Eddie Carrier, Jr.
TAMPA, FL (February 13, 2015) – Eddie Carrier Jr. driving the Optima Batteries #28 won an exciting battle with Devin Moran in Friday Night’s $10,000-to-win main event at East Bay Raceway Park. Carrier held the lead on lap 31, quickly lost it again on the next circuit and used a lapped car to his advantage as he snuck by Moran once again on lap 44.Carrier would led the remaining 6 laps and wind up in victory lane in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event. Following Carrier and Moran at the finish were Jimmy Owens, Jared Landers, and Jonathan Davenport.
“That was a great race,” exclaimed Carrier in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the second time in his career at East Bay. “The track crew did a great job, they moved the tires out in the corners, and we drivers didn’t know what to think, but it worked out real well. It was nice of Devin to let one of us old guys win tonight,” Carrier jokingly said.
“We had to diamond off the corners to get a run down the straight-aways. Both Devin and I had trouble with a lapped car. I used the outside line to get by him coming off of turn four. He saw what I did and used the same line to get by him. I was fortunate enough to find enough room coming off of turn two to get the lead back.”
“I want to thank my car owner, Carl Grover. He gave me the chance several years ago to drive his cars, and it has been the best thing to ever happen to me other than marrying my wife, Jamie. I have to thank Engines Inc, Optima Batteries, Sunoco Race Fuels and all of my sponsors, my crew, and especially my dad [Eddie Carrier Sr.] for all he does. He works his tail off every day on this car.”
Moran, the 20-year-old son of Hall-of-Fame driver, Donnie Moran equaled his best East Bay finish. Ironically in the last year’s Winternationals opener it was Carrier who denied Moran his first career victory at “The Clay by the Bay.”
Earl Pearson Jr. led the first 23 laps of the race, until contact with a car he was lapping dropped him several spots in the running order. Moran pounced on the opportunity to take the lead.
“Congratulations to Eddie for the win, he deserved it. He was better than me. I hate it for Earl. He was really fast tonight. I just couldn’t get by that lapped car. I could have moved him out of the way, but I don’t drive like that. I was too patient with him. But we will take second after the week we have had. I would like to thank my sponsors, Donnie Moran Driving School, Eddie’s Sunoco, and Performance Bodies, and MasterSbilt Race Cars for all of their assistance.”
Owens; the 3-time LOLMDS National Champion; had his best points finish of the young season. “Our car rolled around the top early on, and we were passing cars. No doubt it’s the best we have run all week. I think I used up the edges of the tires getting to the front, and from then on I couldn’t stay with Eddie and Devin,” said the driver of the Rowland Racing, Widow Wax Car Care Products, Club 29 Ford.
Completing the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Mason Zeigler, Bobby Pierce, Steve Francis, and Dan Stone.
In preliminary action, Dan Stone set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 41 entrants, with a lap of 15.481 seconds. Eddie Carrier Jr. set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.838 seconds. Scott Bloomquist, Earl Pearson Jr., Jared Landers and Devin Moran won their respective heat races. Billy Moyer Jr. and Tim Dohm won their respective B-Mains.
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