#13
Final Blizzard and Super Stocks Tonight It all comes down to this weekend for 5 drivers in a close battle for the 2014 Championship in the Southern Super Series, presented by Sunoco Race Fuels. These key drivers are Bubba Pollard, Anderson Bowen, Daniel Hemric, Augie Grill and Donnie Wilson. After 13 of 15 races these 5 drivers are in a close battle for the crown, and after tonight here and Saturday night at Mobile International Speedway, one of these drivers will wear the crown in one of , if not the most, competitive Super Late Model Series in the country. They are pictured to the right as they stand in points going into tonight. Last year Hemric pulled it out in the final race by just one point over Pollard. Don’t be surprised if this year is a repeat. I can’t guarantee anyone that it will be that close, but what I can guarantee is some of the most competitive Super Late Model racing that you will ever see.
Also up for grabs is a Championship in the Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series, here and the Gulf Coast Championship, which includes Mobile A lot of money is on the line for these drivers, so may the best man smile all the way to the bank on Monday.
Bubba Pollard-Car 26 Senoia, GA
Look for some new faces. One crew drove 60 hours from Canada to be here, as they try Daniel Hemric-Car 98 to get geared up the Snowball Kannapolis, NC Derby. All this plus the Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers. A Champion will also be decided tonight in the Super Stocks and you can bet your bottom dollar that Todd Jones Anderson Bowen-Car 29 and Bubba Winslow will be Suwanee, GA “up on the wheel” to attempt to come out on the top. We will return in one week (September 27th) with the “Whataburger Night of Champions”. It will consist of a 100 lap race for the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models, plus Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Sportsman and Bombers. All remaining Championships will be decided on this exciting SATURDAY night of racing. This will also close the door on our regular race season.
Augie Grill-Car 112 Hayden, AL
Donnie Wilson-Car 2 Oklahoma City, OK
National Anthem Presented By:
Eddie Gibbs of Gulf Breeze 2014
schedule
WXBM-FM
Sept 27 Whataburger Nite of Champions, Pro Late 100, Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Sportsmen and Bombers Nov 22 Snowball Derby (c) Preview Dec 3-7 Snowball Derby 300
Chuck Corder’s Thoughts On Tonight The stage is set for Bubba Pollard this weekend. Much to the delight of his large fan base at Five Flags Speedway, Pollard’s shot at redemption begins right here at the famed halfmile asphalt oval tonight.
A track champion will be crowned tonight in the Faith Chapel Super Stocks with current leader Todd Jones leading defending series champion Bubba Winslow by 3 points.
Last year during the inaugural season of the Southern Super Series, a Super Late Model touring circuit that tours iconic tracks across the southeast, Pollard lost the championship by one measly point to Daniel Hemric.
The points battles are tight for both the Beef “O” Brady’s Sportsmen and Butler U-Pull-It Bombers, as drivers from both classes look to put themselves in ideal position before next weekend’s Whataburger Night of Champions, which will be run on a special Saturday night, Sept. 27, at Pensacola’s high banks.
Pollard enters tonight’s fourth and final Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series 125 lapper holding a slim, 8-point margin over the defending champion Hemric. With one more race to run Saturday night at Mobile International Speedway, Anderson Bowen, Augie Grill and Donnie Wilson are also still in the mix if the leaders have untimely ends to their Friday nights.
The Sportsmen and Bombers will be joined by the Pro Trucks and the Allen Turner Pro Late Models where former Snowball Derby champion Johanna Long and defending PLM track champion Garrett Jones will vie for the crown.
Video Ted Baber Tom Wilsey 850-458-2501 251-597-4747 Car Photos
By Chuck Corder Sometimes the sport of racing can be so cruel. Established friendships can get ripped apart over championship desires. It would seem as though Five Flags Speedway has such a scenario on its hands with the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers class. Close allies, current points leader Robert Balkum and reigning track champion Michael Nelson, are separated by six points with just two features left in the season. Thankfully, Balkum and Nelson have made a pledge to not let a little thing like racing history stand in the way of the bond they’ve formed and nurtured in recent years. “We’re both out here to have fun,” said the 23-year-old Nelson, who won one of two features Sept. 5 for his fourth victory of the season. “(Balkum has) always helped me out, from the very beginning of my career. And, since last year and through this year, he’s been basically my main help.” The pair’s friendly rivalry continues tonight. Bombers and Beef “O” Brady’s Sportsmen will crown track champions at next Saturday’s Night of Champions, The race for the Faith Chapel Super Stocks title ends this evening. Todd Jones, who won the Modifieds track championship in 2011, leads defending Super Stocks champion Bubba Winslow by 3 points going into tonights finale.
