by Dave Westerman


Despite rain all around the speedway earlier in the day and it being a holiday weekend, fans still turned out in big numbers for the action Saturday night at Auburndale Speedway. The earlier rain storms turned out to be a blessing in disguise as by race time the air was cool while the racing was as hot as ever.

Easily the best race of the night turned out to be the Super Stock feature. Defending champion James Wright III and Kyle Peters won the heats and with Wright on the pole for the 20-lapper, everyone thought it would be another runaway for the Lakeland hot shoe with the exception of Peters.

Peters, who hails from Ferndale, has been working extra hard on his set-up for the tricky Auburndale track and it paid off this night. Peters absolutely dominated the second heat race and battled Wright tooth-and-nail the entire feature distance. Records will show that Wright led all the way but Peters actually led several times going down the back stretch but could just never muster the extra “oomph” to get by the leader. The pair crossed the stripe with Wright just in front as he took victory number four on the season with Peters in his shadow.

Matt McCrary, coming off a horrible night last week, had a very capable mount under him but could only watch the two front-runners battle it out side-by-side for the win as he finished a close third. The point battle for the class tightened up once again as point leader Jeff Waterman placed back in eighth allowing McCrary to close to within two points in the season-long chase. Josh Todd came home fourth with Eddie Hartin fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Cody McDuffie, Chris Spring, Waterman, Jeff McCaw and Mike Bruno.

A big shuffle at the start of the 25 lap Sportsman feature saw Dave Dunkin use his many years of experience to grab the point and never look back as he won his fourth feature of the year and added to his points lead. Brandon Duchscherer had his car performing better than it has all year, winning the heat race but having to settle for third in the main event after being passed late in the going by Mark Medeiros. Duchscherer held on for third trailed by Ted Head and Austin Carr.

Legend Car heat races saw plenty of wild action. Heat two found Danielle Stratton’s car jumping out of gear at the start causing several cars to get into her mount including Jake Perkins and Lynn Wiles who pushed Stratton’s car into the first turn wall. It was a hard hit that left the 16 year old lady chauffeur a bit groggy but otherwise unhurt. Her car was much worse off with possible frame damage. Wiles’ car was towed off but his crew made repairs and he returned for the feature. Perkins not only continued, but won the heat. Point leader Gerald White, Jr. took his car off the speedway with a problem during the red flag meaning he would have to start scratch in the 25 lap main event. Heat one was taken by Justin Brown.

It would be Brown leading the early going in the feature before Perkins would zip past and race to the win as the contest ran green to checker without a yellow flag. The caution-less event would not work in White’s favor as the point leader put on a show coming from the back of the starting grid but could only get up to fourth at the drop of the checker, well behind winner Perkins. Brandon Thomson, making a rare start in a car normally driven by Bryan Silas, claimed the runner-up spot followed by Tyler Smith, White and Dave Gleason. Completing the top ten were Tyler Schule, Brown, Wiles, Zach Napoleon and Matt Larmore.

The Southeastern Champ Kart Series made their second appearance of the year and, as usual, put on a show. After heat race wins went to Ryan Walters and Joey Coaxum, the field went at it for 25 circuits in their feature. Rusty Chancey led the first ten laps before Coaxum took over for a pair, then it was Phil Harp asserting himself out front.

Normally you don’t want to be leading on the final lap of a SECKS race as a group usually drafts by the leader on the final lap. However, a wild scramble off turn two allowed Harp to pull away for a big win. As an elated Harp was celebrating in victory lane, the scorers finally deciphered the results for the remaining spots as several karts crossed the stripe in three-wide formation. Ron Sanford would be credited with second ahead of Wesley Gonzalez, Doug Schmidt and Walters. Coaxum, Chancey, Dennis Mace, Mitch Stevens and Ed Brillhante rounded out the top ten.

Chris Spring continues to have the upper hand in the Mini Stock class as he raced to yet another easy win and added to his point lead. Marilyn McCrary continues to coax more speed from her new car as she won the heat race but led only the opening lap before Spring “sprung” and led the rest of the way. McCrary took a strong second place finish while Jason Swilley took a well-earned third spot over Fred Harrison, Jr. and Bill Bell.

