McLEOD TOPS ADMO 50 - THOMSON EARNS CHAMPIONSHIP
by DAVE WESTERMAN. About Dave: He is the announcer at Auburndale Speedway and a
historian of the sport of stock car racing in Florida. He hosts the website:
http://www.floridastockcars.com/ with vintage photos from the speedways from the past and the
ones still operating in Florida. Please visit and we encourage your support.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Dave for writing these articles on his own time. He takes notes while he
is announcing in order to write these very detailed descriptions. At the end of the night, he waits at the
track until all the races are official; staying longer than he needs to in his role as an announcer. On
Championship Weekend, he stayed awake till 5 AM writing the story on Saturday night so everyone
could read it Sunday morning before the races the next day. We know our racing family and fans
appreciate what you do for the love of the sport as do we at Auburndale Speedway.
The Auburndale-DeSoto Modified Series wrapped up its 2016 season with a great race along with
crowning a champion for the 2016 campaign. Along with all the racing, the kids had a great time
celebrating Halloween with "Trick or Treat with the Drivers" plus a really great costume contest that took
quite a while to judge.
ADMO Modified qualifying was extremely close with Devin McLeod of Zephyrhills setting quick time at
13.911 seconds, just a tick of the watch quicker than the 13.919 lap turned by Brandon Thomson of
Seminole. Rounding out the top five in qualifying were Todd Brown, Greg Krom and point leader Cody
Stickler who came into the event with a slim three point edge over Thomson. Four cars were inverted for
the start placing Krom on the pole with Brown to his outside.
It would take three tries just to get the 50-lap contest under way. Pole-sitter Krom went spinning going
into the first turn just after the drop of the green but no one hit him or anything else, so the field was
reorganized for a second try. This time the field made it all the way to turn four where Brown was tapped
into a spin. Donnie Ollie could not avoid Brown's machine and the collision resulted in Ollie's machine
being too damaged to continue with the right front toed out several inches. Brown was able to return to
action.
The third try was the charm as Brown nabbed the early lead and was looking very strong with Krom in
tow. Thomson and McLeod were able to slip by Krom during the 22nd lap and began to chase down
Brown. Stickler brought out the caution as his car appeared to jump out of gear and he slowed abruptly
on the race track. Stickler got his mount up to speed again and tagged the rear of the restart line-up.
As the green flew so did McLeod as he slipped by Thomson and assumed the point only to see the final
caution of the race as Roger Blevins slowed to a stop in turn one. Blevins would not be able to
Continue. McLeod assumed the point and held off Thomson the remaining distance to score the win in
his Marlon Dunn Contracting Special. Eric Rudd had the drive of the night coming home third after
starting eighth while Stickler successfully battled his transmission problems to grab fourth but it would be
Thomson sneaking past Stickler in the final point rundown to win the 2016 ADMO title by the slimmest
of margins.
Fifth place went to Krom ahead of Brown, Blevins and Ollie. Despite a nine month layoff to concentrate
on his college studies, former track champ Dakota Baggette showed no rust whatsoever in winning the
Legend Car feature. Dave Gleason led the opening nine circuits before 2016 Legend Car champion Seth
Adams took over for a pair of laps before giving way to a charging Baggette who had his car working
perfectly in the tight turns. The race ran green to checker with Baggette scoring the victory over Adams,
Gleason, Devin McLeod and Michael Cherry. Rounding out the top ten were Alan Hiefnar, Bobby
Diestler, Dave Fusco, Wild Willie Wilson and Cale Nolen. The V-8 Bombers saw Kyle Peters again in
victory lane, his fourth in a row to wrap up the season. Peters had the pole for the 20-lap run and led
every lap as this race also ran with no caution flags. 2016 V-8 Bomber champion James Wright III put on
some good early pressure but settled for second in front of David Purvis. Preston Davis took the checker
in fourth followed by Mike Bruno (who finally got his Chevy El Camino to finish a race), Ricky Norman,
Glen Swanson and Bubba Healey.
2016 Scrambler champion Nicole Green kept trying and trying to pass leader Andy Travis but it looked
like Travis was going to score the victory. However, Green got a good run off turn four coming to the
checker and beat Travis toi the line by half a fender. This one also ran green to checker with Anthony
Carroll third and Josh Clouse fourth.
It was yet another win for Chris Narramore, Sr. in the Mini Stocks although it didn't come easy as he
brought out the only caution flag of the race when his car came out of gear going into turn three on lap 11.
Donald Gatlin led the first two laps before Danny Leet took over for a lap before Narramore put his
machine out front until his troubles placed him at the rear of the restart line-up. Leet reclaimed the lead
and looked like a sure winner but got loose off turn two on the white flag lap allowing Narramore to slip
by on the low side and go on to score yet another win as he totally dominated the class in 2016. Leet held
on for second over Gatlin, Fred Martin and John Cummins, Jr.
The next event at Auburndale Speedway is the "Night of Destruction" on November 12th and the 2016
racing year wraps up with the 11th Annual Joey Coulter Charity Weekend featuring 200 laps for the Pro
Trucks and more. Dates are Saturday December 10 and Sunday December 11.
The 2017 racing season will start much earlier than years past as racing will begin in January with the
track taking the months of July and August off this year to miss the oppressive heat and thunderstorms
that usually wreak havoc on the racing programs during the summer. The first race date for 2017 will be
Sunday, January 8 as the track begins its 75th Anniversary celebration with the Super Late Model
"Diamond 100" and racing in all of the regular weekly Auburndale Speedway classes.