It didn't take long for Hudson O'Neal and the Rocket1 Racing Team to visit victory lane again as they went back to back leading all 50 laps of the $12,000 to win Lucas Oil Dirt Series race Friday night at East Bay.
62 cars were signed into Friday's event the 5th of 6 straight nights at the "Clay By The Bay" with Garrett Smith topping Group A qualifying and Hudson O'Neal once again topping his group qualifying and taking the overall fastest time.
Smith would take the first heat race win earning him the pole position for the main event with Moran,Gustin,O'Neal,English,and Wilson taking the other heat race wins. B Mains went to Stormy Scott,Whitener,and the early season points leader Ricky Thornton Jr.
Photo Credit - Terry Page
Probably one of the youngest front row starters led the field to green with 22 year old O'Neal from his outside pole spot grabbing the early advantage with 19 year old Smith following the Rocket Chassis house car. The Double Down Motorsports car driven by Donnie Moran third with Gustin and Daulton Wilson rounding out the top 5 running order.
Lap 2 would see Gustin , winner from Wednesday night , wrestle third from Moran and Tanner English jumping into the fifth spot. The track was the the fastest its been all week for a feature event making things happen quickly when someone gets sideways as on lap 12 causing a big pileup involving several cars.
The leaders were in traffic that O'Neal was maneuvering around with ease but not the case for Gustin as contact with Tyler Bruening had "The Reaper" sitting sideway almost to a complete stop giving Garrett Smith nowhere to go spinning out. Fifth place running English hit the front end of Smith's car damaging both of their noses as Gustin kept his momentum going as the yellow waved for them two drivers.
Friday's Feature Results
1) O'Neal
2) Wilson
3) Winger
4) Moran
5) Thornton Jr.
6) Alberson
7) Davenport
8) Overton
9) Herrington
10) Roberson
11) Gustin
12) Pearson Jr,
13) Sheppard
14) Hughes
15) Robinson
16) Tyler Erb
17) English
18) Blair
19) Smith
20) Bailes
21) Bruening
22) Moyer Jr,
23) Bronson
24) Shirley
25) Owens
26) Nothdurft
27) McCreadie
28) Whitener
29) Dennis Erb
30) Scott
The second yellow of the night would wave on lap 16 for the slowing Mark Whitener on the front stretch. Top 5 leaderboard has O'Neal leading Gustin , Moran , Wilson , and Tyler Erb. They remained that way until the next caution came out on lap 19 for a big pileup in turn 2 involving Brian Shirley , Kyle Bronson , and Jimmy Owens ending the night for all three of those drivers.
Owens having the his best run this week was interviewed by FloRacing's Ben Shelton after the incident quoted in his East Tennessee twang "It's so dern muddy outchyonder" showing his frustration of his night ending.
On the lap 19 restart Moran would fire off with force moving past the Rocket Chassis of Gustin as "The Reaper" faded back to the fifth spot. Moran would challenge O'Neal for the top spot but O'Neal shut the door on the car that he used to drive and was really never challenged the rest of the way.
The fourth and final yellow flag would wave on lap 32 for Monday night's winner Tyler Erb ending "Terbo's" top 5 run. Erb's right rear tire was shredded as he pulled into the hot pit for a new Hoosier Racing Tire. Top 5 has O'Neal leading Moran , Wilson , Alberson , and Tuesday night's winner Ashton Winger.
When the green waved for the final restart of the race Daulton Wilson would flex his muscle moving around Moran as a few laps later Winger would move up attacking the top side of the track as the outside really started to come in near the end of the race. Meanwhile Ricky Thornton Jr was using the bottom groove from his 21st starting spot to break into the top 5 on lap 37.
The last handful of laps Daulton Wilson quickly erased the comfortable lead that Rocket1 had and the fastest car on the track. As they worked lap 48 with the flagman holding the white flag Wilson went just a bit too high into turn 4 ending any chance of a dramatic finish as O'Neal crossed the waving checkers three seconds ahead of Wilson , Winger , Moran , and Thornton Jr,
The ecstatic "New Deal" Hudson O'Neal smacked the red Rocket 1 roof as he climbed out in victory lane $12,000 richer. He thanked his crew Danny White , Joel Rogers , Austin Hargrove , and boss man Mark Richards for giving him a great car as well opportunity driving the famous house car. Rocket Chassis has won all five nights at East Bay.
Daulton Wilson in the James Ratliff owned Longhorn by Wells would tell Ben Shelton he gave it all he had causing him to overdrive turn four but didn't want to leave anything on the table as he is getting so close to getting that elusive first win in the series.
Another impressive showing by the Hampton,Georgia resident Ashton Winger as he filled out the podium finishers. Winger who was leading the Rookie of the Year points last year when he drove for G.R. Smith before a string of hard crashes and lack of crew members shut the team down leaving Winger jumping into a few part time rides. He has definitely showed early season speed as well as maturity keeping the car out of bad situations. The Jeff Matthews Rocket Chassis with a Durham power plant has been a good pairing has Ashton has a mod win along with a couple of Crate wins to go with his first Lucas Oil Series win.
Tonight's finale will pay out $15,000 to the winner as O'Neal will try for a three peat. Can Rocket Chassis stay undefeated at East Bay this year? Will point leader Ricky Thornton Jr continue his strong finishes at a track that he publicly says is definitely not his favorite track? Tune into FloRacing to catch every lap tonight!
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