by Dave Westerman

A good crowd of fans for a Labor Day holiday weekend waited out a brief “sunshower” then were treated, as usual, to a great night of racing at Auburndale Speedway.

Just seven Open Wheel Modifieds made the trip to the track this week as several “regulars” had holiday plans and couldn’t get away to race. Promoter Rex Guy decided to cut the number of laps from 40 to 30 but still paid the full purse.

The Modified night would belong to Keith Lilley as he won the heat race, then led all 30 laps from his pole starting spot. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds though as point leader James Wright III dogged Lilley the entire distance but could never make an attempt to pass as the race ran green to checker. Lilley took his second win of the year trailed by Lilley and Big Wayne Morris. Ronnie Heard, Jr. crossed the line in fourth followed by Josh Todd, Ricky Coffin and Bobby Blake.

Young Lance Daubach passed early leader Mark Medeiros and went on to score his second Sportsman feature win of the year. Point leader Dave Dunkin was black-flagged from the track on lap 12 for a fluid leak allowing Medieros to cut slightly into his spot on top of the standings with his second place run. Brandon Morris made his first start of the year and came home with a solid third trailed by Brandon Duchscherer and Chris Lewellen. Medeiros won the heat.

The Street Stock feature saw some great side-by-side racing up front between Jeff Waterman and Jamie Dunnahoe. Dunnahoe led the opening nine laps with heat race winner Waterman all over him. Waterman actually led lap ten before Dunnahoe snuck by to lead the next four circuits. Dunnahoe got out of the groove and Waterman grabbed the top spot again on lap 16 as Dunnahoe found himself in fourth before he could get his car back on the low side of the track.

Waterman went on to score his fourth win of the season closely trailed by Kyle Peters, James Wright III, Dunnahoe and Matt McCrary. Mike Bruno, subbing for Dave Colpritt who was on a holiday cruise, came home sixth with Larry Braswell, Chris Spring, David williams and Jamie Castleberry rounding out the top ten.

Fred Harrison, Jr. passed Chris Spring on the final lap to take his tenth win of the year in the Mini Stocks. Spring’s car was then protested but later found legal so his second place stood. James Pate was third ahead of Gary Brown, Jr. and Jason Swilley. Spring was the heat race winner.

Brian Harbin led flag to flag to take the V-8 Bomber win after easily winning the heat. Preston Davis missed the heat and started at the back of the feature run and drove to a nice second place followed by Larry Chumney II, Matt Johnson and Gene Harrison.

The Scrambler feature was definitely “scrambled.” Five cars survived the heat race but only George Gorham, Jr. was still running after one lap was completed. Point leaders Kimberly Gullett and Brian Tyre crashed in turn four while both Richard Brown and Dave Canfield had mechanical trouble. Gorham, who also won the heat, took the checker while, although not running, Canfield was awarded second ahead of Gullett, Tyre and Brown.

Next Saturday, September 11th, will be “First Responders Night” at Auburndale Speedway. All Police, firefighters, EMT’s, Paramedics, Forestry Fire Service and 911 Dispatchers will be admitted free just by showing their ID. Vehicle extrication and SWAT team demonstrations will take place at intermission. Racing action will feature the Auburndale Trucks, Modified Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, V-8 Bombers, Mini Stocks and Scramblers. Racing starts at 7PM. For more information, log on to www.auburndaleracing.com powered by Palm Tree Computers.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – AUBURNDALE SPEEDWAY – 9/4/10:

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OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS:

1-Keith Lilley #87

2-James Wright III #56

3-Wayne Morris #98

4-Ronnie Heard, Jr. #81

5-Josh Todd #89

6-Ricky Coffin #29

7-Bobby Blake #75

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SPORTSMAN:

1-Lance Daubach #77

2-Mark Medeiros #13

3-Brandon Morris #56

4-Brandon Duchscherer #22

5-Cris Lewellen #19

6-Richard Fiore, Jr. #60

7-Josh Todd #89

8-Chuck Harrison, Jr. #8

9-Dave Dunkin #71

DNS Eddie Hartin #48

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STREET STOCKS:

1-Jeff Waterman #42

2-Kyle Peters #53

3-James Wright III #56

4-Jamie Dunnahoe #62

5-Matt McCrary #5

6-Mike Bruno #4

7-Larry Braswell #80

8-Chris Spring #142

9-David Williams #18

10-Jamie Castleberry #86

DNS Brian Harbin #8

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V-8 BOMBERS:

1-Brian Harbin #2

2-Preston Davis #89

3-Larry Chumney II #96

4-Matt Johns #51

5-Gene Harrison #88

6-Josh Borem #111

7-Buddy Phillips, Jr. #05

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MINI STOCKS:

1-Fred Harrison, Jr. #21

2-Chris Spring #42

3-James Pate #155

4-Gary Brown, Jr. #52

5-Jason Swilley #40

6-Bo Collier #11

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SCRAMBLERS:

1-George Gorham, Jr. #7

2-Dave Canfield #71

3-Kimberly Gullett #28

4-Bryan Tyre #66

5-Richard Brown #62

DNS T.J. Tanner #67

DNS Mike Bauer #42