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Bubba Pollard Sets Record Qualifying Time at Five Flags Speedway

A great season for Bubba Pollard just got grander.

By Bill Vilona  www.pnj.com

His No. 18 race machine, adorned in Pollard's team favorite Georgia Bulldogs colors, continued its smooth operation by capturing the pole position for Sunday's 44th Snowball Derby with a track-record qualifying time of 16.290 seconds Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.

"This is by far the biggest accomplishment I've had," said Pollard, a 24-year-old Senoia, Ga., resident.

Considering all of Pollard's accomplishments, headlined by 19 victories in 2011, it should tell you what starting first on the inside row for this renowned race means to him.

Once he steered into pit row, climbed from his Super Late Model car, put on his Georgia ballcap, and lit into a smile, Pollard quickly grasped the achievement.

"This is the biggest race in the country. This is what it's about," said Pollard, who received a $1,000 bonus from local radio station WXBM-FM 102.7, which sponsored Friday's pole qualifying.

On a near-perfect night for race engine performance, the field of cars reflected the conditions. Of the 53 cars attempting to qualify for the top-30 guaranteed positions, all but three cars traveled the half-mile, banked oval in less than 17 seconds.

"You never want it too cold or too hot, so it was kind of a good, happy medium," said Chase Elliott, the 16-year-old son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott, who qualified ninth and was a strong contender throughout last year's Snowball Derby.

Pollard was among the last cars on the track for qualifying. One of the first was Andy Loden, from Stanley, N.C., who had the fastest time of 16.375 seconds until nearly 50 cars later.

But for Loden, getting bumped off the pole was a far better fate than he's encountered in two previous Snowball Derby trips.

"We've come here with two race cars and left with two destroyed race cars," he said. "The first year (2009), I crashed in practice Friday before qualifying when I busted a tire. Last year, we made the race, but didn't finish it.

"I honestly didn't think we were going to go that fast. I don't know where (16.375) came from. It just stuck there. When the guy told me my time, I said, 'Are you kidding me?' I'm very happy, no matter whether we're on the pole or not."

Though she didn't maintain her mini-streak of top-4 qualifying spots, defending Snowball Derby champion Johanna Long, 19, was confident about her car, after qualifying 13th in 16.555.

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