East Bay Raceway Park
Korte wins at East Bay as Collins grabs crown
From series reports
GIBSONTON, Fla. (Nov. 8) — Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., held off Marshall Austin Jr. of Plant City, Fla., at East Bay Raceway Park for a $5,000 victory in an event co-sanctioned by the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series and National Late Model Series.
While Korte celebrated his payday fifth-place finisher Johnny Collins of Jacksonville, Fla., celebrated his championship on the first-year UDLMCS with free-flowing champagne. Collins maintained his edge on Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla. to secure the title.
Austin finished second in the 60-lapper while Doug Horton finished third. Shan Smith of Dade City, Fla., rallied from the tail of the 24-car field to finish fourth while Collins was fifth. Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, Fla., going for his second straight UDLMCS victory, faded late in the race to finish seventh.
Notes: Johnny Collins topped UDLMCS standings with 3,580 points to top Mark Whitener (3,450), Shan Smith (3,400), Keith Nosbisch (3,370) and Roger Crouse (2,810). ... Crouse was out of the No. 32 car he normally drives with Phillip Cobb taking the seat in that car. Crouse drove as a teammate to Jeff Mathews. ... While Collins wrapped up the UDLMCS championship, Josh Peacock of Dover, Fla., collected Rookie of the Year honors. He finished 17th. ... Shan Smith elected to start in the rear of the field to get a shot at a $3,000 bonus for winning from the tail. He reached his fourth finishing spot by the 40th lap and while he missed the bonus, he picked up the Central Mobile Homes Hard Charger Award. ... While the UDLMCS season is over, NLMS competitors have an Oct. 15 event at Golden Isles Speedway near Brunswick, Ga., and a $10,000-to-win event on Nov. 28-29 at Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
UDLMCS-NLMS @ East Bay: (1) Randy Korte, (2) Marshall Austin Jr., (3) Doug Horton, (4) Shan Smith (5) Johnny Collins, (6) Russell Brown Jr., (7) Keith Nosbisch, (8) Mark Whitener, (9) Clay Bedenbaugh, (10) Tyler Ivey, (11) Brandon Cameron, (12) Patrick Williams, (13) Wallace Peacock, (14) Travis Varnadore, (15) Phillip Cobb, (16) Darrell Padgett, (17) Josh Peacock, (18) Bo Allen, (19) Carlton Jackson, (20) Adam Bedenbaugh, (21) Bryan Bernhardt, (22) Jack Nosbisch Jr., (23) David Clegg, (24) Roger Crouse. Fast qualifier (among 46 cars): Ivey. Consolation race winners: J. Nosbisch, Horton, Clegg.
