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Steve Shaver Shows the Way in Winning $10,000 at East Bay in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Action

TAMPA, FL (February 9, 2007)-Steve Shaver of Vienna, WV waited patiently through several caution flags as he withstood the challenges of three different drivers as he captured the 40 lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series main event on Friday Night at East Bay Raceway during the 31st Annual East Bay Winternationals.

Shaver’s third career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series came aboard the Cosgrove Racing/Ludicrous Hardcore Energy Drink/Waco Oil and Gas Company/Drywall Systems, Inc/United-West Virginia’s Bank/Sunoco Race Fuels/Panther Motorsports Designs/Penske Racing Shocks/Lakeview Estates/Malcuit Racing Engines/Rocket GTO. Shaver earned $10,000 for the win which was his fifth ever at East Bay. Josh Richards of Shinnston, WV made a valiant last lap effort to overhaul Shaver, but fell one car length short at the finish. Richards the Seubert Calf Ranches/Cornett Racing Engines/Rocket Monte Carlo was second with Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, MI taking third in the Bayline Fire Protection/Cornett Engines/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. Completing the top five were Terry English of Benton, KY in the Petroff Towing/Rayburn Automotive/C.J. Rayburn Race Cars Monte Carlo and Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR in the Car City/Pro Power/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. A total of 96 cars were on hand for the fifth night of the DART Winternationals at East Bay.

Shaver and VanWormer would led the field for the green for the 50 lap event which got off to less than auspicious start with a caution flying immediately for a wreck in turn two. After a lap was scored with Shaver leading the race there were four straight cautions for pileups on the track which damaged several cars. Shaver was still in front on the third scored lap when the fifth caution flew for a stalled Wendell Wallace. The race would go green for another lap and as soon as another lap was scored the yellow came out again for Dan Schlieper.

Then two more cautions on the restarts had Shaver waiting patiently for the restart as he still held the point with Terry English, VanWormer, Josh Richards and Scott James the top five cars. Finally with ten laps in the books and some crinkled sheet metal later the drivers were able to get more than one lap in the books as for the first time all race long there were two consecutive green flag laps. With the difficulty to get the race going in the early stages, the last fourth of the race was a terrific battle for the lead among three drivers.

With Shaver leading VanWormer would scoot by him on lap 14 to take over the lead for the first time in the race. VanWormer would lead three laps until Shaver retook the point on lap 17. Shaver and VanWormer were putting on a spectacular race for the lead as English was now in the hunt as the cars took the crossed flags at the halfway mark of the race. English would grab second from VanWormer on lap 28 as VanWormer slid down the track in turn two losing a spot. English would then mount a challenge for the lead on Shaver.

English pulled even with Shaver in the battle for the lead with Shaver holding him off. With ten laps to go Shaver was up to a five car length lead over English and VanWormer with Richards on the move in the waning laps. Richards would take third from VanWormer on lap 41 and with nine laps to go he started to close on English for second. Richards would pass English for second on lap 46 and then set sail after the race leader, Shaver.

Shaver in the closing laps would have Richards close right on his spoiler and as the two exited turn four headed to the checkered flag Shaver would outrace Richards and beat the teenager one car length for the win becoming the fifth different driver to win at East Bay in five nights of racing this week. VanWormer was third with English and Billy Moyer completing the top five.

“I want to dedicate this win to my good friend, Ben Garland in California who is in a coma.” “I picked up a horrible push and we were able to hang on for the win,” said Shaver afterwards.

Finishing out the top ten were Scott James, Donnie Moran, Matt Miller, Don O’Neal, and Dan Schlieper.

In preliminary action Shannon Babb was the LifeLong Locks Fast Time Award Winner as he set a fast lap of 14.650 seconds. The Hawk Brake and Quarter Master sponsored heat races were won by Tim Dohm, Jeep VanWormer, Terry English, Scott James, Wendell Wallace, Steve Shaver, Dan Schlieper and Earl Pearson, Jr. and the Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno and Penske Shocks sponsored B-mains were taken by Josh Richards, Brady Smith, Michael England and Don O’Neal. The Performance Rod and Custom Strawberry Dash was won by Eddie Carrier, Jr.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series quickly returns to action at East Bay Raceway on Saturday night, February 10th with a complete show of LifeLong Locks Time Trials, Hawk Brake and Quarter Master sponsored Heat races, Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno and Penske Shocks sponsored B-Mains Performance Rod and Custom Strawberry Dash and the $10,000 to win A-Main. Catch all of the action of the 31st Annual East Bay Winternationals live on the internet all week long at www.racetalklive.com.

Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park-Tampa, FL
Friday, February 9, 2007

LifeLong Locks Fast Time: Shannon Babb- 14.650

Hawk Brake First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Tim Dohm, Terry Casey, Josh Richards, Chris Hackett, Victor Lee, Anthony White, Dan Stone, Bob Geiger, Mark Andersen, Joe Ramey, Shannon Babb, (DNS- Jackie Boggs)

Hawk Brake Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Jeep VanWormer, Dennis Erb Jr., Mike Marlar, Billy Drake, Matt Miller, Adam Hensel, Freddy Smith, Dean Carpenter, Jeff Fortner, Jeff Gress, Jordan Bland, Jason Riggs

Quarter Master Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Terry English, Shane Clanton, Brady Smith, Chuck Harper, DJ Wells, Bryan Collins, John Mason, Ivedent Lloyd, Ches-ley Dixon, Greg Johnson, Matt Hubbard, (DNS-John Kellum)

Quarter Master Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Scott James, Billy Moyer, Rick Aukland, Darren Miller, Gerald Davis, Randy Korte, Damon Eller, Doug Horton, Eric Wells, Sherri Heckenast, Brian Birkhofer, Jason McBride

Hawk Brake Fifth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Wendell Wallace, Scott Bloomquist, Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith, Vic Coffey, Garrett Durrett, Marshall Austin, Ron DeHaven, Billy Decker, Kevin Cole, Shawn Reed, Bub McCool

Hawk Brake Sixth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Steve Shaver, Ricky Arms, Michael England, Mike Mataragas, Davey Johnson, Jeff Beyers, Tim Manville, Rich Hedrick, Craig Scott, Eric Jacobsen, Don Mihelich, Brian Nuttall

Quarter Master Seventh Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Dan Schlieper, Darrell Lanigan, Jimmy Mars, Steve Francis, Justin Rattliff, Ray Cook, John Blankenship, Wayne Chinn, Rick Rogers, Corey Conley, Tommy Bailey, Rick Eckert

Quarter Master Eighth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Tim Fuller, Don O’Neal, Steve Casebolt, Eddie Carrier Jr., Donnie Moran, Josh McGuire, Christian Rayburn, CJ Rayburn, Brad Neat, James Prather, (DNS-Joe Denby)

Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Josh Richards, Matt Miller, Mike Marlar, Victor Lee, Dean Carpenter, Chris Hackett, Mark Andersen, Bob Geiger, Joe Ramey, Billy Drake, Anthony White, Jeff Fortner, Daniel Stone, Jordan Bland, Jason Riggs, Adam Hensel, Freddy Smith, (DNS-Jeff Gress, Shannon Babb, Jackie Boggs)

Penske Shocks Second B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Brady Smith, Chuck Harper, Rick Aukland, DJ Wells, Randy Korte, Damon Eller, Ivedent Lloyd, John Mason, Darren Miller, Ches-ley Dixon, Doug Horton, Greg Johnson, Eric Wells, Gerald Davis, Sherri Heckenast, Matt Hubbard, Jason McBride, Bryan Collins, (DNS-Brian Birkhofer, John Kellum)

Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno Third B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Michael England, Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith, Vic Coffey, Marshall Austin, Tim Manville, Billy Decker, Richard Hedrick, Mike Mataragas, Craig Scott, Eric Jacobsen, Shawn Reed, Garrett Durrett, Kevin Cole, Jeff Beyers, Davey Johnson, Bub McCool, (DNS-Ronnie DeHaven, Don Mihelich, Brian Nuttall)

Penske Shocks Fourth B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Don O’Neal, Jimmy Mars, Steve Francis, John Blankenship, Rick Eckert, Justin Rattliff, Josh McGuire, Ray Cook, Brad Neat, Steve Casebolt, Corey Conley, Rick Rogers, CJ Rayburn, Christian Rayburn, Eddie Carrier Jr., James Prather, Tommy Bailey, Donnie Moran, Wayne Chinn, (DNS-Joe Denby)

PRC Strawberry Dash: (6 Laps- 1 Advances): Eddie Carrier Jr., Ches-ley Dixon, Jeff Beyers, Eric Wells, Tommy Bailey, Josh McGuire Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Donnie Moran, Steve Casebolt

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Feature Finish: (50 laps): Steve Shaver, Josh Richards, Jeep VanWormer, Terry English, Billy Moyer, Scott James, Donnie Moran, Matt Miller, Don O’Neal, Dan Schlieper, Jimmy Mars, Darrell Lanigan, Jeff Fuller, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tim Dohm, Dennis Erb Jr., Shane Clanton, Steve Casebolt, Wendell Wallace, Earl Pearson Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Chuck Harper, Michael England, Terry Casey, Ricky Arms, Brady Smith, Tim McCreadie

Race Statistics
Entries: 96
Yellow Flags: 11
Red Flags: 1
Lap Leaders: Steve Shaver 1-13, Jeep VanWormer 14- 15, Steve Shaver 16-50
Edelbrock Hard Charger Award: Donnie Moran (Started 25th and Finished 7th-Advanced 18 Positions)
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Josh Richards
K&N Filters Clean Pass Award: Steve Shaver
Comp Cams Rookie of the Race: Ricky Arms

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