Devin Dixon scored the win in the opening night for the UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds at East Bay Raceway Park Thursday. Photo by Mike Horne
The 36th annual Winternationals rolled on at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL Thursday night, as Devin Dixon and Jimmy Willis scored victories and five drivers broke the track record in qualifying.
Night number one for the UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds took to qualifying with 45 cars on hand representing 14 states. The very first car on the track to qualify was Devin Dixon. Modifieds qualify with one lap, and Dixon broke last year’s old track record of 16.692 and set a time of 16.667, becoming group one’s fast qualifier.
In group two, Rodney Wing broke the track record with a 16.527. In group three, Brandon, FL racer Kyle Bronson, the former track record holder, came out and reset the track record with a 16.527. In group four, Shelby Miles cracked the old track record and set fast time for the group with a 16.581. Wayne Hammond set fast time for group five and also cracked the old track record with a 16.576. The final group fast qualifier went to St. Louis, Missouri’s Kenny Wallace with a time of 16.790.
Next were the Team USA Mod Lites. Twenty one cars from nine states were on hand. Three heat races were run and the winners were Landis Musser out of Laurel, DE, Brandon Dennis out of Harrington, DE, and Jimmy Wells out of Felton DE.
The heat races were next for the UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds. Heat race number one went to Bart Hartman with Devin Dixon second. Heat race number two was won by Rodney Wing with Buzzie Reutimann finishing second. Heat race number three went to Kyle Bronson with Shon Flanary coming in second. Heat race four was Brad DeYoung and Dave Baldwin placing second. In heat race number five, the top two were Jeff Mathews and Wayne Hammond. The final heat race went to Kenny Wallace with Curt Myers in the runner-up spot.
Next up was the two B-Mains, which saw top six advance to the A-Main. B-Main number one went to Kevin Adams. Finishing second was Gary Cook, Jr. with Vic Vena, Stanley Donahoo, Nick Allen and Rob Fuqua rounding out the top six. The top six in B-Main number two were Matt Cooper, followed by Brad Neiheiser, Paul Miles, Matt Miller, Bobby Regot, and Shelby Miles.
Jimmy Wills picked up the victory in the Team USA Mod Lites A-Main. Photo by Mike Horne
On track next was the A-Main for the Team USA Mod Lites. It was Landis Musser and Brandon Dennis bringing the field to the green flag. Dennis, out of Harrington, DE, led the field when the first caution came out on lap two for Shawn Sliter spinning in turn four. The green flag waved on the restart and on the back stretch, Jason Musser and Sliter tangled. The outside pole sitter came to rest on the back stretch and had to be pushed off the track, ending his night.
When the green waved once again, Jimmy Wills charged from third place to take the lead in turn one, passing Brandon Dennis on the high side. By lap eight, Wills had gained a straight away lead over second place Dennis. The caution came out again as Brett Crowther from Belchertown, MA came to rest in turn two. Wills was first with Dennis second and Ryan Charland in third.
The restart on lap thirteen saw Wills still in front with Charland still holding down the second spot. Charland charged to the low side trying to gain the lead over Wills. The race would be slowed several more times by caution flags.
With nine laps remaining, Wills continued to lead the field lap after lap until the checkered flag waved, giving Wills the win. Wills suffered a separated shoulder Wednesday night during practice and had to have it worked on.
“My arms are killing me” he said in victory lane. “I had to keep it on the high side to hold it out.” he also exclaimed.
Coming in second was Jeffery Teeters out of Warren, OH and Ryan Charland out of Somers, CT. Doug Williams and Ken Meadows rounded out the top five.
The 25 Lap A-Main for the UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds was next on the track. Former track champion Jeff Mathews, and Brad DeYoung made up the front row for the start. Kenny Wallace and two-time Winternationals Champion Rodney Wing made up row number two.
After the green flag waved, Mathews and DeYoung battled side by side into turn one, but it was Wing who took over the second spot. Kyle Bronson, who has won four out five races so far this year, came to a rest on the front stretch and had to be pushed into the pits. His night would be over.
The field restarted, and on lap four Wallace had moved up to third behind Wing and Mathews. The caution flew again when Neiheiser came to rest on the back stretch.
The green flag waved once again with Mathews over Wing and Wallace with Devon Dixon moving up to the fourth position on lap five.
The caution waved on lap sixteen for Matt Cooper spinning in turn two. Matthew and Wing had been battling side by side for several laps and Mathews held the lead by just .030 over Wing as they crossed the line when the caution came out.
The race resumed on lap sixteen with Wing taking over the lead on lap seventeen putting Mathews back to second with Dixon still in third. Wallace was still holding down the fourth position with Bart Hartman in fifth. The caution came out again as Shelby Miles slowed on the track.
On the restart, Mathews slipped back to fifth while Dixon charged up to the second spot, with Wallace back to third. Lap nineteen brought out another caution as Curt Myers ended up in the gate over in turn one ending his night.
With just six laps to go, Wing and Dixon put on a show like no other. Battling side by side for several laps, Dixon took over the top spot by just a half a car length over Wing on lap twenty one. When the checkered flag waved, it was Devin Dixon out of Apollo Beach, FL picking up the win. Wing was second, Wallace, Hartman and Adams rounded out the top five
“I ran out of tear offs on lap fifteen so I had to wipe my shield clean” Dixon said in victory lane. “It was all about tire choice tonight.”
Dixon’s last visit to victory lane during the Winternationals was in 2006.
ASA Racing continues Friday night with night number two of the UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds as the 36th Annual Winternationals continues with the Team USA Mod Lites. For further information, visit eastbayracewaypark.com.
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
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Race Results
UMP/EBRP Open Wheel Modifieds A–Main
1. Devin Dixon
2. Rodney Wing
3. Kenny Wallace
4. Bart Hartman
5. Kevin Adams
6. Buzzie Reutimann
7. Wayne Hammond
8. Brad DeYoung
9. Stanley Donahoo
10. Shon Flanery
11. Dave Baldwin
12. Gary Cook, Jr.
13. Paul Miles
14. Vic Vena
15. Rob Fuqua
16. Nick Allen
17. Jeff Mathews
18. Matt Miller
19. Bobby Regot
20. Curt Myers
21. Shelby Miles
22. Matt Cooper
23. Todd Neiheiser
24. Kyle Bronson
Team USA Mod Lites A–Main
1. Jimmy Wills
2. Jeff Teeters
3. Ryan Charland
4. Doug Williams
5. Kenny Meadows
6. Brandon Dennis
7. Cody Bova
8. Matt Smith
9. Randy Bryan
10. Johnny Murdock
11. Darin Gallagher
12. Josh May
13. Jacob Bova
14. Kevin McKinney
15. Josh Sliter
16. Brett Crowther
17. Landis Musser
18. James May
19. Jason Musser
20. Shawn Sliter
21. Joel Huggins
