James Hook First Time Winner in Street Stocks

By Jason Loughren

10/17/09

 The first sign of autumn brought cooler temperatures to East Bay Raceway Park Saturday night.  Fortunately for the fans the racing on the track was as hot as ever as around 100 cars took to the track for a full night of racing action.

 The Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds hit the track first for their 15-lap feature event.  Jeff Mathews started on the front row and wasted no time in taking the lead.  Mathews won the race in convincing fashion. It was his 10th win of the season in the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modified class. Austin Sanders started 7^th and finished 2^nd.  Brian Hollifield finished 3^rd.  Bobby Dixon and Shane Burrows rounded out the top-5.  Mathews and Tim Gay won the heats.

 In the Street Stocks 14 cars were on the track for the 15-lap feature event.  Donnie Reed is the points leader and Buck Skinner has the most feature wins with 8 in the class this season.  Skinner and Reed were battling for position in the early laps when the Reed vehicle spun collecting Skinner.  They were forced to the back of the field turning the lead over to James Hook.  Once in the lead Hook survived numerous restarts and a late challenge from Donnie Reed to capture his first win of the season.  Hook has been close to a victory numerous times this season and was excited to celebrate with family and friends in victory lane.  He stated that he was just trying not to spin out.   Reed finished 2^nd.  Thomas Pratt finished 3^rd after a strong run.  Buck Skinner battled back to a 4^th place finish.  Tim Spencer, Sr. completed the top 10.  Spencer and Reed were victorious in the heat races. 

 The Q Auto and Injury Attorneys Limited Late Models were in action again with their 15-lap feature event.  John Bradley added to his victory total with his class leading 6^th victory of the season.  He held of the challenge of a very hungry JR Prather, Jr who was looking for his first win of the season. Prather, Jr. finished 2^nd.  Roger Crouse ran strong and battled for the lead early coming home with a 3^rd place finish.  Tim Gay and Alex Boerner both regulars in the top 5 this year finished 4^th and 5^th respectively.  Bradley and Crouse won the heat races.

 The South Shore Auto Sales Late Models 25-lap feature event saw 24 cars take the green flag at the start of the race.  The race should have been called the “Jeff Mathews Show” as Mathews started 3^rd and quickly launched his vehicle to the lead. Once in the lead all Mathews had to worry about was the lap traffic.  Mathews took the win, which was his 7^th in this class of the season.  In total Mathews has won 17 feature events this season in two different classes at East Bay.  Travis Varnadore ran in the top-5 all night long and finished 2^nd.  Doug Watson finished 3^rd.   Philip Cobb battled to a 4^th place finish.  Mark Haase rounded out the top-5.  Haase, Travis Varnadore and Mathews were victorious in the heats.

 In the Outlaw 4’s Brian Danforth notched his second win of the season after a late lap pass on Billy Howard.  Matthew Haynes was leading early and spun causing him to go to the rear of the field.  Howard finished 2^nd.  Cecil Martin picked up his 2^nd top-5 of the season with his 3^rd place finish. Travis Staats and Michael Gulvin rounded out the top-5.  Martin and Dan Chambers won the heat events.

 Thomas Nelson drove to victory in the Fan Participation Race.

 ASA sanctioned racing resumes at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday,October 24th, 2009 at 6:30pm. The South Shore Auto Sales Late Models,East Bay Sprints, Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Limited Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheeled Modifieds, Outlaw 4s and Motorstats.com 4 cylinder bombers will all be in action.  For more information, call the track office at 813-677-7223.