East Bay Raceway Park
Jack Nosbisch wins at East Bay after Horton's flat
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model SeriesGIBSONTON, Fla. (Feb. 25) — Polesitter Jack Nosbisch Jr. of Riverview, Fla., packed his bags, turned in the key, and checked out on the field Friday night to capture a 40-lap feature on the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at East Bay Raceway Park. He earned $2,000.
Nosbisch led the final 17 laps to win by a half-track margin over Bryan Bernhardt of Clearwater, Fla., at the third-mile oval.
Nosbisch inherited the lead on lap 24 after Thursday's winner Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., cut down a right-front tire during a caution period and he was forced to pit.
“It looked like Doug had a tire going down before the caution came out because he was starting to push a little in the turns,” Nosbisch said. “I had no idea I had as big a lead as I had at the end of the race. I thought I could hear everyone around me, so I just drove as hard as I could, like I did when I was chasing Doug before he went to the pits.”
The last 16 laps of the race went caution-free, and Nosbisch checked out on Bernhardt with a nine-second margin of victory. Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, Fla., was third followed by Dan Breuer of Troutman, N.C., and 17th-starting Phillip Cobb of Apollo Beach, Fla.
Horton, who led the first 23 laps and returned to the track after changing his flat tire, ended up 16th with the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck award.
The three-race stretch of Crate Late Model racing action continues Saturday with a $3,000-to-win event.
NeSmith @ East Bay: (1) Jack Nosbisch Jr., (2) Bryan Bernhardt, (3) Keith Nosbisch, (4) Dan Breuer, (5) Phillip Cobb, (6) Chase Edge, (7) Shan Smith, (8) David Gentry, (9) David Schmauss, (10) Chip Brindle, (11) Matthew Turner, (12) Travis Varnadore, (13) Eric Cooley, (14) Mark Tice, (15) Frank Wilson, (16) Doug Horton, (17) Johnny Stokes, (18) Steve Mathis, (19) Greg Robertson, (20) Shannon Lee, (21) Credence Mott, (22) Larry Harrod, (23) Doug Watson, (24) Michael Blount. Fast qualifier (among 46 cars): Edge, 16.323 seconds. Heat race winners: J. Nosbisch, Horton, K. Nosbisch, Bernhardt. Consolation winners: Cobb, Wilson. Provisional starters: Lee, Blount.
