GIBSONTON, Fla. (Feb. 13) — In posting his record sixth multiple-victory week at the Winternationals, Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., raced from his pole position to a 25-lap victory in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series action at East Bay Raceway Park.
Moyer’s 25th Winternationals victory and second of the week paid $5,000 in a makeup race from Monday’s rainout and made up a little bit for his 11th-place performance in a richer racer earlier in the night won by Eddie Carrier Jr.
“We missed it big time in the big race there and just had to redeem ourselves,” said Moyer, who also won Thursday at the third-mile oval. “There’s just so many going on under these cars nowadays, we was just off on something a little bit, and we changed it for that heat race, and man, it was like I got a different car out.
“I kind of knew we was going in the right direction, differently than what we’ve been all week here.”
Moyer went plenty to fast to keep his challengers behind him on a one-grooved track. Runner-up Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., fell a straightaway behind early, but stuck with Moyer through the middle of the race before fading late and finishing just ahead of the winner’s son, Billy Moyer Jr. Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, and Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., rounded out the top five.
Sheppard scored his fifth top-five finish of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks, but remained winless during the February special events.
“Congrats to Billy, he’s Billy Moyer, what else should I say, you know?” Sheppard said. “We had a really good car and we’re just going to keep working hard and keep plugging away and hopefully get some wins.”
The younger Moyer did what he could for a 1-2 finish for the father-and-son combo from Arkansas, but couldn’t find a way past Sheppard.
“I was trying. Me and Brandon are pretty good friends, so I don’t want to go in there and rub on him much,” Moyer said. “If it would’ve been for the World 100 on the last lap, I might’ve rubbed on him a little bit, but I’m not going to do that to him here.
“Good job to my Dad. His record speaks for itself, Mr. East Bay, I guess. I’m just glad to finally get a podium here. I think we ran fourth once last year, but it’s great.”
The feature was slowed by two cautions, neither for serious incidents.
Allen Murray spun exiting turn two on the fourth lap while the fifth-running Ricky Weiss spun between turns one and two on the eighth lap.
Notes: Moyer’s other multiple-victory seasons at East Bay came in 1986, ’90, ’91, 2008, and ’14. … Don O’Neal is second on that list with four multiple-victory seasons at the Winternationals. … Eighteen of 26 starters completed 25 laps.
Correction: Fixes date of Moyer's previous Winternationals victory.
Preliminary results:
Mid-event notes
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., who didn’t compete in the makeup event, was tended to by paramedics in the pits after the opening feature. His left hand was injured when it got caught in the steering wheel when he made contact with Doug Blashe’s slower car. He complained of pain to the thumb and ring finger on his left hand. … Wendell Wallace and Jim O'Hara are provisional starters (O'Hara via a draw in lieu of the DirtonDirt.com Strawberry Dash). ... At least four drivers made their first East Bay feature lineup in the nightcap: Dustin Mitchell, Nick Davis, Jim O’Hara and Mark Dotson. … East Bay goes back to its regularly scheduled finale on Saturday with hot laps scheduled for 6 p.m.
Consolation race
Finish (top four transfer): Davey Johnson, Terry English, Mark Dotson, Nick Davis, Doug Blashe, Jim O'Hara, Wendell Wallace, Gregg Hill. Scratched: Jason Papich
Consolation race lineup
(10 laps; top four transfer)
Row 1: Davey Johnson, Mark Dotson
Row 2: Wendell Wallace, Doug Blashe
Row 3: Terry English, Gregg Hill
Row 4: Jim O'Hara, Nick Davis
Row 5: Jason Papich
Fourth heat
Gregg Satterlee slipped up a bit in turns one and two on the first lap, but he settled down and cruised to a 10-lap victory. Dan Stone finished second while Jonathan Davenport took third from Allen Murray on the seventh lap. Murray and Mike Benedum were the final transferrees. The first caution of the four heat races appeared on the fifth lap when Nick Davis spun exiting turn two. Two more yellows appeared, including for Doug Blashe's turn-one spin.
Finish (top five transfer): Gregg Satterlee, Dan Stone, Jonathan Davenport, Allen Murray, Mike Benedum, Doug Blashe, Nick Davis, Jason Papich.
