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Smith Crushes Way to 3rd Demo Derby Title; Adams Collects Heavenly Win; Buttrick Cashes in $1K Prize

By Chuck Corder

The Five Flags Speedway stands overflowed around the half-mile oval Friday.

Anyone who’s ever wrecked came for the Demolition Derby. Area congregations came for the Faster Pastor race. And the most loyal of racing fan came for it all.

With a jam-packed house, the racing inside the catch fence didn’t disappoint. From early heat races to nail-biting finishes in the feature races, at $5 a pop the crowd certainly got its money worth.

Jeff Adams from Smyrna Baptist went wire-to-wire for the Faster Pastor victory, besting runner-up Gene Wooten of Beulah Free Will Baptist and Wayne Butts, Five Flags track chaplain and associate pastor at Liberty Church.

“I don’t know if I’m drenched from sweat or if I wet myself,� Adams deadpanned. “I was scared to death, but it was a blast.�

It couldn’t hold a candle to the Demolition Derby, which was won for a third consecutive year by Pensacola’s own Ronnie Smith.

Smith took on all comers for this edition of the Derby, as more than 15 cars entered, some from several states away.

There was even an old black hearse with shooting flames on the hood.

When the dust settled, Smith had somehow managed to pull off one of the rarest three-peats a sport fan will ever bear witness to. He topped Chris Frost from Sayre, Ala.

“I feel good,� said Smith, who admitted earlier in the week he hurt his shoulder during last year’s win. “I jumped outta the seat a couple times. I don't know what (Frost) has got in that front end, but it’s tough as nails.

Modifieds

Donald Crocker threw a perfect game Friday at Five Flags Speedway.

He was the fast qualifier, he rolled a 1 on the dice roll to avoid an invert and then led wire-to-wire in the 25-lap feature for his second win in as many races.

Crocker points directly to his No. 5 for this recent stretch of perfection. He has won every race it has entered.

“We’re four-for-four,� he said. “We had a pretty good hot ride tonight. We’ll keep racing it as much as we can. We work on it every day of week.�

Crocker and his team’s dedication were on full display Friday.

Donnie Hamrac, the Mods track champion last year, made multiple attempts at climbing toward Crocker’s bumper as the pair quickly made it a two-car breakaway.

Each time Hamrac push toward the lead Crocker was there to close the door. The Citronelle, Ala., native never blinked Friday.

“Crocker, he’s got the whole field covered right now,� Hamrac said, tipping his cap to his friend. “We had a pretty good night; gained some points on Brandon (Howell). And we’ve got a clean car.�

Howell, for his part, had a wild ride. He came home in third and maintains a slim points lead, but it didn’t come easy.

At one point late Friday, following a caution, he fell to fourth. But Howell fought back and salvaged third on the final lap.

Sportsman

The throng was eagerly awaiting this one.

Steve Buttrick has made it quite the tradition this season of giving away his trophies to lucky, young fans.

After winning the 25-lap feature Friday against a loaded, 19-car field of Sportsmen, Buttrick once again didn’t disappoint and paid it forward.

He got paid, too. How’s a double-purse of $1,000 sound?

Buttrick got his career-best eighth win of the season, comfortably beating runner-up Mark Barnhill and Brannon Fowler to the line.

“This was a great night, a lotta fun,� Buttrick said. “It’s great to see a big crowd tonight.�

Fowler was Buttrick’s closest competition Friday. He was the fast qualifier and was nose-to-tail with Buttrick for much of the race.

Fowler, who had his refurbished No. 00 on a rail after wrecking a month ago, figured to make a run at Buttrick down the stretch as lapped traffic became an issue. But a late caution caused the cars to restack and Fowler had a heartbreaking restart.

“Brannon might’ve had it, but it sounded like he missed a shift,� Buttrick said.

Bombers

After a slow start, the Bombers delivered quite the show.

A caution-plagued, 15-lap feature turned up roses for Hunter Ward, who claimed his first career victory at Five Flags after several hard years of disappointments.

Ward powered through the five cautions and beat Robert Balkum and points leader Michael Nelson for the victory.

One of the yellows claimed the No. 6 of Tracy Soles. Soles, a multiple winner this year, came into Friday second in points. A DNF certainly hurt his championship chances.

“I have no idea how I did it,� Ward said. “I didn’t think I’d ever get around Michael. Man, that was fun.�

It was a fun night from start to finish Friday.

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