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No Rest for the Weary, Grill Continues to Build Winning Tradition On and Off Racetrack

By Chuck Corder

Nothing and no one can keep Augie Grill out of his ride.

Neither his ever-growing Grand American Race Cars manufacturing company nor its ever-expanding list of customers.

Although there is one person that could force Grill to hit the eject button.

Thankfully, for late model fans across the southeast — specifically at Five Flags Speedway, America’s favorite home track — Owen Grill, Augie’s son, is just 4.

Fortunately for Five Flags fans (perhaps, unfortunately for his rivals) that means Augie Grill, 34, will be around for at least another decade.

Grill will be around Five Flags once again Friday when the Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series points leader looks to lock up the track championship at the Miller Lite 100.

The Hayden, Ala., driver has finished second the last two seasons, but has yet to hoist a Blizzard title.

“Other than Pensacola, I’ve never really run a series for a track championship,� said Grill, who won the prestigious Snowball Derby in 2007 and 2008. “It’d be neat. We set out to win races, and if championships come with it, we’ll take it.�

The Miller Lite 100 marks the season finale for the Super Late Models. Grill leads Grant Enfinger by 12 points.

The Super Stocks also will crown a title winner, while the Sportsmen and Bombers approach the checkered before the Night of Champions on Oct. 8.

The grandstands open at 5 p.m. Friday with admission as follows: $15 Adults; $14 Seniors/Military; $12 Students; $5 Child (6-11); Under 6 is Free. The pits open at 1 p.m. and passes cost $25.

Glance around the pits Friday and on the outside of many of the Super Late Models, you’ll see a recurring sticker with these initials: G.A.R.C.

Demand has been up at GARC recently, which obviously means business has been good for Grill.

GARCs currently own a 10-race winning streak in Blizzard Series events. Grill, the all-time Blizzard winner with nine individual victories, has captured checkered flags twice the season in four races. He finished second and third the other two.

“It’s tough getting customers’ cars good and ready to try and outrun me,� said Grill, who won the Alabama 200, a prestigious Pro Late Model race, last Sunday at Montgomery Motor Speedway.

“We’re just going to try and stay up front and stay outta trouble. That’s the goal every race. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.�

More often than not, there are rarely bumps in the famed half-mile, asphalt oval for Grill.

His customers can’t complain either. The other two Blizzard Series winners this season, Bubba Pollard and Chase Elliott, drive GARCs.

Pollard has won 14 times in a GARC late model this year. Elliott, the son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott, is a NASCAR’S K&N Pro Series East rookie.

The lone negative for all of GARC’s success is it keeps Grill close to home. His strict schedule only allows Grill to race at a handful of tracks across the southeast.

“I love Pensacola and Montgomery and (South Alabama Speedway in) Opp and Gresham (Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga.),� Grill said, “but it gets old going to the same places over and over.

“At the same time, we can’t take time off to go race at these places because we’re so busy. If we did, we wouldn’t be able to keep up with the shop. But I don’t foresee me stopping driving because of the business. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.�

Much to the delight of late model racing fans everywhere, and especially at Five Flags, that day doesn’t appear to be anytime soon.

Remember the name, though: Owen Grill.

 

Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series Top 5 — 1. Augie Grill 244, 2. Grant Enfinger 232, 3. Bubba Pollard 212, 4. David Rogers 169, 5. Donnie Wilson 150

 

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