heat winner Matthew Grissom showed early in the main, but fell out when the driveshaft dislodged. Thomas Pratt also scored a heat.
In the Motorstats.com 4-Cylinder Bombers, Raymond Vann backed up his heat win, taking the point from Jim Baker at the mid-point of the race. Mechanical problems for Baker opened the door for Robert Kissam, Curtis Book and Jimmy Odell to move up. Baker held fifth at the finish. Baker and Collin Kruse joined Vann as heat winners.
The Dirt Dauber main was collected by Kyle Kruse.
ASA sanctioned racing resumes at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 6:30pm. The South Shore Auto Sales Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, and Street Stocks will join the motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers, who are contesting a 25-lap main. For more information, call the track office at 813-677-7223 or visit us on the web at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
