Who doesn’t love an underdog? Who doesn’t love a weekend warrior making the big dance?  Who doesn’t love a virtually unknown driver giving the top dogs a run for their money?

Doug Horton and Jason Montgomery and even Dave “Turk” Tyrchniewicz all have something in common. Over the years, they have become household names partially because of their underdog success during the Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park.

In 2006, Horton’s runs at East Bay catapulted him into the national MORE

It wasn't long ago that a betting man could go to East Bay Raceway Park during Florida Speedweeks and place a friendly wager that a Rayburn Race Car would be sitting in victory lane at the end of the evening. More often than not, you'd win the bet.

Flash back to opening night of East Bay's Winternationals in 2008. You had Don O’Neal sitting in victory lane driving a Rayburn. Also in the top five was Dennis Erb Jr., Justin Rattliff and Shannon Babb, all in Rayburns. Life was good at East Bay if MORE

Can you keep a secret? Good, because this is a little tricky. I'm allowed to publish said secret, but it's your job to help make sure a certain racer's parents don't get wind of it. | Berck takes aim at Speedweeks

Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., the two-time and reigning O'Reilly National Championship Racing Association champ, is busily preparing to make his second career racing trip to Florida Speedweeks. He'll be driving down next week to arrive for practice at East Bay Raceway Park near Tampa, MORE

If you happen to be cruising the East Bay Raceway Park pits during Florida Speedweeks, think twice before walking up and cheerfully greeting a driver with "How's it going?!?"

The answer, accompanied by a pained look, might be "awful." That's because plenty of drivers — including some of Dirt Late Model racing's best — have a miserable week each February at the third-mile Clay by the Bay, one of the trickiest ovals in dirt racing.

Year after year, drivers that run well at East Bay rise MORE

It is almost time when many of us will be making our annual pilgrimage to East Bay Raceway Park for the WinterNationals. For those not going, they will hang on message boards, cell phones and of course, DirtonDirt.com updates regarding the action. So why do fans put so much attention on the “Clay by the Bay?”

Long winter: For most of us, it's been several months since our last race and we can't wait to get out smelling the methanol in the air, hearing the roar of the motors and seeing race MORE