ESS: East Bay Friday race notes

Empire Super Sprint Stars plugging away at the King of 360 Nationals.   TAMPA, FL. - The third night at the Ronald Laney King of 360 Nationals for the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) stars showed tough luck and determination as the end result after a wild night at the East Bay Raceway Park.   Only three of the of the six ESS teams cracked the A-Main starting line-up.  Second-generation, Canadian star Ryan Coniam timed ninth fastest and took second in the B-Main to Lance Dewease.  This found the VSM Abrasives #6 starting in third for the 25 lap finale.  While solidly in the top five, Coniam's top winged collapsed ending what could have been a fine run, he finished in 26th place.   Eight-time ESS champion Mike Woodring once again made the A-Main and he was also the highest finishing of the three with a 21st place tally in the event won by Texan star Gary Wright.   Young Jeff VanDusen made his second A-Main in a row but troubles early saw him muster just a 25th place finish.  VanDusen's teammate and former All-Star Circuit of Champions rookie of the year Mike Lutz failed to make the feature event for the first time this week.  Lutz and the VanDusen family assembled a brand new car after a hard flip on Thursday.  Lutz rewarded all with a victory in the Goodson Farms Strawberry Dash.   Lady racer Erin Crocker once again had to bring home the hard luck award for the night.  After timing a strong eighth, she was involved with lapped cars while running in second in the B-Main knocking her from contention.  Crocker did salvage a third place finish in the Strawberry Dash.   Freehold, N.Y.'s John Karklin Jr. continued to struggle with the Dick Goff backed #69K missing the A-Main for the third night in a row.  Karklin did take home a sixth place finish in the Dash.   Tonight finds the final event of the 360 Nationals with the Ronald Laney Memorial paying the winner over $10,000. 

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