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English Sails to Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series East Bay Winternationals Win

TAMPA, FL (February 9, 2005)- Terry English of Benton, KY won his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Wednesday Night, February 9 at the East Bay Raceway Park during the running of the 29th Annual Winternationals. The 42 year old driver won an exciting dash to the finish in beating out fellow Bluegrass State driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY. English earned $5000 for his first ever win at East Bay driving the C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Rayburn Automotive, Arizona Sport Shirts, GB Graphics and Hoosier Racing Tires sponsored number 96. Francis finished second in his Valvoline/Gary Stanton Racing Engines/Rocket Dodge Intrepid for the second time during the Winternationals. Third place went to New London, WI native, Terry Casey who drove an impressive race in the Seubert Calf Ranches/Pro Craft Engines/Rocket Grand Prix. Fourth place was Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN piloting the A-1 Auto Salvage/Jay Dickens Race Engines/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo and finishing fifth was Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI behind the wheel of the Miller Brother Coal/Pro Power/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. A total of 111 race cars from 23 states entered the night's racing activities.

English started second and quickly took the lead at the start of the 30 lap main event followed by the pole sitter, Schlieper and Francis. Francis went around Schlieper for second on the fourth circuit with Dennis Erb, Jr. coming along with him. Davey Johnson was running a solid fifth until he unfortunately brought out the first caution of the race with a spin in turn number three on lap 12. When the field was reset it was English still showing the way with Francis in second by Schlieper, Tim McCreadie and Erb. Shannon Babb would be the first car out of the race exiting the event on the 15th lap. The race for the lead was starting to get real exciting with English and Francis duking it out for the point. Francis tried every conceivable line to pass English but the battle would intensify after a lap 19 caution flag for Steve Shaver, who made contact with the frontstretch wall. After the caution, the restart would see Francis get by English for the lead and opened up a brief two car length lead, but English cut that down in a hurry and he would then a make a move on the inside of Francis on lap 23 to retake the point. From then on English would maintain the point even though Francis would make one last attempt to get by him in closing laps. English held on for a two car length victory becoming the third different winner in the first three races during the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Series 29th Annual Winternationals at East Bay.

Completing the top ten in Wednesday's action was Jimmy Mars, Dennis Erb, Jr., Scott James, Rick Eckert and Billy Moyer.

In preliminary events Earl Pearson, Jr. was the quick timer at 14.828 seconds. The heat race winners were Francis, Jeff Choquette, Erb, Tim McCreadie, Brady Smith, Schlieper, English, R.J. Conley and Davey Johnson. The first consy went to Moyer, the second B-Main was won by Donnie Moran. The other two B-Main who transferred to the main event were Rick Aukland and Scott James.

Action continues on Thursday Night with a $7000 to win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.

Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Wednesday Night, February 9, 2005
East Bay Raceway Park

Entries: 111

Fast Time: Earl Pearson, Jr 14.828

First Heat: 1) Steve Francis 2) Jimmy Mars 3) Earl Pearson, Jr. 4) Steve Hillard

Fuels Second Heat: 1) Jeff Choquette 2) Rick Eckert 3) Donnie Moran 4) Steve Lucas

Third Heat: 1) Dennis Erb, Jr. 2) Darren Miller 3) Shane Tankersley 4) Brian Shirley

Fourth Heat: 1) Tim McCreadie 2) Shannon Babb 3) Billy Drake 4) Shane Clanton

Fifth Heat: 1) Brady Smith 2) Jason Montgomery 3) Billy Moyer 4) Bo Feathers

Sixth Heat: 1) Dan Schlieper 2) Terry Casey 3) Mark Voigt 4) Rohn Moon

Seventh Heat: 1) Terry English 2) Ray Cook 3) Freddy Smith 4) John VanDenBerg

Eighth Heat: 1) R.J. Conley 2) Steve Shaver 3) Rick Aukland 4) Dan Stone

Ninth Heat: 1) Davey Johnson 2) Don O'Neal 3) Scott James 4) Jackie Boggs

First B-Main: 1) Billy Moyer 2) Earl Pearson, Jr. 3) Shane Clanton 4) Shane Tankersley

Second B-Main: 1) Donnie Moran 2) Billy Drake 3) Brian Birkhofer 4) Steve Hillard

Third B-Main: 1) Rick Aukland 2) Rohn Moon 3) Rod Conley 4) John Mason

Fourth B-Main: 1) Scott James 2) Freddy Smith 3) Ken Schrader 4) Matt Hubbard

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series A-Main (30 Laps): 1) Terry English 2) Steve Francis 3) Terry Casey 4) Don O'Neal 5) Dan Schlieper 6) Jimmy Mars 7) Dennis Erb, Jr. 8) Scott James 9) Rick Eckert 10) Billy Moyer 11) Brady Smith 12) Tim McCreadie 13) Donnie Moran 14) Darren Miller 15) Ray Cook 16) Rick Aukland 17) Shane Clanton 18) R.J. Conley 19) Matt Miller 20) Tim Dohm 21) Jason Montgomery 22) Jeff Choquette 23) Brian Birkhofer 24) Steve Shaver 25) Davey Johnson 26) Shannon Babb

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