After letting the “kid” drive for a couple of weeks, veteran Larry Chumney, Sr. was back behind the wheel of his V-8 Bomber machine and he scored a big win while Brandon Duchscherer crossed the stripe second but was set down in tech for improper camber. Preston Davis would thus pick up the second spot followed by point leader Josh Borem, Justin Meyer and Gene Harrison. Borem won the heat race.

The Figure Eight cars entertained the crowd for the first time this year with veteran Jimmy Thompson leading all the way although he was hounded every lap by Wayne Calkins. “Rockin'” Rodney Davis was third ahead of Wayne Whitehead and James Crawford.

Teddy Lively won his second Bandolero feature of the year topping Andy Metz and Cameron White while Keith Sammons came all the way from Vero Beach to thoroughly destroy his Chevrolet, yet win a very entertaining Demolition Derby.

Next week, June 5, the School Bus Figure 8’s return. Also in action are the Street Stocks, Modified Mini Stocks, Kids Club, V-8 Bombers, Legends, and Bandeleros. Racing starts at 7 PM. For more information call 863-551-1131 or log on to www.auburndaleracing.com.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – AUBURNDALE SPEEDWAY – 5/29/10:

?

STREET STOCKS:

1-#56 James Wright II

2-#53 Kyle Peters

3-#5 Matt McCrary

4-#89 Josh Todd

5-#48 Eddie Hartin

6-#25 Cody McDuffie

7-#142 Chris Spring

8-#42 Jeff Waterman

9-#29 Jeff McCaw

10-#26 Mike Bruno

11-#0 Paul Bookmiller

12-#80 Jamie Castleberry

13-#8 Brian Harbin

14-#35 James Newton

?

SPORTSMAN:

1-#71 Dave Dunkin

2-#13 Mark Medeiros

3-#8 Brandon Duchscherer

4-#92 Ted Head

5-#22 Austin Carr

6-#21 Chuck Harrison

DNS #01 Pat Dent

?

LEGEND CARS:

1-#59 Jake Perkins

2-#57 Brandon Thomson

3-#4 Tyler Smith

4-#38 Gerald White, Jr.

5-#07 Dave Gleason

6-#88 Tyler Schule

7-#31 Lynn Wiles

8-#8 Justin Brown

9-#4R Zach Napoleon

10-#67 Matt Larmore

11-#7 Dakota Baggette

12-#99 Leroy Moore

13-#51 Roger Englund

14-#71 Mason Ketterman

?

SOUTHEAST CHAMP KART SERIES:

1-#77 Phil Harp

2-#29 Ron Sanford

3-#47 Wesley Gonzales

4-#8 Doug Schmidt

5-#93 Ryan Walters

6-#66 Joey Coaxum

7-#2 Rusty Chancey

8-#1 Dennis Mace

9-#33 Mitch Stevens

10-#63 Ed Brillhante

11-#16 Paul Letourneau

12-#89 Caylyn Brown

13-#61 P.J. Letourneau

14-#14 Tim Simmons

15-#25 Tracy Wilson

16-#30 Billy Smith

17-#79 Vinnie Crawford

?

MINI STOCKS:

1-#42 Chris Spring

2-#4 Marilyn McCrary

3-#40 Jason Swilley

4-#21 Fred Harrison, Jr.

5-#1 Bill Bell

6-#3 Chris Narramore, Sr.

7-#2 Dwight Ryals, Jr.

8-#46 Scott Russ

?

V-8 BOMBERS:

1-#96 Larry Chumney, Sr.

2-#89 Preston Davis

3-#111 Josh Borem

4-#A6 Justin Meyer

5-#88 Gene Harrison

6-#51 Matt Johns

DQ #42 Brandon Duchscherer (camber)

?

BANDOLEROS:

1-#96 Teddy Lively – Outlaw

2-#48 Andy Metz – Outlaw

3-#38 Cameron White – Bandits

?

FIGURE EIGHTS:

1-#0 Jimmy Thompson

2-#14 Wayne Calkins

3-#89 Rodney Davis

4-#31 Wayne Whitehead

5-#34 James Crawford

6-#891 Ricky Todd

7-#35 James Newton

8-#A6 Justin Meyer

9-#89x Josh Hall

?

DEMO DERBY WINNER:

#007 Keith Sammons

?

?

?

?

?