IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

August 5, 2009 Twin Thunder at Auburndale by Chuck Green The Florida Champ Kart League was in Winter Haven, Florida this past weekend at Auburndale Speedway for what they billed as “Twin Thunder at Auburndale”. This would be the inaugural race of what hopefully will be an annual event at Auburndale Speedway. Champ Kart organizers said they had negotiated with the management of Auburndale to bring this event to this particular venue, as Auburndale offers the best of both worlds. Auburndale Speedway is a facility that has a paved quarter mile banked asphalt oval, and a one fifth mile relatively flat dirt track. A perfect combination for “Twin Thunder” This race would be unique in that the karts would race on the dirt Saturday afternoon, and be a part of Auburndale’s’ regular Saturday night program, by running on the banked pavement track. The later part of this show would expose the champ karts to the race fans that would not normally see these little screamers, and would hopefully bring a new awareness to the sport of karting. This event was anticipated to be one of the most intense races of the season due to the $1500 dollar winners’ purse. $500 would go to the winner of the dirt race, $500. To the winner on the asphalt, and an additional $500. For the best overall finish on both tracks The day would start on the dirt track with the featured class, the senior flatheads. These karts are know for the close competition, even bump drafting comes into play. A field of fourteen karts would take the green flag for the twenty-lap money race. At the start, the karts of Raymond Follwell, Dustin Chisholm, and Troy DeCaire (yes, the same Troy DeCaire that is a regular on the TBARA sprint car series, and yes, the same Troy DeCaire that won at Anderson Indiana earlier this year in a USAC sprinter.) would separate themselves from the rest of the field and it was obvious the winner would be one of the three. These guys ran nose to tail the entire twenty laps, and they would swap the lead almost every lap. When it came down to the end, Raymond Follwell would take the checkers with Chisholm second and DeCaire third. Follwell would pocket $500. for his efforts. Saturday night would see the same three karts breaking away from the field on the banked quarter mile asphalt track. Again Follwell, Chisholm, and DeCaire would decide this one among themselves. The action between these three was pretty much the same as it was on the dirt. The race was run caution free, saw too many lead changes to count, one lap Follwell would be out front the next lap DeCaire, and Chisholm would cross the stripe side by side. These three drivers put on a clinic, close clean, side by side, nose to tail racing, twenty laps, and never touched each other. When all was said, and done. Troy DeCaire would come out on top with Chisholm second, and Follwell third. DeCaire would take the $500. winners share for the pavement race, and the points would show a three-way tie for the best overall finish in both races, DeCaire, Chisholm, and Follwell would share the $500. The fans in the stands witnessed one of the best races they would see all night. The Champ Karts were the hit of the show. This was a great success, for both the Florida Champ Karts, and the sport of karting in general. Many fans were overheard saying they would return to Auburndale anytime the Champ Karts would be on the schedule. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!