The "Malabar Missile" Kenny Adams collected all the cabbage in the fourth annual Goodson Farms, Inc. sponsored United Sprint Car Series Florida State Championship Race at Volusia Speedway Park.
Adams, who hails from Malabar, Florida, got a break in lapped traffic and moved to the outside of turn four and past defending USCS National Champion Terry Gray for the lead on lap thirteen. From there he held off the hard charging Gray and a fast closing Sport Allen for the balance of the race to win the 25 lap USCS sprint car main event.
In victory lane Adams thanked his crew chief, eighteen year old Bryn Gohn, for making the right rear tire decision that he credited for winning the race. "My whole crew is great, but, I listened to Bryn on the tire and he made the right choice and I want to thank him" said Adams.
The win over drivers from eight states was worth $2500 and ran his win total in all 2003 events to twenty-three feature wins. Sixteen of those wins have come in United Sprint Car Series "Outlaw Thunder" Tour competition where Adams has eight paved track victories and eight wins on dirt.
Adams victory came before a large enthusiastic crowd at Dick Murphy's famed half mile oval.
Gray, from Bartlett, Tennessee, picked up the runner up spot with Allen from Largo, Florida reeling in the duo for a close third place finish. 1997 USCS National Champion Red Stauffer from Winter Park, Florida followed in fourth and Danny "Hammer" Martin, Jr., the top five.
Two time and 2003 All Star Circuit of Champions champion, Chad Kemenah from Findlay, Ohio lead the second five in sixth place after missing time trials and coming from fifteenth. 2002 East Bay Raceway champion, Brian Maddox from Brandon, Florida finished seventh, Terry Witherspoon from Jacksonville, Florida was eighth, Brice Wrenn from Lexington, South Carolina was ninth and Roland Johnson from Zephyrhills, Florida rounded out the top ten.
Shawn Stafford from Gainesville, Georgia garnered the USCS Hart Racing "Rookie of the Race" award for being the highest placing rookie driver in the main event. Sprint Car and Midget editor Doug Auld made a successful touring series rookie debut by making the main event field only to get caught up in a lap three wreck that he couldn't avoid .
Auld had only practiced and raced one time at East Bay Raceway prior to entering at the Volusia half mile. The magazine editor looked impressive driving his beautiful #52 Avenger car. Another name of note was Jan Opperman, Jr., son of the late sprint car legend who resides in Gibsonton, Florida. Opperman was ko'ed in the B Main.
Jeremy Scott won the B main event coming from the rear after a flat tire. Jim Raptis who follows Terry Gray in second place in the USCS National point standings, won the evening's final Airflow Research Power Dash qualifier event.
Chad Kemenah garnered the Huggins Cams "Hardcharger"award edging out IRL Indy Car driver Jimmy Kite from Stockbridge, Georgia who passed seven cars in the main event, but, suffered some of the same Gremlins as Kemenah early and was unable to time trial due a flat tire and started deep in the A main field.
