GIBSONTON, Fla. – Devin Dixon took top honors in the modified feature on the opening night of the 44th annual Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park on Tuesday.
The eight-lap heat races offered four spots in the main event for the top finishers. Heat winners were Dixon, Lucas Lee, Brian Skaggs, Kevin Adams and Phillip Cobb.
A pair of controversial B mains provided the last four spots for the feature. In the first event, contact between Clay Harris and race leader Curt Myers ended up with Myers stopped and Harris continuing. The rule dictated Myers to be sent to the rear, but he chose to withdraw from the event. Harris claimed the win with Travis Varnadore earning a feature spot.
In the second B-main, Tait Davenport pulled out to a dominant win, but the drama came from a second-place battle between Jeff Mathews and Donnie Moran. Mathews went high into the final corner and swopped down on Moran as they crossed the finish line. Moran ended up in the frontstretch wall and the damage to his car prevented him from starting the A main.
A field of 22 were able to answer the call to the green flag for the feature. Kevin Adams and Lucas Lee picked different lines with Adams going high and Lee choosing the bottom. Adams would gain the early advantage and a great run by Anthony Slusher kept him in the early conversation.
Dixon went to the high side as he crept into the top five and found himself gaining on Adams. A slight shift in attack worked for Dixon, who took the lead on lap 11. The caution returned three laps later. On the restart, Adams regained the lead, but Dixon was able to squeeze ahead again before another yellow on lap 21. While it looked like Adams might pull away, there was no denying Dixon. He powered out to the eventual victory to open the week.
Richie Stephens got back on track by winning his heat and the 20-lap street stock feature with a new car.