IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 15, 2005 FSCR FASTRUCKS visits Auburndale Speedway by Bill Green "From Behind The MIC!" Auburndale, FL (May 14th, 2005) The fast growing, Fast Trucks/Fast Kids Series rolled into Auburndale Speedway for the latest stop on the 2005 calendar. Thirteen of the young gun Fast Kids unloaded for a shot at the Auburndale bull ring, while twenty two Fast Truck Pros attempted a qualifying effort. The truck pilots had their work cut out for them with qualifying scheduled for a warm sunlit 6pm, but feature event time would not happen till near 10 or 11pm. Set up was a guessing game at best, but many of the regulars on the Fast Truck/Fast Kids circuit had been through this before. Plus many of the trucks are based out of shops in the Polk County area and they know the Auburndale asphalt well. First up for qualifying would be the Fast Kids. The top spot would go to the # 8 Broke-N-Poor Surplus Buildings Materials Dodge of young Cody Pitts with a 15.250. That would have been 6th fast in the Pro division on the night. For the Fast Truck Pro's it would be the # 56 of local racer James Wright III, clicking off a respectable 15.090. Both fast qualifiers pulled the 6 inversion card. Putting Drew Brannon on the Fast Kids pole and Tom North on the Fast Truck Pro pole. The Fast Kids front row had Brannon inside the winner of the past two Fast Kid events, Patrick Staropoli. The second row would be David Wilson inside John Kidwell with row three made up of 2nd fast qualifier Spencer Taylor and top speedster Cody Pitts. At the drop of the feature green, it would be Staropoli getting the better of Brannon for the first few circuits, but David Wilson made a great move early in this one. Taking the lead and never looking back. Finishing with no damaged trucks or egos, these Fast Kids did a great job of racing clean and hard for a crowd pleasing 25-laps. Finishing second would be Staropoli with very smooth driving Spencer Taylor third. Fourth would be pole sitter Brannon, followed by young John Kidwell's familiar 7NY truck. It was truly a great race from a great group of young up and coming drivers. After the heart of the Auburndale regulars ran features it was time for the 50-Lap Fast Truck Pro feature. Lead to the green by 6th fast qualifier Tom North and outside pole sitter and points leader Sean Bass, all 22 of the pros were ready for battle. Second row starters were Bobby Ownes inside Tim Shafner,leaving second fast Gary Foxworth inside quick Pro James Wright III in row 3. At the drop of the green in this one, Sean Bass drove hard into turn one, a full truck length in front of North. After a great save of the bonsai move for the lead, he got sideways in front of the field for a instant, but powered out in true Bass Pro style. Leading all 50-Laps, pulling away on every restart, working past lapped traffic as smooth as a soft-serve ice cream at the concession stand, Bass made it the Sean Bass Fast Truck Show and Driving Clinic. Leaving Foxworth, Owens and Wright to battle lap after lap for the runner-up spot. Owens # 24 truck would loose the transmission in a fiery display out of turn-4 at the 30-lap mark. The trucks were stopped on the back stretch for the lengthy clean up, but when racing resumed, Bass took off like a 20 pound wide-mouth on 5-lb test line. Finishing second would be Foxworth with James Wright III getting two thirds in a row after a third in the Auburndale Sportsman event just prior to the Fast Truck Pro main event. Fourth would go to a great drive by George Gorham, followed closely by another excellent run for 7th fast qualifier George Morales. After the Bass Burnout on the front stretch, Sean thank the crew and sponsors for the opportunity to go racing and hailed Auburndale as his home track to the roar of the hometown fans. Fast Trucks and the Fast Kids visit Auburndale again in the coming months, but up next is another TV taping at the hurricane recovering Port Charlotte track, Charlotte County Speedway on May 28th. For more information on Fast Trucks/Fast Kids Racing Series call 813-817-RACE (7223). We'll See You At The RACES! Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!