Leader Dennis "Rambo" Franklin is pursued by Doug Watson before taking his second NeSmith Crate Late Model win of the weekend at East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday. (Rick Warren)

NeSmith Racing Series: Franklin Repeats In East Bay "Winternationals" Final

Dennis Franklin after his second win of the weekend with the NeSmith Tour at East Bay Raceway Park.(Rick Warren)

TAMPA, Fla. – Feb. 4 Dennis “Rambo” Franklin of Gaffney, S.C. drove the AES Racing Special to his second straight win Saturday in the 50-lap main event for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour at East Bay Raceway Park.  After a race-long duel with Doug Watson of Plant City, Fla., Franklin took the lead on lap 47 and then cruised to a 2.401 second victory.  

The 36th annual "Winternationals" was a good one for Franklin, as he finished second on Thursday and followed that up with wins on Friday and Saturday night.  Franklin leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings with 296 points, a 24-point advantage over Jack Nosbisch Jr. of Riverview, Fla. 

 “I kept working the inside on Watson and he finally made a bobble in turn two where we got by him at the end of the race,” Franklin said.  “I’ve got to thank Steve Cooke and the AES Racing Team for letting drive this car here.  It was a great race car all week.” 

In his advance to third, Doug Horton races outside of #11 Chase Edge in the batle for fifth. Edge put his car into the wall and ended his night early.  (Rick Warren)

Watson held off a late-race charge from Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.V. to finish second.  Horton overcame fuel problems early in the night to take the third spot after winning the first 15-lap B-Main race and started 16th in the main event to earn the "Hedman Husler of the Race" award. Completing the top ten were Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, Ga., William Thomas of Phenix City, Ala., Dave Schmauss of Dover, Fla., Mark Tice of Avon, Miss., Walker Arthur of Forest, Va., Nosbisch, and Phillip Cobb. 

Franklin took the lead at the start of the race when Watson jumped the cushion in turn two.  That enabled Hubbard to move up to second, but when the field got to turn four, several cars got tangled up midway in the pack, and Chris Cantrell flipped his mount and collected several other cars to bring out the red flag.  Cantrell was unhuty, but his race car was done for the evening.

Dennis Franklin and #07 Doug Watson go at it for the lead at East Bay. (Rick Warren)

After  the field lined back up for a complete restart, Watson took the lead over Franklin and Hubbard. Horton was working through the field, and charged from 16th to tenth by lap four. 

Lap seven saw Franklin looking inside to challenge Watson for the lead.  Devin Dixon and Turner got by Steve Cooke on lap nine to take over the fourth and fifth spots before the second of seven caution flags came out on lap ten as Shannon Lee had spun out, but Dixon spun after a lap ten restart and collected ten other cars for the third caution flag.  After the restart, Hubbard also spun out of the third spot.

Horton passed Tice for the sixth spot on the restart, and then closed in on Edge to battle side by side for the fifth spot on lap 18, while up front, Franklin worked to the inside of Watson to challenge for the lead.  For the next five laps, Watson and Franklin raced side-by-side.

Lap 23 saw Horton made the pass on Edge for the fifth spot.  Edge slammed the backstretch wall on lap 27 to light up the caution bulb for the fifth time.  His car was done for the night.

After the field went back to green flag racing, Franklin again camped out on the inside of Watson.  Franklin could gain on Watson entering the corners, but Watson was faster getting off the turns to keep the lead.  Franklin got a good run on Watson in turn one on lap 36, and stayed alongside the leader down the backstretch.  Watson used the “sweet spot” he found on the high side of turn four to keep Franklin behind him. 

The race was slowed by the sixth caution flag on lap 38 when Michael Blount spun, and David Earl Gentry stalled on lap 41 with an overheating problem for the seventh caution flag. 

After the restart, Franklin put the inside pressure on Watson for the next five laps as the lead pair raced side-by-side.  Watson slipped slightly on the high side of turn two on lap 47, which opened the door for Franklin, who made the best of his opportunity to take the lead going down the backstretch.  Once he cleared Watson, Franklin opened up a 2.401 second lead at the finish. 

Feb. 4 - NeSmith Racing Series at East Bay Raceway Park 1) Dennis Franklin, 2) Doug Watson, 3) Doug Horton, 4) Matthew Turner, 5) William Thomas, 6) Dave Schmauss, 7) Mark Tice, 8) Walker Arthur, 9) Jack Nosbisch Jr., 10) Phillip Cobb, 11) Travis Varnadore, 12) Michael Blount, 13) Steve Cooke, 14) David Earl Gentry, 15) Shane Hitt, 16) Austin Hubbard, 17) Shan Smith, 18) Chase Edge, 19) Devin Dixon, 20) Anthony White, 21) Shannon Lee, 22) Maverick Varnadore, 23) Chris Cantrell, 24) Mack McCarter, 25) Todd Morrow Fast Time (45 entries): Franklin (15.708); Heat winners: Franklin, Watson, Hubbard, Cooke; B-Main winners: Horton, Nosbisch.
Mark Bochiardy photo