Big Twin 50 for Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models

Twin 50’s for the Pro Late Models Tonite

As we begin to wind down the 2016 regular racing season at Five Flags Speedway, don’t think for one second that the quality of racing is going to do the same.

As a matter of fact, it’s time to change to “High Gear” and bring our fans some of the best short track racing that you’ll see anywhere.

Only three races remain, and let me warn you, you don’t want to miss any of them. We will start tonight by featuring twin 50 lappers for the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models where some of the best cars in the nation will be in the pits.

Jeremy Pate, Jeff Choquette, Wayne Niedecken, Jr., Brett Holmes and Anthony Cataldi are just a small fraction of the drivers you will see in action.

We will bookend these two 50 lappers with the racing activities kicking off the night with the first 50 and then we will treat you to some “good ole” Super Stock, Sportsman and Bombers. After these three classes are finished, the Pro Late Models will return and cap the night off with another 50 lapper.

It’s a special nite as we salute the Combat Vets group here.

We’ll give a box of Really Good Steaks to the Five Flags 50/50 winner beginning on May 28th

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After tonight, we will switch to SATURDAY nights for the two remaining races. The next race, Saturday, September 17th will be a 100 lapper for the Pro Late Models along with Pro Trucks, Sportsman and Bombers.

We’ll return the very next Saturday night, September 24th, with the final Deep South Crane Rental Blizzard Series race for the Super Late Models. It will be the season championship for the Southern Super Series. The Supers will run 150 laps along with Super Stock, Sportsman and Bombers.

Bring the families and we will see you at the races!!!!

For the last three months, his arm has been mobilized by finger casts to prevent his hand from curling up and another crossbow-type contraption on the back of his arm that requires rubber bands to assist with straightening.

Pate knows how lucky he is — the recovery process will, undoubtedly, take years — and the close call has him counting his lucky stars.

His Right Arm Nearly Severed at Freak Job Accident, Pensacola’s Pate Stays in Hunt for PLM Title

“The world works in mysterious ways,” Pate said. “I’m not saying it was a blessing that I have an arm that’s half-dead, but it has focused me on the things I need to be focused on.

May 24 began as a typical day for Jeremy “I promise you, I spent all my 30s in the Pate. A 20-year veteran driver of Five Flags shop trying to achieve my life’s goals. I almost Speedway, the 39-year-old Pate woke up that didn’t see them through. You never know what morning and arrived downtown at the Port of Pen- tomorrow brings. This has changed my outlook on sacola to help unload ships for his family’s busi- a lotta things.” ness, Pate Stevedore Co., Inc. 00 Anthony Cataldi 1 Mike Garvey Amazingly enough, one of those 2 Bret Holmes

But while conducting tasks he 7 Cole Daffron things Pate continues to pursue is a had expertly done since his teenage 9 Jeff Choquette possible Allen Turner Hyundai Pro 10 RS Senter years, Pate slipped and had a freak acLate Model track championship at 14 Chris Davidson cident.

14 Connor Okrzesik Five Flags Speedway.

His right arm got caught on a forklift’s exhaust pipe and, in an instant, all the tendons and muscles in that arm were severed along with one artery and nearly another. “It was bad,” Pate harrowingly recalls.

The near-death experience almost cost him his “gear-shifting arm,” as Pate put it. Two tourniquets were quickly cinched to Pate’s limb as he was rushed to the hospital.

Three surgeons, more than 200 stitches and six hours later, Pate’s arm had been miraculously saved.

14 17 18 19 21 22 23 26 27 40 41 51 51 55 80 81 89 92 97 99 99

WesleyKing Kurt Guillot Ryan Paul Adam Johnson Justin South Jordan McCallum Josh Hollis Chandler Smith Austin Wood Keith Thorpe Troy Grisaffi Zack Knowles Perry Patino Ronnie Osmer C J Lockamy Brandon Odom Jeremy Pate Ron McDonald Cole Anderson Johnny Greene Jr Niedecken

“It looked like a spaghetti arm,” Pate said.

Shockingly, the horrific injury hasn’t slowed down Pate’s short-track career, as he has the Bobby Reuse No. 89 PLM tied for second in the season points standings with Junior Niedecken.

Pate, fresh off sixth- and fifthplace finishes during the June 24 twin 50s, trails series leader Bret Holmes by 53 points heading into Friday’s third round of 50-lap doubleheader features at the famed half-mile asphalt oval.

(You’ll want to read the rest of the story of Jeremy Pate on our web site. Go to: www.5flagsspeedway.com)

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Duke Boutwell

With Support of Jetts and VanDoorn, Choquette is a Late Model Force

It wasn’t long ago that Jeff Choquette saw his better days behind a late model steering wheel vanishing in his rearview mirror. Late model racing, these days especially, seems to be a young man’s game.

