RAYMOND ROGERS PROVES HE KNOWS EAST BAY BY WINNING MODIFIED NIGHT TWO

TAMPA, FL……Raymond Rogers is the defending track champion at East Bay Raceway Park and had an opportunity to match his best stuff against the toughest competition he has ever faced Thursday night in night two of the 8^th Annual Open Wheel Modified Winternationals.  

He was up to the challenge of 96 other competitors and came home a proud winner of the 25-lap feature and $1,500 in prize money.

After a strong run the previous night using the top of the track, he did an about-face and switched to the bottom tonight.  “I was tempted to try the top, but I never saw any one up there.  They were all just ‘turtle racing’ around the bottom.  On the yellows, I would go up to the top to cool my tires, but once we went green, I felt I could get a good drive off the bottom so that’s what I used to take the lead,” commented the happy winner.

Driving a Loose Gruff chassis powered by a Kline engine specially prepared by Bo Hammond, father of car owner Wayne Hammond, Rogers had started eighth and was up to fourth by lap five.  Multi-car pile ups occurred on the start of the A-Main, involving nearly half the field, and by the time the green flag waved and the race was officially underway, Charles Patrick led the first 18 laps despite six yellow flags that kept the competition close.

Perry Brown had a strong run early and ran second to the half-way mark, but was eliminated on lap 14 when Rogers and Kevin Weaver were hounding him on the backstretch and contact was made.  

Rogers made his winning move following a lap 18 yellow and from that point on, despite one more yellow to put Weaver on his bumper, Rogers pulled away to win by six car lengths at the checkered.  In victory lane, he was quick to credit his sponsors Brandon Ford, All Florida Real Estate, Gene Slaughter’s Coyote Tires & Wheels, Bilstein shocks and Afco Springs.  His crew includes Justin Meeks, Dallas Conner and Kyle Phelps.

He also mentioned his family support came from his father Jerry and mother April, who is fighting cancer for the second time, his two sons Raymond, Jr. and Logan and his newest offspring, Kaden who will be born on Monday.

Despite trying to pass Rogers high and low, Weaver had to settle for second ahead of Patrick, Rob Fuqua and Shane Cottle.  Rounding out the top ten it was Corey Conley, Jeff Leka, Ray Guss, Jr, Mark Whitener and William Harrison.

Dave Groves and Frank Marshall advanced to the back of the first B-Main from the first C-Main while Wayne Hammond and Perry Burk moved into the second B-Main.    Shane Cottle and Trevor Merrell tagged the back of the A-Main inside row and Jeff Leka and Brady Short made up the back outside row after advancing from their B-Mains.

            Thanks, Jean Lynch for East Bay Raceway Park