East Bay Raceway Park
Nosbisch tops Franklin to win East Bay opener
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Jack Nosbisch Jr. earned $2,000 for his second career series victory. (neilericmiller.com)
GIBSONTON, Fla. (Feb. 2) — Jack Nosbisch Jr. of Riverview, Fla., won Thursday's NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series 40-lap season opener at East Bay Raceway Park in a blanket finish over Dennis “Rambo” Franklin of Gaffney, S.C.
Nosbisch took the lead from Franklin of lap 29 and began to pull away, but with five laps to go, Franklin caught Nosbisch and went to the inside, as the lead duo raced side-by-side to the checkered flag. Nosbisch was able to hold a .221 second advantage at the checkered flag in the Crate Late Model special. | Video
“That was some fun racing and Franklin raced me clean,” Nosbisch said. “In those last few laps, I heard Franklin underneath me, and I kept trying to close the door on the bottom of the track, so he wouldn’t get a run on me.”
Franklin said he also appreciated the clean race Nosbisch gave him, as he tried to overcome a stumbling carburetor.
“My carburetor was stumbling for most of the race, but we raced clean,” Franklin said, who drove for the AES team. “I think if it wasn’t for the carburetor, we would have had something for him. The track was good all night, as it had a lot of traction at the start of the race and slicked off at the end.”
“The track was great all night long, as we could race up high, down low, and just about any place we wanted to,” Nosbisch said. “This was the first race for us on this new clay, and I think we learned a lot tonight to make us better for tomorrow night and Saturday night.”
Chris Cantrell of Chester, S.C., finished third after topping time trials for the 54-car field. Austin Hubbard of Sanford, Del., took the fourth for AES after starting 18th and Johnny Stokes of Columbus, Miss. was fifth. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, Ga., started 21st and finished sixth to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.
Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., led the first 25 laps and appeared as if he'd check out on the field when his car went up in smoke going into turn one. The track safety crew met Horton's car in turn three to extinguish flames under the car that signaled the end of his race.
Franklin inherited the lead for the restart, but Nosbisch made his winning move four laps later.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to East Bay on Friday with another 40-lap, $2,000-to-win event, and again on Saturday night with a 50-lap, $3,000-to-win show.
Notes: Nosbisch piloted the Buddy's Home Furnishing's Rocket Chassis. ... His previous NeSmith Chevrolet Series victory came at East Bay as well. ... Former series champ David Gentry started fourth and held that spot when he lost his car's power steering belt on the fifth lap. He ended up spinning on lap 33 and finished 11th. ... Eight cautions slowed the action included spins by Mark Tice (lap 11), Mavrick Varnadore (lap 11), Todd Morrow (lap 18), Devin Dixon (lap 29) and William Thomas (lap 32). ... The 54-car field represented 14 different states and one Canadian province. ... There were 15 drivers from Florida. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Steve Mathis Jr., Shane Hitt, Shan Smith, Anthony White, Pierce McCarter, Shannon Reed, John Polasini, Rodney Wing and Greg Roberson.
Winternationals: (1) Jack Nosbisch Jr., (2) Dennis Franklin, (3) Chris Cantrell, (4) Austin Hubbard, (5) Johnny Stokes, (6) Matthew Turner, (7) David Schmauss, (8) Devin Dixon, (9) Phillip Cobb, (10) Larry Harrod, (11) David Gentry, (12) Shannon Lee, (13) Todd Morrow, (14) Doug Watson, (15) Mark Tice, (16) William Thomas, (17) Doug Horton, (18) Walker Arthur, (19) Josh Peacock, (20) Dan Breuer, (21) Mavrick Varnadore, (22) Chase Edge, (23) Bryan Bernhardt, (24) Jim Beeman. Fast qualifier (among 54 cars): Cantrell, 15.865 seconds. Heat race winners: Franklin, Horton, Nosbisch, Gentry. Consolation winners: Thomas, Hubbard. Provisional starters: Lee, Tice.
