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Buggay Stays Busy Chasing After Allen Turner Pro Late Model Track Championship

By Chuck Corder

Dwayne Buggay likes having his hands full.

At Five Flags Speedway, Buggay is a fan favorite who has run at the front of the pack in the Allen Turner Pro Late Models series this season.

“It’s beginning to be my favorite racetrack even though it has not served us well,� joked Buggay, who has never won in Pensacola. “It’s almost like I’m demanding myself to conquer it. I’m not giving up on it until I beat that racetrack.�

He doesn’t knowing the meaning of quit.

When Buggay returns to his native Canton, Ga., the 47-year-old businessman rarely catches his breath.

Buggay owns a pair of car dealerships just outside of Atlanta and recently opened a third in Destin. He is a real estate developer and runs an animal rescue farm.

Buggay also founded the Buggay Motorsports Driving School and Rental Program at Lanier National Speedway where he has discovered several, young talented late model drivers.

Wore out yet just reading that?

Buggay’s busy schedule brings him to Pensacola on Saturday for the Allen Turner Snowflake Tune Up 100, as Five Flags closes the regular season with the Night of Champions.

Buggay clearly is in the running to be one of those champions, sitting third, just 11 points behind leader Bubba Pollard. D.J. VanderLey is second, trailing by nine points.

“We’ve had some hard times down there,� Buggay said. “We could’ve won the Snowflake last year. We got to third and were right behind Bubba going for second when the oil light came on with 18 laps to go. It’s hard to get to that position in a big race.

“I’ve gotta get the monkey off my back. I’m hoping for the best this weekend and we’ll see what happens.�

There are also tight battles in the Modifieds and Bombers divisions Saturday. Brannon Fowler just needs to put it in drive to collect his first Sportsmen crown.

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

“We know what we have to do: sit on the pole and win the race and let the chips fall where they may,� Buggay said. “I have to be on top of my game, regardless of what Bubba does. He’ll have to have misfortune and I don’t wish that on anybody.

“Do have a shot to win the race? Absolutely. But there are a lotta things that have to happen. You can’t drive with reservations.�

Buggay has done a terrific job of following that strategy this season.

In his first full year of racing at Five Flags, Buggay has three top-fives and four top-10s in all four 100 lappers of the Allen Turner Pro Late Model series.

“Our focus on racing is to have fun,� Buggay said. “But we’re so competitive that I think we need more time to get to the racing program. I’m not making excuses by any means; it’s just frustrating I don’t have extra time.�

He boasts more than 50 late model wins in a career that spans more than 15 years. Buggay’s record includes several Pro Late Model championships at Lanier, one of the southeast’s more historic short tracks that, unfortunately, has contemplated closing for good.

It was at Lanier where Buggay founded his driving school for aspiring drivers.

“The car count at Lanier was getting smaller and smaller,� he said, remembering the school’s origins. “I came up with a plan for guys out there that wanted to drive a late model car but didn’t have the $50,000 or $60,000 to put one together or the knowledge to do it.�

With the cars and all the necessary equipment, Buggay decided to lend his expertise. The school has been a success, giving rise a handful of drivers.

Jeremy Mullinax, 20, has competed in three Allen Turner Pro Late Model races this season.

Kyle Plott, another of Buggay’s pupils, won the $25,000 Legends Big Money 100 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in August.

“It was just about helping bring racers to the track,� Buggay said. “People that want to put forth the effort to race, (they) can. If it is something they decide to pursue, they’ll figure out eventually how to do it financially.�

For now, Buggay is trying to figure out a way to dethrone Pollard.

His Georgia counterpart boasts 17 late model wins this season and will be gunning for his fourth series championship come Saturday.

“Bubba has made us do some crazy stuff,� Buggay laughed. “We’ve outsmarted ourselves some nights. Bubba brings the level of competition up. You have to have your game on. If you do beat him, you’ve done something.

“We’ve worked ourselves to death for the right combination to compete with him.�

He might have his hands full Saturday, but it’s nothing Buggay isn’t used to.

 

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