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Just A Little Krushansky: ‘Lucky Louie’ Takes $8,000 Final
East Bay Open Wheel Modified Winternationals
DO A LITTLE DANCE: Louie Krushansky celebrates after winning the Open Wheel Modified Winternationals Saturday night at East Bay Raceway Park. (DIRT Motorsports Photo)
GIBSONTON, Fla. — “I thought if we could make a race here at East Bay Raceway Park, I would be so proud,” shouted a truly excited “Lucky Louie” Krushansky after winning the biggest race of his career, the Open Wheel Modified Winternationals worth $8,000 Saturday night at the third-mile dirt track.
Krushansky fought hard to become the ninth different winner of the 75-lap event, which saw seven different lead changes among four drivers. His winning move came on the bottom groove in turn three with just two laps to go when Jared Landers slipped high.
“I had never raced here before and this year, my wife, Barbara, and I were just going to lay on the beach for three days, then race for three days, then go home,” explained the West Virginia native. “But my wife got the flu and couldn’t come and my daughter, Misty, couldn’t get off work, so the guys and I headed here with this two-year-old GRS race car just hoping to make a feature and go home happy.”
Ray Guss, Jr. led the first 29 laps before Jeff Mathews took over. A mandatory fuel-only stop occurred on lap 39 and when racing resumed, Landers dove inside Mathews on lap 44 and led lap 45. Krushansky led for the first time when he passed Landers on lap 57. Swapping the lead again, Landers took charge on the frontstretch, but Krushansky came back to lead the next two laps before Landers moved ahead on the outside in what he thought would be his winning move.
At this point, “Lucky Louie” thought finishing second in his biggest race was going to be OK, but Landers pushed high in turn three coming to complete lap 74 and Krushansky made his winning move.
Randle Sweeney finished third, with Tyler Ivey and Devin Dixon, who started 23rd, filling the top five.
The finish:
Louie Krushansky, Jared Landers, Randle Sweeney, Tyler Ivey, Devin Dixon, Ray Guss, Jr., Jeff Mathews, Darrell Nelson, Roger Crouse, Brady Short, Gary Cook, Jr., Jesse Stovall, Jamie Burrows, Chad Evans, Dale Kelley, Tim Moore, Jeff Bland, Jason Miller, Randy Hall, Denny Schwartz, Dave Cain, Tim Hancock, Justin Meeks, Dave Hess, Jr.