Third heat
Polesitter Brandon Sheppard cruised to an easy victory in the third heat with Freddie Carpenter running second and Tim Dohm third. Also transferring were Chad Hollenbeck and Bobby Pierce as drivers were restricted to running the low groove.
Finish (top five transfer): Brandon Sheppard, Freddie Carpenter, Tim Dohm, Chad Hollenbeck, Bobby Pierce, Mark Dotson, Gregg Hill. Scratched: Jimmy Owens, Dan Schlieper.
Second heat
Billy Moyer Jr. followed up his father's heat race victory with a win of his own, winning from the pole position. Third-starting Ricky Weiss pressured Moyer early before slipping back on the third lap, but Weiss held on to finish second. Jared Landers got third with Dustin Mitchell fourth to transfer to his first feature of the week. Mason Zeigler, an unexpected entrant, finished just behind Mitchell in the final transfer spot.
Finish (top five transfer): Billy Moyer Jr., Ricky Weiss, Jared Landers, Dustin Mitchell, Mason Zeigler, Wendell Wallace. Scratched: Scott Bloomquist, Eddie Carrier Jr.
First heat
Billy Moyer stretched his lead from outside the front row and raced to a 10-lap victory. Devin Moran got second, holding off Stormy Scott while Kyle Bronson got the final transfer spot. Polesitter Dennis Erb Jr. couldn't stay in contention and ended up fifth in the caution-free prelim, getting the final transfer spot.
Finish (top five transfer): Billy Moyer, Devin Moran, Stormy Scott, Kyle Bronson, Dennis Erb Jr., Davey Johnson, Terry English, Jim O'Hara.
Pre-race setup
Friday's nightcap is a $5,000-to-win non-point Lucas Oil Series event, a makeup of Monday's rainout. Thirty-one drivers qualified Thursday to set lineups for four heat races. The program will be made up heat races, consolations and 25-lap main event.
Heat race lineups
(10 laps; top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Dennis Erb Jr., Billy Moyer
Row 2: Devin Moran, Kyle Bronson
Row 3: Stormy Scott, Davey Johnson
Row 4: Terry English, Jim O’Hara
Second heat
Row 1: Billy Moyer Jr., Jared Landers
Row 2: Ricky Weiss, Wendell Wallace
Row 3: Scott Bloomquist, Eddie Carrier Jr.
Row 4: Dustin Mitchell
Third heat
Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Jimmy Owens, Tim Dohm
Row 3: Freddie Carpenter, Dan Schlieper
Row 4: Chad Hollenbeck, Gregg Hill
Fourth heat
Row 1: Gregg Satterlee, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Dan Stone, Allen Murray
Row 3: Mike Benedum, Jason Papich
Row 4: Nick Davis, Doug Blashe
Time trials (unofficial)
First round
Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.983
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 16.033
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 16.149
Jared Landers (777), Batesville, Ark., 16.150
Devin Moran (99m), Dresden, Ohio, 16.187
Ricky Weiss (7), Headingly, Manitoba, 16.272
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.293
Wendell Wallace (77), Batesville, Ark., 16.341
Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.374
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 16.541
Davey Johnson (1j), Latrobe, Pa., 16.626
Eddie Carrier Jr. (28), Salt Rock, W.Va., 16.671
Terry English (96), Benton, Ky., 16.694
Dustin Mitchell (D8), Pine Level, N.C., 16.695
Jim O’Hara (44j), Moscow, Pa., 16.981
Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., no time
Chris Brown (21), Spring, Texas, no time
Earl Pearson Jr. (1), Jacksonville, Fla., no time
Second round
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.984
Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 15.995
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 16.016
Jonathan Davenport (6), Blairsville, Ga., 16.147
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.238
Dan Stone (21D), Thompson, Pa., 16.262
Tim Dohm (6T), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 16.281
Allen Murray (2), San Antonio, Texas, 16.368
Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.395
Mike Benedum (25), Bristol, W.Va., 16.396
Dan Schlieper (s9), Oak Creek, Wis., 16.426
Jason Papich (91p), Nipomo, Calif., 16.544
Chad Hollenbeck (4DS), Kingsley, Pa., 16.677
Nick Davis (92), Gumboro, Del., 16.710
Gregg Hill (8), Eveleth, Minn., 16.881
Doug Blashe (1), Marion, Wis., 16.942
Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., no time
Kenny Pettyjohn (38), Millsboro, Del., no time
