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Roby Helm
TAMPA, Fla. (February 26) - Phillip Cobb of Apollo Beach was in the right place at the right time to take the lead with ten laps to go and win the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series 50-lap main event on Saturday night at East Bay Raceway Park driving the Wells Brothers Farms Special.
For the second straight night, Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, WV dropped out while leading the race when he suffered a mechanical problem with his Mainland Transport Warrior on lap 40. Cobb was running second at the time and inherited the lead. Cobb led the last ten laps for his first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win.
"Doug had it won, but we were in the right place at the right time when he dropped out," Cobb said. "Everything just went our way tonight, and we had a good race. Everyone raced us clean and the track was in great shape."
Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC finished second in the AES Racing Special, and Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL took the third spot in the Image Skin Care Rocket. Jack Nosbisch Jr. of Riverview, FL was fourth in the Buddy's Home Furnishings Rocket, and Jeff Mathews of Tampa, FL grabbed the fifth spot in the Night Hawk Towing Rocket.
Shan Smith of Dade City, FL finished sixth in the Outlaw Race Parts TNT and 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA was seventh in the Bryson Motorsports Special.
Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA started 19th and finished eighth in the Hedman Husler Special to pick up the Hedman Husler of the Race Award. Greg Robertson of Waynesboro, VA drove the Wyn Bridge Industrial Fabricators Rocket to a ninth-place finish, and the defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS rounded out the top ten in the 78 Towing and Recovery Special.
Frank Wilson of Harold, FL finished 14th in the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star to pick up the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race Award. Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL did not transfer to the main event by finishing fourth in the first 12-lap B-Main race to earn the Integra Racing Shocks Just Missed It Award.
Brindle was the fast qualifier among the 45 entrants with a lap around the 1/3-mile clay oval in 15.866 seconds. The four ten-lap heat races were won by Brindle, Horton, Jack Nosbisch Jr., and Cobb. The two 12-lap B-Main races were won by Mark Tice of Avon, MS in the Precision Marine Trak-Star and Doug Watson of Plant City, FL in the Brandon Auto Services Rocket.
Horton took the lead at the drop of the green flag to start the race followed by Brindle, Cobb, Jack Nosbisch Jr. and Keith Nosbisch. The Nosbisch brothers swapped positions on lap two with Keith passing Jack Jr. for the fourth spot. The first caution flag of the race came out on lap four when Chase Washington of Houlka, MS stalled the Greg's Sawmill GRT in turn four.
The top ten for the restart had Horton leading Brindle, Cobb, K. Nosbisch, J. Nosbisch, Breuer, Mathews, Smith, two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model series Champion David Earl Gentry of Lewisburg, TN, and Steve Cook of Mt. Airy, NC. Gentry spun his Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Special in turn two on the restart.
When the field went back to green flag racing, Cobb passed Brindle for the second spot, bringing J. Nosbisch with him into the third position. K. Nosbisch got around Brindle for the fourth spot on lap five. Cobb and J. Nosbisch began swapping the second spot on lap six. J. Nosbisch was second on lap six, Cobb was second on lap seven, and by lap eight, K. Nosbisch began mount another challenge on his brother for the third spot.
While all of the dicing for position was going on behind him, Horton had stretched out to a full straightaway lead by lap ten. That advantage was erased on lap 11 when Shannon Lee stalled the Billy Riels Racing GRT in turn two to bring out the third caution flag of the race.
The caution flag came out for the fourth time on lap 12 when Steve Miller of Tampa, FL hit the turn four wall with the L. Miller and Associates Rocket. That was followed by the fifth caution flag on the restart when Dave Schmauss of Dover, FL spun the Cardinal Paint and Body Warrior.
Cobb and J. Nosbisch picked up their battle for the second on the next restart with J. Nosbisch passing Cobb when the green flag came out, and Cobb reclaimed the spot on lap 13. Horton maintained a comfortable lead when he began to encounter lapped traffic on lap 20. Business was picking up behind the leader, as J. Nosbisch, K. Nosbisch and Brindle began to battle for the third spot.
The trio went into the first turn three-wide on lap 26 with Brindle the meat in the Nosbisch sandwich. K. Nosbisch was on the inside, Brindle was in the middle, and J. Nosbisch was on the outside. All three cars went for the same piece of real estate, and the squeeze play cut down Brindle's left-front tire. Brindle spun to bring out the sixth caution flag of the race.
Horton led Cobb, J. Nosbisch, K. Nosbisch, Breuer, Mathews, Smith, Robertson, Bryan Bernhardt of Clearwater, FL in the Terry Eaglin Motorsports Rocket, and Cooke down for the restart at the halfway point of the race. Breuer passed K. Nosbisch for the fourth spot, while Turner powered from the 11th spot to move up to seventh.
