Night of Champions

Sept. 21, 2019

Mystery Abounds Heading Into Night of Champions.

By Chuck Corder Six months ago, championships were a mere dream. To make them a reality, there were checkereds to chase.

Blood, sweat, and frustrations poured into long hours under the hard glow of buzzing lights.

For a few elite Late Model drivers, their championship moment arrives Saturday For others, the night will be equally important as they chase bigger championships come December in Pensacola.

Trucks

Sportsmen

Outlaws Pure Stocks

00 Brandon Curren 01 Michael House 1 Josh Adkins 4 Kyle Plott 4 Elliott Massey 4 Kyle McCallum 7 Cole Daffron 08 Memphis Villarreal 7 Jackson Boone 11 Jo Jo Wilkinson 14 Conner Okrzesik 14 Chris Davidson 18 Ryan Paul 18 Casey Roderick 21 Brandon Johnson 21 Ryan Herbert 22 Brandon Herbert 23 Josh Hollis 24 Christopher Tullis 25 Howie Disavino 26 Bubba Pollard 27 Austin Wood 30 Rusty Sanford 35 Jake Garcia 41 Troy Grasiffi 43 Justin South 43 Daniel Dye 46 Cole Williams 46 Jarrett Parker 50 Jett Noland 51 Perry Patino 62 William Hale 66 Korey Ruble 77 Greg Fore 79 Michael Villarreal 81 Colby Howard 89 Dylan Fetcho 95 Derrick Griffin 112 Augie Grill 116 Zach Johnson

2 Donnie Wilson 03 George Gorham 4 Kyle Plott 5 Dalton Armstrong 8 Colten Nelson 9 Brad May 10 Hunter Robbins 11 David Rogers 11 Logan Boyett 14 Chris Davidson 14 Connor Okrzesik 14 Austin Nason 15 Sheflon Clay 16 Lucas Jones 18 Casey Roderick 21 Trey Bayne 20 Anthony Sergi 20 Jack Dossey III 21 Jeremy Pate 21 Bronson Butcher 21 Ryan Herbert 26 Bubba Pollard 26 Travis Braden 26 Willie Allen 30 Jessie Dutilly 37 Kaden Honeycutt 47 Allen Karnes 51 Chandler Smith 51 Stephen Nasse 53 Boris Jurkovic 53 Cole Butcher 54 Matt Craig 66 Logan Bearden 78 Corey Heim 79 Kyle Bryant 79 Joe Aramendia 81 Gio Bromante 83 Scotty Ellis 88 Roger Reuse 97 Steven Davis 98 Paul Kelley 99 Casey Smith 112 Augie Grill 112 Mike Garvey

Both finales will be decided by close margins.

Entering the Blizzard Series 150, North Carolina’s Lucas Jones holds a razor-thin lead against a few title hopefuls.

Okrzesik leads fellow teenager Jake Garcia, 14, by seven points heading into the Allen Turner Tune-Up 100.

Before the 52nd annual Snowball Derby and Snowflake 100 arrive in less than 90 days, fans can anticipate plenty of drama as the track crowns champs in the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series (Super Late Models) and Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Model Series.

“It has definitely been a great season for me,” said Okrzesik, who has two impressive wins against stacked fields, one of which he outdueled Kyle Busch.

“But, you always think you could do better.

You’re always resetting expectations based on the race itself by how good of a car you have. “

“At the end of the day, you’re always aiming for a win when you go “It’d be great to win a to the racetrack.”

Pro championship at Five Flags, absolutely,” said 17-year-old Mobile Points will be at a driver Connor Okrze- premium. Qualifying sik, who has a slim awards five points to PLM lead and remains the pole sitter and the in the mix for the SLM remainder of the top five receives one point title, too. less. Two points separate each position in the race.

National Anthem Friday 1pm Pit Gate Opens 2-8pm Open Practice 1-8pm Tires & Fuel Available 4:00-8:00 Pre Tech Open 8:00-11:00 Pre Race Party On the Turn 4 Party Deck w/ Live Entertainment Pit Area Closes 11:00

Saturday 10am Pit Gate Opens ; Tech Opens 11:15am Race Tire Selection 12 noon Mandatory Driver/ Crew Chief Meeting 1-1:30 Blizzard Series Practice #1 1:30-2pm PLM Practice #1 2-2:30 Blizzard Series Practice #2 2:30-3pm PLM Practice #2 4pm Grandstand Opens 4:30 Blizzard Series Qualifying 5:15 Allen Turner PLM Qualifying All Cars to the Front Stretch Immediately After Qualifying 6:15 Autograph Session on the Front Stretch 7:15 Opening Ceremonies 7:30 Green Flag

Deep South Cranes Blizzard Championship 150 laps Allen Turner Tuneup 100 laps

2019 Schedule Nov 23 * SBD Preview Dec 4-8 Snowball Derby

Laci Loftin Jones,20 is just two points clear of 16-year-old Giovanni Bromante with three-time Blizzard Series champion Casey Roderick one shy of Bromante in third.

A fourth and Roderick would break a tie with Bubba Pollard for most all-time Blizzard season titles.

“Man, that’d be great,” Roderick said. “I’d like to stand alone.

That’d be cool to bring a championship home and also get win in the last Blizzard race of the season. I feel like we can do it.”

He’ll attempt to do it in a different ride, though, come Saturday. After a successful partnership decorated by more than 40 wins and string of series championships, Roderick parted ways after three years with short-track living legend Ronnie Sanders and his iconic red No. 18 machine.

Roderick will drive one of Donnie Wilson’s two Rowdy Manufacturing SLMs. Rowdy is the brainchild of Justin Oertel, owner of Hamke Race Cars, and NASCAR star Kyle Busch.

Roderick finished second only to Pollard in Wilson’s Rowdy ride during the Speed51 Super Select earlier this month at Lucas Oil Raceway (IN).

“I was pretty happy with our performance,” Roderick teased.

“We just came up a little short. (con’t on our web site)

Robert Balkum Michael Moody Corey Pitman Caleb Burkett Randall Moye

Joshua Hicks Brandon Burks Grant Thompson Logan Boyett Hunter Lambert

Mark Barnhill Tommie Blocker Dayton Sidner Jim Pokrant Shanna Ard

Lucas Jones Gio Bromante Casey Roderick Anthony Sergi Connor Okrzesik

Chris Cotto Bill Tutchtone Jason Furrow Jody Henderson Bubba Winslow

Connor Okrzesik Jake Garcia Casey Roderick Dylan Fetcho Kyle McCallum