Clark wins Bomber Challenge at Auburndale Speedway
Clark wins Bomber Challenge at Auburndale Speedway
Tom Sherrill
Florida Short Track Report.com
Photo by CG Photography
10-17-09
The Bomber Challenge 25 was set to race at Auburndale Speedway on this cool
Florida night. A racer had contacted the Florida Short Track Report to help get
them get a special race at the speedway on a night when the other local tracks
were scheduled off, allowing the bombers and the road warriors to race. From
there the race was set and some of Florida’s best bomber racers came to win.
The cars went out for a two-lap qualifying season, which is something these cars
rarely get to set the line-up for the 25 lap race. Chris Narramore Jr. set the
fast time of 16.450, but was DQ’ed in post qualifying inspection leaving the fast time to Richie Shepherd with a time of 16.697. The inversion put Johnny Clark on the pole with Shepherd on the outside of the front row.
The green flag was out and the race was on as Clark and Shepherd went into turn
one with Clark taking the point, Brandon Duchsherer on his bumper from the
second row in second and Steve O’Steen, staying on the bottom, was third. Shepherd and John Stewart found the opening and fell in line to make the top five
cars on the second lap, and at lap three Shepherd got past O’Steen. A lap later
he passed Duchsherer to find the second spot. On the sixth lap, Narramore Jr. passed Stewart but a yellow flag would call the pass back as
they lined-up for the restart. The restart saw Narramore Jr take a tough shot in
turn one to retire his ride for the night, bringing the yellow back out. This
restart saw O’Steen get a little jumpy, only to get caught by the flagman. With
one more spin and restart Clark was on the point followed by Shepherd,
Stewart and Justin Strott who had made his way up to fourth and Andy Harvard was fifth.
Everywhere that Clark went Shepherd was glued to his bumper, and Stewart was
looking for a mistake by the leaders as he was tight on Shepherd’s bumper. With
two laps to go Shepherd was looking and at the white flag he looked to the high
side but Clark was to strong. As they came out turn four heading for the
checkered flag it was Clark followed by Shepherd and then Stewart. O’Steen made
it back from his penalty from the flagman to finish fourth, and Justin Strott finished a strong run in fifth.
The race was a great race and to see a track verses track type race that showed the talent of the states best bomber racers on one track together.
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