Smith and Bernhardt got together in turn one on lap 33, and Bernhardt spun in turn two collecting Schmauss to bring out the seventh caution flag. Turner got by Mathews for the sixth spot on the restart, and then passed K. Nosbisch for the fifth spot on lap 35. K. Nosbisch reclaimed the spot on lap 37.
Breuer got around J. Nosbisch on lap 38 to take the third spot just before the eighth caution flag of the race came out on lap 40 when Cooke spun his AES Special in turn four while running ninth. When the field went back to green flag racing, K. Nosbisch passed J. Nosbisch for the fourth spot in turn four on lap 40.
Running with yet another comfortable lead, Horton suddenly slowed in turn three on lap 41 and came to a stop at the head of the front straightaway to bring out the ninth and final caution flag of the race. Horton was pushed to the pits and was done for the night. That misfortune earned Horton the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
Cobb now inherited the lead followed by Breuer, K. Nosbisch, J. Nosbisch, Turner, Mathews, Brindle, Smith, Cooley, and Robertson. When the field took the green flag, Brindle, who had come from the back of the pack, got busy and passed both Mathews and Turner to move up to the fifth spot.
Mathews was able to pass Brindle for the fifth spot on lap 43, and Smith also passed Brindle for the sixth spot on lap 44. Cobb was able to keep Breuer behind him in the closing laps to take the win with a .455 second margin of victory.
The next scheduled event for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be a 50-lap $2,500-to-win event at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN on April 2.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 3 AT EAST BAY RACEWAY PARK IN TAMPA, FL ON 2/26/11:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 4 32 Phillip Cobb Apollo Beach, FL 50 $3,000
2. 6 B7 Dan Breuer Troutman, NC 50 $1,250
3. 5 02 Keith Nosbisch Valrico, FL 50 $850
4. 3 12 Jack Nosbisch Jr. Riverview, FL 50 $700
5. 9 33 Jeff Mathews Tampa, FL 50 $650
6. 7 99 Shan Smith Dade City, FL 50 $550
7. 1 21b Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA 50 $500
8. 19 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 50 $550
9. 13 116 Greg Robertson Waynesboro, VA 50 $400
10. 14 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 50 $375
11. 8 56 David Earl Gentry Lewisburg, TN 50 $350
12. 12 105 Dave Schmauss Dover, FL 50 $300
13. 20 27 Larry Harrod Plains, GA 50 $280
14. 22 72 Frank Wilson (R) Harold, FL 50 $260
15. 11 31 Bryan Force Indiana, PA 50 $250
16. 10 17c Steve Cooke Mt. Airy, NC 50 $240
17. 21 8s Steve Miller Tampa, FL 49 $220
18. 2 11 Doug Horton Bruceton Mills, WV 40 $200
19. 15 19 Chase Washington Houlka, MS 39 $200
20. 16 B69 Bryan Bernhardt Clearwater, FL 32 $200
21. 17 24 Mark Tice (R) Avon, MS 32 $200
22. 21 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 30 $200
23. 23 47 Shannon Lee Lumberton, MS 16 $200
24. 18 07 Doug Watson Plant City, FL 10 $200
ENTRIES: 45
FAST QUALIFIER: Brindle, 15.866 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Lee and Blount
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Horton, 1-40; Cobb, 41-50
LAPS LED: Horton, 40; Cobb, 10
VP RACING FUELS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Wilson
HEDMAN HUSLER AWARD: Turner (started 19th and finished 8th)
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD: Horton
INTEGRA RACING SHOCKS JUST MISSED IT AWARD: Chase Edge
RACECAR ENGINEERING 5TH-PLACE AWARD: Mathews
KRC 6TH-PLACE AWARD: Smith
JOE GIBBS DRIVEN 7TH-PLACE AWARD: Brindle
RACECAR ENGINEERING 8TH-PLACE AWARD: Turner
MAXIMUM SIGNS AND GRAPHICS 9TH-PLACE AWARD: Robertson
KRC 10TH-PLACE AWARD: Cooley
MIKE'S CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD: Gentry
SHORTY'S SHOCK SERVICE 12TH-PLACE AWARD: Schmauss
SCHOENFELD SHOCKS 13TH-PLACE AWARD: Harrod
J.T. KERR RACING EQUIPMENT 14TH-PLACE AWARD: Wilson
COFIELD RACING STARTERS 15TH-PLACE AWARD: Force
KINSER AIR FILTERS 16TH-PLACE AWARD: Cooke
CAUTIONS: 9
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .455 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 51 Minutes and 37.480 Seconds
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