TAMPA, FL…..2/7/14…..Less than 24 hours ago, Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, Fl. set a new track record over a field of 22 cars on hand for the first of two Crate Late Model shows that are a part of the 38th Annual Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. Unbelievable as it may seem, he did it again Friday night in preparation for the big finale of the Crates on Saturday paying $5,000 to win.

This time Nosbisch used his Rocket chassis to sail around the track becoming the first Crate LM to break the 15 second mark for one lap. His first time was the record setter with a time of 14.8018 and the second time was just a tad off with a 14.8960 seconds. Being a driver that has won the big Crate race before in 2008, Nosbisch also has an impressive eight top five finishes in the previous nine races.

Twenty Street Stocks were on hand and two were inverted in their qualifying heats which were won by Ritchie Stephens and Trent Wilson.

The Crates got almost through Group One of three when a light rain hit the track at 8:01PM and just as it finished, a second band went through. Track owner , Al Varnadore, let the track drain then put his crew to work on the track with a grader, front-end loader and an air boat pulled by a tractor. The drivers lined the track to watch the progress on the 1/3 mile clay surface and by 10:20PM the first group of hot laps for the Crates was on the track and most of Friday’s program was completed except for the Crate heats and the USA-Mod Lites feature, which will start Saturday’s program.

Saturday’s show will feature the World Street Stock Championship for $1,500 to win the 30 lap race and the Crate Late Models will run a 50-lapper for $5,000-to-win. The Team USA Mod-Lites will run a complete program featuring the 40 cars that travelled to East Bay for the 9th time to be part of East Bay’s Winternationals. Gates open at 5:00PM, hot laps at 6:00PM and racing at 7:00PM. Call 813-677-4223 for more information.