The January snows are drifting in the Midwest and the Northeast is a snowbound tundra. The icy grip of winter has a firm hold on the northern two-thirds of the United States. It is during this time of year, when winter is bearing down hard, that we all look south to see the first glimmers of light at the end of the cold gloomy tunnel.

Racing is getting underway in the South and few tracks are as legendary for their winter thaw than East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, FL. In three decades of Winter Nationals, which kicks off its 2018 edition next week, the opening event has added to dirt racing’s love of the Clay by the Bay. 

Today we are beginning our countdown of the 10 reasons dirt racing fans love East Bay Raceway Park, starting with Nos. 10-6. 

Watch the 2018 East Bay Winter Nationals LIVE on FloRacing

10. A change to get the jump on the competition up north: Racers who make the travel from the Northern states to East Bay for the Winter Nationals get a chance to try new things and break in new equipment. It helps give those willing to make the trip, a two- to three-month head start on the competition. It serves as both a testing and tuning time as well as one of the Crown Jewels of dirt racing. 

9. New Winners: East Bay is a track that a lot of travelers see only once a year. This makes it an even playing field for a good percentage of the roster and leads to new and first-time winners on a national stage. It’s this unpredictable atmosphere that makes East Bay feature events so exciting.

8. New Names: East Bay has created a lot of stars over the past 30 years. It has introduced drivers who normally race locally in their areas of origin to a national audience. FloRacing will be there to get interviews with new and familiar names starting next week. And Flo fans will get the first glimpse of tomorrow’s superstars. 

7. Endurance Racing: It is now news to anyone that East Bay’s back-to-back-to-back racing is hard on teams and equipment — as is the 75-lap finale in the Modified division. It is one of the true tests of a team when you have to repair a wrecked car to race the next day. Many teams work through the night only to be up by 10 in the morning to race again. It’s hard, unforgiving, and makes for great drama on the race track and in the pits. 

6. New Teams: East Bay is often the first test of silly season changes. Many drivers have new teams, cars, motors, and crews. Sometimes this leads to growing pains, and drivers who were on top of the world last season see themselves starting at ground zero after a hard week at East Bay. Other times, it results in instant success and can be a good starting point for the season. 

Be sure to stay engaged with FloRacing.com as we continue our march toward the East Bay Winter Nationals. Tomorrow, we’ll count down reasons 5-1 of why dirt racing loves East Bay Raceway Park. We will have nonstop coverage all the way up to the kickoff with the UMP Modifieds next week at the Clay by the Bay!

By Jonathon Masters  

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