When Choquette, 29, amicably parted ways with the Adrian Carriers Team a few years ago, he assumed life’s next chapter meant overseeing the family’s land development business.

But after a year-and-a-half away from the sport, the West Palm Beach native got an unexpected call in April. The Jacksonville-based Jett Racing Team, owned by the father-son duo of Pat and Kurt Jett, had a scheduling issue with its then-driver and needed a replacement pronto.

“Pat (Jett) called me up, and asked what I was doing, if I wanted to go race,” Choquette recalled. “I told him, ‘Heck, yeah!’ To get in equipment like the Jetts it’s unheard of. I was ecstatic.”

9/17 Allen Turner PLM Tune Up 100 Pro Trucks, Sportsmen, Bombers.

9/24 Season Championships, Deep South Crane Rental Blizzard 150, Super Stock, Sportsmen, Bombers.

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Choquette quickly proved he’s still quite the hotshoe despite 18 months away from racing.

Since May, he has tallied three podium finishes in three races at Five Flags Speedway, including winning a doubleheader in the Jett’s Pro Late Model in June.

With his new lease on short-track life firmly ensconced, Choquette returns in the Jett Racing No. 9 to the famed half-mile asphalt oval this Friday night for another set of Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Model twin 50 lappers. “Pro races nowadays, the local drivers are always the toughest competition,” Choquete said. “They know the track’s ins and outs. To be able to win and keep up with a lotta those kids when I’m almost 30, it’s still cool. “Anytime, you can win in Pensacola, it’s special. So many fans come out and they really get into the races, which is so excited to see. Five Flags puts on a top-notch show.”

Californian Derek Thorn, a past winner at Five Flags Speedway, had been guiding the Jetts’ late model program. But when a scheduling conflict arose, the Jetts knew just who to call.

Choquette, who finished runner-up to champion Erik Jones at the 45th annual Snowball Derby in 2012, came aboard with Jett Racing midway through the season and reminded shorttrack racing fans that he still has a lot of talent left in the tank.

He finished runner-up to Harrison Burton in the second Deep South Crane Blizzard Series race of the season in May at Five Flags.

Then, Choquette topped that by sweeping the Allen Turner Hyundai PLM twin 50s earlier this summer. (Read the rest of the Choquette story by Chuck Corder on our web site: www.5flagsspeedway.com)

Who is at the Wheel?

5 Derek Long; Bay Minette 8 BJ Leytham; Mobile 13 Jimmy Hollingsworth, Mobile 15 Robert Loper, Irvington 16 Brad Mosley; 8 Mile 22 John K Merritt; Pensacola 22 Zack Carpenter, Loxley, AL 24 Caleb Burkett, Pensacola 29 Matt Thompson, Wilmer, AL 34 Cory Pittman, Cantonment 42 Brandon Sidner, Pensacola 44 Bobby Jones, Mobile 49 Jay Whalen, Pensacola 52 Robert Balkum, Pensacola 55 Kenny Bullard, Pensacola 56 Kerner Kafka, Pensacola 71 Tommie Blocker, Invington 78 Tim Wilmot, Cantonment

80 Zack Jordan, Pensacola 86 Jonathan Smith, Theadore 88 Geno Denmark, Dauphin 91 Sarah Dority, Pensacola 95 Robert Riley, Gulf Breeze

00 Brannon Fowler, Molino 1 Jonathan Langham, Mobile 6 Jim Pokrant, Pensacola 09 Hunter McNair, Cantonment 13 Paul Mathis, Pensacola 28 Dayton Sidner, Cantonment 23 Jake Moore. Pensacola 31 Johnny Greene, Daphne, AL 33 Steve Buttrick, Cantonment 51 Albert Pirez, Lillian, AL 60 Jimmy Goodwin, Milton 77 Shawn Laws, Navarre 81 Tina Davidson, Pensacola 97 Hunter Lambert, Pensacola 99 Billy Hoover, Pensacola

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Pictures Tom 251-597-4747 Photo

8

B J Leytham

33 Steve Buttrick

52

Robert Balkum

6

22

John K Merritt

28 Datton SIdner

6

Kerner Kafka

29 Shanna Ard

71

Tommie Blocker

97 Hunter Lambert

3

Taylor Jorgensen

9

Todd Jones

1

Howard Langham

94

Jason Johnson

46

Jarrett Parker

9

Andrue Nolen

36

Rodney Benefield

14

Wesley King

40

Brian Weimer

4

Bill Cooley

2

Bret Holmes

99 Jr. Niedecken

2t 89 Jeremy Pate 7

Cole Daffron

14 Connor Okrzesik

7

Jim Pokrant

Casey Roderick

1t 77 Zane Smith 12 14 4t 26 2

Harrison Burton Chris Davidson Bubba Pollard Donnie Wilson

See web site for latest total points for all drivers.