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Pollard Returns to Victory Lane at Five Flags, Captures Mountain Dew Kickstart 125

By Chuck Corder

Bubba Pollard’s best friend in Pensacola should be a realtor.

The Senoia, Ga., native comes to race at Five Flags Speedway about a dozen times a year. And those trips usually end in one way: A Pollard victory.

The Mountain Dew Kickstart 125 followed a similar script Friday in a 27-car Super Late Model field at the famed half-mile asphalt oval.

Pollard sat on the pole and collected the Southern Super Series/Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series season opener title Friday.

It was Pollard’s second straight Super Late Model win at Pensacola’s high banks dating back to the season finale last September.

“We had a really good racecar,� he said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it held up pretty good. It’s tough. These guys have gotten a lot better.�

One of Pollard’s biggest threats Friday figured to be Pensacola’s Johanna Long.

The 2010 Snowball Derby champion, Long qualified well in her season debut inside Scott Carlson’s Anderson Subaru.

The night started off promising, qualifying eight. It ended miserably, though, when she came careening down the front stretch on Lap 113.

She climbed out of the No. 21 and with her helmet still buckled tightly, Long gestured in frustration at Kyle Bryant who she believed was the catalyst for her crash.

“I don’t know what Kyle Bryant was doing,� an annoyed Long shared over the public address speakers. “We were running 15th. I don’t know why he decided to wreck me.�

Pollard’s most vigorous challenge came from John Hunter Nemechek, the 16-year-old son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fan favorite Joe Nemechek.

The young Nemechek actually led just after the halfway point of the race. The Mooresville, N.C., product sat third and had a front-row seat while Pollard and Anderson Bowen battled for the lead.

Bowen, yet another 16 year old, made contact with Pollard’s bumper, scraping the back just enough to send the No. 26 sliding out of Turn 4.

Somehow both drivers managed to pull off great saves, but it opened the door for Nemechek, who pounced and assumed the lead on Lap 79.

But following a restart five laps later, Nemechek incorrectly chose the inside line instead of the outside groove, which Pollard had used to perfection all night.

Pollard was shot out of a cannon while the rest of the field bunched up behind him, several car lengths.

Nemechek tried to reclaim the lead against Pollard, 11 years his senior, down the stretch but it was to no avail.

“We didn’t have enough there at end for Bubba,� Nemechek said. “It was definitely a learning experience. I wish we could’ve given him a run for his money.�

Few drivers have figured out how to do that against Pollard. Especially at Five Flags.

Try as he might, Donnie Wilson still hasn’t figured out how to follow in Pollard’s successful footsteps at America’s Favorite Home Track.

While the Oklahoma City driver remains winless in Pensacola, Wilson posted another podium finish Friday. He stayed in the top-five most of the night and came home with a third place.

“We’ll keep working on it and keep digging,� Wilson said.

Augie Grill dug all night long. The Hayden, Ala., resident was nose-to-tail with Pollard and Bowen for the lead early before bringing out the caution around Lap 65.

Grill rallied, though, in the second half of the race following the competition caution at Lap 75 and posted a fourth-place finish. Bowen fell to fifth.

“A lotta hard work went into making this thing run so well,� Pollard said.

Pollard won $500 for capturing the pole, just a few dollars more than the $429.50 lucky fan John Langdon won for the 50-50 contest.

 

Pro Trucks

This one felt good.

Jay Jay Day climbed on top of the roof of his No. 98 and wildly celebrated his victory in the 25-lap, season-opening Pro Trucks feature Friday.

The Theodore, Ala., product led flag to flag, holding off Pro Trucks track record holder Rick Pollaro.

“I tell you, this is a lotta work,� day said. “I don’t think I’ve ever worked on anything this hard in my life. This is incredible.�

Pollaro, who came all the way from Canyon Lake, Texas, had the fast time in qualifying at 18.696 seconds, which narrowly missed his record time of 18.467 he set at the Snowball Derby last year.

Despite sitting on the pole, he started second on the dice-roll invert.

Day opened up a four-car lead on Pollaro early, as the pair’s trucks were polar opposites. Day was terrific between Turn Nos. 3 and 4 while Pollaro was lightning quick coming out of Turn 2. As soon as Pollaro gained ground on Day on Friday, Day pulled away and never looked back.

 

Beef “O� Brady’s Sportsmen

It was a wild one before the 14-car field ever completed a lap.

There were two cautions before the race began. Additionally, pole sitter Shanna Ard, who won the feature two weeks ago, was disqualified for safety reasons when race officials noticed a piece of lead fell off his No. 29 during those laps under yellow.

When calm was restored, it was points leader Brannon Fowler claiming his second, 25-lap checkered flag in three races.

Fowler had two wins all of last year. He has already matched that total, leading every lap Friday night.

“We tried to make changes after last time,� said Fowler, who finished third two weeks ago. “We’ve been fighting tight conditions, especially here Pensacola.�

Defending series track champion and four-time Sportsman Snowball Derby champion Steve Buttrick took home his second in as many races.

 

Butler U-Pull-It Bombers

It’s rare for a driver to feel remorse after a win.

But that was the feeling racing through Hunter Ward following his last-lap pass of Bombers points leader Jerry Goff Jr., which earned Ward his first 20-lap feature victory of the season.

Running second at the time, Ward stalked Goff for the lead on final lap. He drove deep into Turn No. 3 and got his nose underneath Goff.

The pair rubbed together going into Turn No. 4. Goff paid the price, sliding up the racetrack while the move paid off for Ward.

“I didn’t mean to do that,� Ward said. “I dove in there, and pushed straight up. I don’t deserve this. I hope (Goff) forgives me.�

That might take some time, as an agitated Goff briskly walked to Victory Lane to inform Ward, “I owe you one.�

The two were the class of the field along with pole sitter Robert Balkum. The trio’s battle for the lead heated up on Lap 10 — Ward on the inside, Goff on the outside and Balkum leading them in the middle.

Goff and Ward finally split Balkum a few laps later to set up the climactic finish.

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