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AUBURNDALE, Fla. – With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, officials are turning all eyes towards the upcoming Winter Showdown events at Auburndale Speedway in February. The racing, which will take place from February 6-10, includes two practice days (Tuesday and Wednesday) followed by three straight nights of racing at the Florida oval.
Among the divisions in action will be the popular 602 Modifieds and Tour-Type Modifieds. The Auburndale events for these divisions will take place on Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9, to give teams a chance to make the move to New Smyrna Speedway for their annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing beginning on Saturday, February 10. The Saturday event at New Smyrna includes the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for 200 laps.
On Thursday, February 8, the 602 Modifieds will run twin 30-lap feature races, while the Tour-Type Modifieds will hit the track for 50-laps. On Friday, February 9, the 602 Modifieds will again run 30 laps and the Tour Modifieds 50 circuits. The Friday night events are estimated to conclude by 9 p.m. for teams to make the approximate two-hour drive to New Smyrna.
“Momentum continues to flow for these Modified races,” Brad Hockday, promoter of the event with the Showdown Series, said. “Adding Modifieds to this event that already includes Legends Cars, Bandoleros, TQ Midgets and more was a no-brainer for us. Teams will have the opportunity to compete in eight events in nine-nights if they run both Auburndale events and the Whelen Modified Tour at New Smyrna, along with the whole week there during the World Series. We’re looking forward to showcasing Modified racing to what will be a slightly different fanbase at Auburndale.”
Among early entries, Tommy Baldwin Racing has entered two cars in the 602 Modified division with drivers Luke and Jack Baldwin. Both successful winners last year in the division down south. Luke captured the World Series title at New Smyrna in 2023.
“It’s always exciting for us to be able to try new places and have promoters that are excited about hosting Modifieds,” Tommy Baldwin Jr., a former NASCAR Daytona 500 winning crew chief, said. “Auburndale looks like a great track for Modifieds. I hope we will continue to get some support for these 602 Modified and Tour-Type Modified races and help Florida speedweeks continue to grow. It will be a great opportunity for everyone to add a few more races to their trip.”
New Smyrna Speedway has adjusted the times for their parking times for Modified teams. No Modified teams (excluding the Whelen Modified Tour) will be able to park until early on Sunday morning. This means that teams can compete in the Auburndale Speedway events and have plenty of time to make it across the state.
The tire rule for the event is posted online. The rule will be six race tires for the 602 Modifieds with the F45 by Hoosier, and eight race tires for the Tour-Type Modifieds running the M20 & M30. Practice tires allotment is unlimited for the event, but teams need to let the management know in order for Hoosier to have a proper amount on site for the event.
Race teams with questions about the event are encouraged to email wntshowdown@gmail.com. There are practice nights available on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each night has a session from 4-7 p.m. and another from 7-10 p.m. Each session is $50 per car running.
Teams are also encouraged to register as soon as possible so the promoters can prepare for the race. For more information on the Showdown Series events at Auburndale Speedway, everyone is encouraged to visit https://linktr.ee/seriesshowdown. There, you can find the event tickets, registration forms, event schedule, event flyers, technical rules, general information and more. Auburndale Speedway will see the rumble and roar of Modifieds in February for the first time in the history of the Florida oval.
