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JASON SIDES WINS HIS FIRST 410 SPRINT CAR RACE IN EAST BAY OPENER
TAMPA, FL….1/30/07…..Jason Sides had the biggest smile on his face when
Todd Hutto, one of the East Bay Raceway Park owners, congratulated him in
victory lane. Sides couldn’t wait to tell him, “I love taking your money!”
Tuesday was opening night of the three-day 410 Sprint Car 31st Annual
Winternationals here and a block-buster field of 52 of the best drivers were on
hand. But, it was the Bartlett, Tennessee, pony-tailed, Sides that impressed
everyone with his mastery of lapped traffic in the first 19 non-stop green flag laps
of the 25-lap feature while being hounded by Danny Lasoski.
Although eight other drivers timed ahead of Sides, luck was on his side, because
three drivers who timed ahead of him failed to qualify through their heats. With
six inverted to start the A-Main, ‘lucky’ Jason started on the pole.
“The track was really good tonight…..Al (Varnadore) did a great job. I made zero
changes on my car, except for a tire change for time trials,” explained Sides.
“Credit goes to my Mom and Dad, my wife Farrah and daughter Skylar for their
support. I couldn’t do this without my sponsor WTS Tractor Service and my crew
Wade Oliver and Sumo.”
When asked about the heavy lapped traffic, he admitted, “There were two
lapped cars running side by side around lap 14, and that scared me, because I
could see someone trying to challenge. I didn’t think I could get through, but I
did.”
His Maxim chassis was not new, it was his “old faithful” and he did get laps on the
new Don Ott engine the night before in the Sprint Bandit race. The No. 7S was
equipped with Hoosier tires, Weld Wheels, VRP shocks and a FSR radiator.
Sides and Lasoski shared the front row at the start, followed by Lance Dewease
and Tim Shaffer in row two with Craig Dollansky and Greg Hodnett in row three.
It was Sides who took command and set a fast pace, lapping his first car on lap
five. Most of the time, Sides was low and Lasoski tried several times to set him
up, pulling equal at times, but never was recorded as leading a lap.
As the two diced their way through traffic, they finally had a bit of clear sailing
from lap 16 through lap 19. They were exiting turn four with Lasoski a car length
back, when Lasoski lost the handle and spun to the inside to bring out the only
yellow flag of the event.
Tim Shaffer was running third at the time and advanced to second with Lasoski’s
error with Dewease moving to third. They stayed in that order to the finish with
Dollansky crossing fourth and Hodnett staying with a top five finish. Rounding
out the top 10 it was Chad Kemenah, Zach Chappell. Jason Solwold, Lucas Wolfe
(up from 24th) and Terry McCarl finishing tenth after starting 22nd.
Heats went to Randy Hannagan, Tom Busch, Mark Smith and Danny Smith. The
last chance race went to Michael Dehner. The C-Main sent Jeff Busby, Brady
Short, Robbie Vaugh and Jeff Vandusen to the B-Main. Dustin Lindquist, Jesse
Hockett , Kemenah and Wolf found their way to the A-Main by advancing from the
B-Main.
Hodnett topped the qualifying efforts with a lap of 12.346, far off the track record
of 11.638 set by Kemenah in 2003.
Thanks, Jean Lynch for East Bay Raceway Park
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