Nelson knows a thing or two about Snowball immortality. Two years ago, at the tender age of 21, the Pine Forest graduate and current U.S. Marine Corps reservist won the Bombers version of the Snowball when the Gary Goodwin’s winning car was disqualified. “When we heard the news, we were yelling and going crazy,” remembered Nelson, who finished second at the checkered flag before the official ruling came down in the tech shed. “We had the car on a jack stand and it fell off. We didn’t care. We still took pictures. “We didn’t get to finish first on the track, but we’re looking forward to doing that this year.” First up for Nelson, though, is a chance to successfully defend his first career track title that he locked up last season. Nelson boasts four wins and nine podium finishes in 2014. That kind of productivity should have him on top of the standings. But, racing being racing, Nelson’s points sustained a sizeable dent when he blew a motor during the June 13 feature. And what driver was there to help Nelson repair his damage in time for the next feature? Mr. Balkum himself. “Robert was the one that helped me and my dad put the thing back together,” Nelson said. “He said he doesn’t regret it. And that’s what competition is all about. We’re making it great for the fans and great for us.” It has also been great for Michael Nelson and Mike Nelson. Father and son used to sit in the stands and watch the races when Michael was a kid. Now, fathers and sons are watching them. “It means the world to me,” Michael Nelson said of being able to share the racing experience with his old man.
A-1 Lock & Safe 850-455-4358
The Locksmith Leader
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
52 03 22 27 11 83 1 15 7
Robert Balkum 1423 Michael Nelson 1417 John K Merritt 1307 Tommy Lowery 1238 Courtney Rodrigues 1205 Tim WIlmot 980 Hunter Ward 928 Preston Prevatte 926 Rick Culbertson
773
10 99 Ryan Worsham 656
1 10 Okie Mason 2 13 David Beale 3 66 Heath Mills 4 17 Chris Cotto 5 8 Donnie Hamrac 6 7 Robert Chason 7 117 Michael Swilley 8 88 Joe Thornton 9 99 Brandon Howell 10 131 Jeff Letson
540 471 309 287 209 185 173 170 127 123
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
29 00 77 33 12 07 33 42 83 10 17
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1459 1422 1262 1174 982 972 900 Randy Thompson 791 Bo Resmondo 759 Kris Pierce 718 Shanna Ard Brannon Fowler Shawn Laws Steve Buttrick Thomas Faddis Jim Pokrant Kenny Williams
9 12 42 9 5 57 33 84 8 84
Todd Jones
623
Dave Nolan Kevin Chase Charles Skipper Dave Mader III Joe Mahuron Justin Knowles Jeremy Tassin
552 446 347 325 93 91 89
Bubba Winslow 620 Randy Thompson 594
WWhich
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Okie Mason Jay Jay Day Teras Hodivsky Ray Hoey Greg Leachman 1 Howard Langham 56 Darryl Rudd
6 98 99 26 72
13 Jeremy Tassin 50 Ty Roberts 16 Jessie Reid
656 633 594 298 284 273 254 243 217 208
.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 8 9 10
337 305 Donnie Wilson 299 Daniel Hemric 297 Hunter Robbins 274 Anderson Bowen 264 Mike Garvey 248 David Rogers 233 Kyle Grissom 216 John H Nemechek 196
26 Bubba Pollard 29 Augie Grill 2
98 18 29
1 11 3
12
11 88 99 14 21 30 33 4 22 17
Johanna Long Garrett Jones Jr. Niedecken Ryan Luza Larry Blount Rusty Sanford Dustin Smith Elliott Massey Bryce Dulabhan Kurt Guillot
675 671 654 539 536 496 496 482 431 419
Lane is the passing lane?
Pushin it to the limits...the Sportsmen find themselves 3 wide often.