GIBSONTON, Fla. – Kevin Adams took top honors in Saturday’s East Bay Raceway Park Winternationals 75-lap finale for modifieds.
The lineups for the Saturday night racing were set through the points accumulated through the first four nights. The top six cars in each division were automatically qualified to the night’s main event, while the rest would work through heats and, in the case of the modifieds, a pair of B mains.
There were 40 cars in the modified pit area, with some of the week’s earlier supporters opting for a day of extra Florida vacation or a headstart on a trip home.
With the 24 qualified drivers and two provisionals offered, a field of 26 cars presented for Derek Powell’s green flag for the 75-lap modified feature. Adams took the early lead from the second row with Tait Davenport and Jason Hughes in tow.
The first caution flag waved on lap four for a single car spin. The top three stayed the same until lap seven, when Spencer Hughes vaulted to third. He slipped back before the caution showed up again on lap 11.
It took five restarts before the race could go green for a longer stretch. Devin Dixon shot to third, bringing Kyle Bronson to fourth. Dixon was able to get to second behind Adams and begin pursuit of the top spot. Tyler Nicely used the top line to put himself in position to claim second by lap 25.
Nicely was able to get the lead on lap 26, but he would keep it for just a few laps before Dixon became the third different leader. Dixon would hold it until the mandatory re-fuel break.
On the ensuing restart, Adams moved back out front as the cast of characters behind him would change nearly each lap. On lap 50, it would be Dixon back in second. He set his sights on Adams and, six laps later, he moved directly in front of Adams to block his momentum and take the lead.
With 10 laps to go, Adams was poised to make a move and he did so, taking the top spot from Dixon. Dixon was not done, but fell back behind Jeff Mathews. The final caution flag waved on lap 74, setting up a one lap dash to the finish.
Dixon put up a gallant effort to get past the race leader, but he couldn’t get the job done and Adams flashed across the line to win the race by .195 seconds.
“I’ve lost a lot of these types of race,” said Adams. “Tonight, there were so many changes out there. This track changed three different times in the race.”
Richie Stephens won his fourth feature of the week, bringing his street stock home after hunting down race leader Tim Powers at the halfway mark of the 40-lap feature.