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ASA Invades Brian Davidson Memorial 125 at Auburndale
By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Florida Short Track Report.com
2-27-08
Some of the ASA Late Model Series South’s best drivers will be invading the
18th running of the Brian Davidson Memorial 125 presented by the Florida
Short Track Report this weekend at the Auburndale Speedway.
Names that should be familiar to ASA fans include Jeremy Gerstner, Wayne
Morris, Kevin Macy, Cody Pitts and former ASA competitor David Pollen Jr.
They will be competing for 125 laps around the ¼ bullring for the $3,000 grand
prize.
The race is unique in the fact that it will pit three different types of asphalt late
models against each other in the same race. ASA legal cars will face off
against other limited late models as well as super late models, with left side
weight percentage as well as total car weight being used to equalize the field.
“With these crate motors, it’s more about momentum than anything,” Gerstner
said on the Florida Short Track Report radio show earlier this week. “It’s been
a long time since I’ve been to Auburndale, but it’s a track that suits my style
and a place that I know I can do really well at.”
Using his ASA car, Pitts led from green to checkers in a 100 lap event at the
track last August. During that race, Pitts held off the super late model of Daniel
Webster, who stayed on Pitts’ bumper for the entire duration of the race but
could not get by the 16 year-old driver from Auburndale.
The two drivers will be able to renew their friendly rivalry Saturday night.
Another rivalry to watch is between legends Randy Fox and Morris, who had a
fierce battle last weekend in Punta Gorda. Macy will be looking to keep his
momentum going after winning last weekend’s race. Other superstars such as
Jeff Scofield, Raymond Lovelady, Johnny Kay and Ron Lofquist will also be
looking to put their name in the history books of Florida late model racing
Festivities begin Friday with a six hour practice session. On Saturday,
qualifying for the Brian Davidson Memorial 125 takes place at 5 p.m., with a full
slate of racing at Auburndale to begin immediately thereafter. As the field
comes on to the track, 11 year-old Daniel Miller, who won 23 feature races last
year enroute to the Mini Cup Star series championship, will throw the dice that
could invert as many as the top 6 starters. After 125 hard fought laps,
Davidson will personally hand the winner their trophy as well as one for the
Florida Short Track Report fast time qualifier.
This year the race has relocated to Auburndale after a successful 17-year run
at Charlotte County Speedway. The race began in 1992 as a tribute to Brian
Davidson, the son of original Charlotte County Speedway owner Leroy
Davidson. The younger Davidson literally helped build CCS from the ground
up as a teenager, and was vital in the track’s operation until his death in 1991
at the age of 23.
“Brian’s way of contributing was they way he helped build our track,” Leroy
Davidson said. “If it wasn’t for him and all the other people that helped, I never
would have got that done so he definitely had a big contribution to racing in
the state of Florida.”
Perhaps the most unique thing about this race is in the name of the race itself,
as most memorial races are named after racers or promoters. Brian Davidson
was in fact a racer, having raced motorcycles when he wasn’t busy helping his
father. The fact that there have been comments and other ascertains made by
others about Brian have drawn the ire of Leroy Davidson, and that played a
huge part in the decision to move this race to Auburndale this year.
“Some of those things that have been said have really upset me, because if
we didn’t have a race track, then we wouldn’t have the race drivers,” Leroy
Davidson said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s at Auburndale, Georgia or anywhere
else.“
After some serious differences with the new management of CCMP, Leroy
Davidson decided it was time to find a new location for this race for 2008.
Davidson got together with Auburndale Speedway owner Rex Guy and Tom
Sherrill from the Florida Short Track Report.com. It was decided there that
Auburndale was to be the new home for the race.
“Auburndale just seems like the perfect place for us to put on this race,”
Davidson said. “It’s right in the center of the state, and I think it’s going to work
real well there. They’re doing a great job up there.”
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