Auburndale Speedway Race Results 7-10-99

Mid Season Championships at Auburndale.

By Larry Vergon

Auburndale, FL: Terry Thompson started the 25 lap feature on the outside of the front row and dropped back as far as third in the early stages of the event, but was on the point at the end to win his first feature of the season, and double points for the Mid Season Championship. Thomas Poff started on the pole and led the early laps with Thompson falling into second at the start on the tight quarter mile. Dave Dunkin got by Thompson for second and battled Poff for several laps. On lap seven, Poff drifted high on the exit of turn two and Dunkin drove to the inside as the two entered the third turn side by side. The two touched and both spun, bringing out the caution. Thompson inherited the lead as Poff and Dunkin were sent to the rear on the restart, and he led the rest of the way to the checkered flag. Bart Weatherford was second, surviving a hard duel with Robbie Storer over the final half dozen laps. Storer raced from 11th at the green to take third, followed by Mitch Hawk Jr, who started 15th. Poff recovered from the early incident to finish fifth. The heat races went to Poff and Thompson.

The Street Stock 25 lap feature was won by Travis Roland who took the green from the inside of the fourth row. The 18 year old racer drove to the front and led the 23 car field to the checkered flag for his second feature win. Roland and crew recently rebodied the race car and painted it a glow-in-the-dark yellow green, and he has been at the front of the finishing order every race since the rebuild. Jeff McCaw started the race outside the fifth row and was second at the finish, running a strong race, but was unable to challenge Roland at the end. Michael King started inside McCaw at the green and was in the top five when a five car spin in the third turn, on lap seven, relegated him to the rear. None of the cars were severely damaged, and King had come through the field to fourth place when a caution flew with one lap to go. King got by Larry Chumney in the last turn to take third, with Chumney fourth. Steve Ware rounded out the top five with a strong drive from his 13th starting position. Heat race winners were King and McCaw.

In the 25 lap Modified Mini Stock feature, Mike Rudder came from 10th to the win in the 22 car field, for his sixth feature win of the season. Rudder's win was not easy as Jay Kaminski started 12th and was on his rear bumper the whole race, and made several attempts at taking the lead. Rudder and Kaminski will gain on the points leader Eugene Davidson, as Davidson experienced car problems in his heat race and was unable to start the feature. 18 year old Michael Seeright was in the top five the whole race and finished third, using a late race pass to gain the position from Tony Davidson. Davidson had started 5th and worked his way to the front before the Rudder/Kaminski tandem went by for the lead. Davidson finished fourth, followed by Wade Leithead. Heat race winners were Rudder and Davidson.

The V8 Pure Stock feature was a 30 lap event for this Mid Season Championship night, and the "bombers" put on a great show for the fans, with 25 cars taking the green flag. The race was marred by only one caution flag, with Willie Lacey and Bob Gorsuch battling for the win the whole way. Lacey started outside Gorsuch in the second row and the two went into the lead at lap six, with Gorsuch out front. Lacey got around him around the half way point and then was hounded by Gorsuch the rest of the way, to notch his second feature win, and two in a row. Dan Rising had started on the pole and held down third until the final foot of the 30 lap event, as Greg Bacon nipped him at the line. Bacon, the points leader, had started the event on the inside of the ninth row and used the outside groove to make his way to third at the stripe. Jason Todd was fifth. Gorsuch and Preston Warren took the heat race wins.

In 4 Cylinder Pure Stock, 17 year old George Gorham won his third feature of the season on this Mid Season Championship night. Gorham started third and held off several challenges by Timmy McKenzie to take the checkerd flag and the double points. McKenzie took the green in 7th and had to settle for second, followed by Randy King, who began the event in 6th. Chris Narramor drove from 12th at the green to fourth, followed by Joe Thomas, who started 11th. The heat races went to King and McKenzie.

Next Saturday, July 17th, Auburndale racing action will include Limited Late Model Sportsman, Modified Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, Four Cylinder Pure Stocks, Pure Stock V-8's; and the return of the Top Cops. Rescheduled due to rain, Winged Sprints will be at Auburndale July 24 and Southern Pro Trucks on July 31st.