Thursday

GIBSONTON, Fla. — “I watched all the races before I went out and figured the best way to win this thing was to be smooth and stay on the bottom,” said first-time East Bay Open Wheel Modified Winternationals winner Randle Sweeney.
The UMP Southern regional champion chalked up 21 wins in ’07 before finally getting his turn in victory lane Thursday, collecting $1,500 on opening night of his third time to the East Bay Winternationals.
Competition showed up from 20 states with 93 taking part in the program.
Devin Dixon led from the start on the third-mile dirt track, but Sweeney moved to the lead on lap seven.
“Dixon pushed a little and I was right there to take advantage of it,” Sweeney said. “Usually, they call me a ‘wall knocker,’ but not tonight.”  
Sweeney led the remainder of the 25-lap race, beating Tyler Ivey to the checkered flag by two car lengths. Dixon, Jeff Mathews and Jamie Burrows rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Randle Sweeney, Tyler Ivey, Devin Dixon, Jeff Mathews, Jamie Burrows, Roger Crouse, Tommy Seets, Jr., Jared Landers, Eric Bruce, Dave Cain, Kent Robinson, Louie Krushansky, Mike Wedelstadt, Chad Evans, Tim Hancock, Ray Guss, Jr., Joey Jensen, Charles Patrick, Jeff Leka, Perry Brown, Terry McClintock, Darrell Nelson, Dave Groves, Kenny Johnson.

Friday

GIBSONTON, Fla. — Bringing a brand new RC house car to the East Bay Raceway Park Winternationals is challenging. Just ask defending Open Wheel Modified Winternationals Champion Ray Guss, Jr.
Guss pulled off a victory in the final preliminary race Friday, but not without trials and tribulations on the previous night.
“We were concerned about the push we had on Thursday and struggled with minor adjustments all night on our A-1 shocks, springs and the pole bar. Last year, after we won here in our RC car, we went home and sold it immediately. Now here we are again trying to make a winner out of this one,” he explained.
Guss was determined to stay on the bottom of the track and made it work, by leading every lap from the pole. Four yellow flags for minor incidents kept the competition close, but his new Custom Race Engine performed flawlessly. Robert Crump who owns RC Race Cars in Peoria, Ill., finished the car in time for the crew, Joe Nelter, Robert Compton and Bobby Johnson to load up and head for Florida.
Jared Landers tried in vain to get under Guss, but couldn’t make it work with Guss having a margin of victory of .290 second at the finish. Jesse Stovall was third, ahead of Louie Krushansky and Dave Hess, Jr.
The finish:
Ray Guss, Jr., Jared Landers, Jesse Stovall, Louie Krushansky, Dave Hess, Jr., Mark Noble, Mike Harrison, Randy Hall, Tyler Ivey, Rick Auckland, Joey Jensen, Eric Bruce, Gary Cook, Jr., Darrell Nelson, Tim Moore, Roger Crouse, Rich Michael, Brady Short, Randle Sweeney, Justin Meeks, Scott Drake, Tim Hancock, Dakotah Stephens, Rich Robinson, Jr.