| Campbell Is M'm! M'm! Good! At Auburndale | John Berti
WINTER HAVEN, FL - A one race deal worked out to perfection for Ron Campbell, the driver, and Corky Craver, the car owner, as Campbell won the $500 to win 35 lap open wheel modified feature at Auburndale Motor Speedway Saturday night, August 28.
A nearly full moon made for a beautiful vevening at Auburndale Speedway
It was the first time back on a racetrack for Craver's #112 since a major crash during the running of a Gulf Coast Modified Series race at Charlotte County Speedway 2 1/2 months ago. Craver was hospitalized with severe neck and back injuries from that accident and ultimately was forced to retire from driving.
Campbell took the lead from outside polesitter John "Gonzo" Godwin on the third lap. Godwin dropped out of the race with mechanical woes on lap 21 while running fourth.
Kyle Bookmiller hounded Campbell throughout the race, but couldn't muster the power to get by. Bookmiller had to settle for runnerup honors.
Harold Cannon was 3rd. A late arriver to the track, Cannon made an impressive charge to the front from his shotgun starting position. With five laps to go he got by Bookmiller for second only to lose the spot back the very next lap.
Chris Escott drove a steady race to finish fourth, while David Hartin, a former two-time Auburndale modified champion, took fifth.
Robbie Storer dominated the 25 lap modified mini stock feature leading every lap from his pole position starting spot.
Brian Dorer, celebrating his 47th birthday, finished 2nd with Chuck Frazier, David Jouppi and Scott Sharpe completing the top five.
The 20 lap V-8 street stock feature was an action packed event. While battling for the lead on lap five, Craig Cuzzone, David Holland and Gary LaPlant took it three wide down the backstretch into turns three and four. Something had to give, and give it did with Holland getting sideways and t-boned by LaPlant. Cuzzone somehow made it through and went on for the win.
Holland, who had to restart at the back of the pack with LaPlant, drove like a man on a mission coming all the way back to finish second.
Brock Burns, Justin Haranda and Rodney Peterson rounded out the top five.
John Cummins, Jr. took the checkers in the 15 lap mini stock feature followed by Kenny Taylor; George Gorham, Jr; Eugene Davidson; and Wayne Dunnavert, Jr.
Roger Blevins led only one lap of the 15 lap scramblers feature, but it was the most important one: the checkered flag lap.
Frank Gann, who led laps nine through fourteen, had to be happy with second. Linda Cuzzone was third, Mike Mosley fourth, and Dale Cody fifth.
In Racing for Kid's Club action it was Michelle Denton in for the win in the senior division while Jason Sopzcak took novice division honors.
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