TRACKS: Ghosts, Ghouls, Witches and Winners at Auburndale Speedway
1 November 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Written by: Gene Crane
Auburndale, FL- A full night of racing and Halloween fun highlighted the weekend at Auburndale Speedway. The night featured all five regular divisions plus Top Cop, Super Mini Cup, Allison Legacy Car, Kids Club and a Media/Celebrity race. A lucky lady also went home with a diamond tennis bracelet.
The Super Mini Cup cars started the night off with their championship deciding feature. Casey Smith jumped out front and led the way to the checkers in the 15 lap contest. John Lowery Jr. started last in the 15 car field and worked his way to second followed by Josh Hermann, Bob Struck and Josh Guy. The regional championship battle between Chris Fountaine and Doug Smith went to Fountaine with a sixth place finish after spinning in turn four and backing across the start finish line on the final lap.
The Top Cop Cruiser division hit the track next for 25 laps of excitement. In a full contact race Ricky Beasley was able to motor through the field to take the win with Dave Cervantes and Gary Lush surviving for second and third. Rodney Tower recovered to place fourth and Geoffrey Monge completed the top 5.
Andy Chisholm improved upon Danny Sullivan's legendary Indy 500 spin and win by crashing and then driving to the win in the Allison Legacy Series feature. Chisholm's car bounced between cars and off of the outside retaining wall in turn one on the opening lap. With the nose and front fenders torn from the car Chisholm worked his way to the front and led David Malcolmson and Doug Benjamin Jr. to the finish line.
Bob Hart dominated the Gold Shield division of Top Cop Racing as he led Rick Penton and Butch Yancey to the finish. The Top Cop Racing Association also presented the Shriner's Egypt Shrine with a $2500 donation for area children programs during intermission.
The 25 lap Street Stock feature got off to a rocky start as the field went three wide coming down to the green on the start. The early competition proved to be much and the front of the field slid to a stop inside of turn one. Chuck Steele was unable to continue with extensive damage to the left rear of his number 3. Johnny Gamble would take command on the subsequent restart and lead the way with Billy Jones and Richard Hight dueling for second. The two would tangle and eliminate themselves from contention. Larry Chumney staked claim to the second spot at the finish followed by Brian Donahue, Jeff McCaw and Ron Lofquist.
The Kids Club rumbled onto the track for action with Aaron Williamson winning in the Senior division. Sean Bass took the honors in Junior division racing.
Wade Leithead got the jump on Bob Storer on a mid-race restart and went on to the win in Modified Mini Stock action. Storer gave chase but would settle for second. Wayne Weaver, Eugene Davidson and Scott Sharpe rounded out the top five.
Robbie Storer was able to cruise to victory in the Limited Late Model feature ahead of Richard Elkins Jr. and Ollie Harbin. Bart Weatherford and Mitch Hawk completed the top five. During Winners Circle celebration Richard Elkins Jr. drew a winning entry for the 2-CT diamond tennis bracelet given away by one of his sponsors Midas Jewelers. Sandy Rose of Lakeland was the lucky winner of the bracelet.
A large field of V8 Pure Stocks went at it for 15 laps with William Hawkins going to the win. Bob Gorsuch was second followed by Rick Bacon, Johnny Vaughn and a spinning Sam Cressman.
Matthew Craig and Scott Taylor chased Tim McKenzie to the finish of the 4 Cylinder Pure Stock feature. Chris Narramore and Joe Thomas rounded out the first five finishers.
A special Media/Celebrity race led the way out of intermission and Mike Preston of the Lakeland Ledger worked his way past 97 Country's Tom O'Brien for the win. Haywood Henson of TV32 made up ground to finish second after O'Brien spun exiting turn four on the final lap. Wes Wise of Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Linda Vendl of Marketink also got by the spinning O'Brien for third and fourth.
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.