By Dave Westerman

  A great crowd and very unusual warm February weather helped
Auburndale Speedway kick off the 2011 racing season Saturday
night as seven divisions took to the track for a great night
of racing.

  Young Lance Daubach may well be the driver to beat this year
in the Sportsman class as he simply dominated things all night
taking the heat race win then surviving a rash of caution flags
to win the 25 lap feature race in flag to flag fashion. Sporting
a new ride, Brandon Duchscherer worked his way up to second by
the checker but had no real answer for Daubach's fleet machine.
Subbing for veteran driver Dave Dunkin, James Wright III came
home third ahead of Richard Elkins, Jr. and 2010 Modified Mini
Stock champion Scotty Sharpe who turned in a stellar performance
in his first outing with his new Sportsman.

  Lee Davis was as impressive as Daubach in taking both the heat
and feature over a quality field of Modified Mini Stocks. Jason
Rendell kept Davis honest but had to settle for the runner-up spot.
Sharpe came home third in this one just ahead of Chris Spring who
turned in a great run in his first Mod Mini feature after moving
up from the Mini Stock class where he was last years champ. Fifth
spot went to Nathan Florian who got to the track late but made
the proper adjustments to his car between the heat and feature
and passed a number of cars to net his top five.

  Although a number of Street Stock machines are still getting the
final touches put on them for the beginning of the year, James
Wright III had his machine ready to go even though his numbers had
to be put on the car after practice was over.  Wright then passed
heat race winner Cody McDuffie on lap 14 and raced to the Street
Stock feature victory.  McDuffie held on for second trailed by
Brian Harbin, Sammy Cressman and Jeff Waterman.

  The biggest field of Scrambler cars in more than a year put on
some wild racing as Richie Acres and Jeramiah Frere split heat
race wins. Acres led the feature in his Saturn from start to finish
as the action was "bump and grind" behind him.  George Gorham, Jr.
eventually grabbed second spot while Frere took the checker third
then lost that position in tech allowing Ronnie Sorensen to inherit
the third place finish ahead of the brother act of Shane and Bill
Bennett. Defending champion Kim Gullett had a rough night getting
the rear bumper of her car knocked off in an early incident then
having to pit to replace a flat tire later in the race.  She still
managed a ninth place finish.  Several new car and driver combos
were in action in the class with several sporting classy paint jobs.

  The Mini Stocks were short on cars but the fans had plenty to
cheer about as 15 year old Jason Swilley picked up his first career
feature victory in the class leading green to checker.  Mark Wells
had a career-best second place run while Sonny Miles took third.
Heat winner Eugene Davidson did not start the feature.

  Apparent V-8 Bomber heat and feature winner Bobby Mobley was 
DQ'd in tech for unapproved guide plates on the push rods of 
his car's engine allowing Alan Seay to take the win after starting 
deep in the field. Matt Bozeman brought his new car home second in 
front of Preston Davis, Larry Chumney II and John Smith.

  Little 10 year old Kristin Clements did it again in the Kids Club
as she held off Dakota Hunt and Justin Cribbs for the victory, and,
as usual, her win was a very popuar one with the crowd.

  This coming Saturday night the Open Wheel Modifieds, Legend Cars
and Bandoleros have their season-openers and will be joined by the
Sportsman cars, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, V-8 Bombers and 
Scramblers. Racing starts at 7 PM. For more information call 
863-551-1131 or log on to www.auburndaleracing.com.