By Chuck Corder

Better late than never.

Defending Deep South Crane Rentals Blizzard Series champion Bubba Pollard found his way back to Victory Lane on Friday at Five Flags Speedway, dominating the third of four 100 lap Super Late Model races.

Pollard’s wire-to-wire win came deep into the night as Friday’s afternoon showers pushed back the racing schedule nearly an hour.

“We’ve been really experimenting during the first two Blizzard races,� Pollard said. “But, we told ourselves we’d throw away all of the Blizzard wins if it meant winning the (Snowball) Derby. That’s why we’ve been working so hard, trying to find something.�

Ross Kenseth finished runner-up to Pollard and 2014 Derby runner-up Dalton Sargeant finished third Friday.

Kenseth was making his Five Flags debut inside a new car. Driving in only his second race for the Carswell Motorsports No. 98, Kenseth hopped into the seat when Daniel Hemric was asked to curtail his SLM program by his NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series team.

“We just wanted to have a great weekend overall,� Kenseth said. “We’re looking forward to rest of the season.�

Pollard has been close to that first career Snowball Derby title in recent years, but short-track racing’s most prominent race has eluded him in each attempt.

If he keeps bringing that same hotrod he brought to the famed half-mile oval on Friday, that pot of gold in December will have Pollard’s name written all over it.

While it was his first SLM win at Five Flags this season, it was also the first victory in nine Southern Super Series starts this season for Pollard, also that series’ defending champion.

“We broke out a new car this weekend,� the 28 year old from Senoia, Ga., said. “It was pretty fast.�

Which was the understatement of the night. But no one knew exactly how fast Pollard was a few hours earlier.

As practice neared for the third of four Blizzard installments this season, Friday’s afternoon showers engulfed the speedway. Practice was delayed some three hours, not beginning until approximately 7 p.m. for any of the four classes that compete Friday.

Kyle Grissom, who won the first Blizzard race in April, was first out in qualifying and set the fast time of 16.479 seconds.

None of those who followed Grissom in a loaded 25-car field, from Pollard to two-time Derby winner Augie Grill to 2010 champion and local she-ro Johanna Long, could top Grissom’s time.

But when the 100 lapper began, Pollard was on the pole after the top eight drivers in qualifying redrew for positions. Grissom would finish fourth, one spot off the podium at the end of the night.

Pollard rarely needs help or luck when he’s inside a racecar. Putting him out in clean air all night Friday was the death knell for the rest of the field.

Pollard put on a clinic in a race that saw just one caution fly when Augie Grill hit the outside wall on the backstretch with 15 laps complete.

After that, it was green flag racing the rest of the way.

“It was a really fun night running with these guys up front,� Sargeant said. “It’s really good practice for the Snowball Derby. We lost a little bit there toward the end of the race. We’ll work on it, and come back better.�

Pro Trucks

One win is never enough to satiate Bubba Pollard on Friday night at the famed half-mile asphalt oval.

After guiding his Super Late Model to a win in the Deep South Crane Rentals Blizzard Series 100, Pollard got behind the Howard Langham-owned No. 1 and once again drove to Victory Lane.

It was the second time this season Pollard has hoisted a Pro Trucks checkered flags.

He assumed the top spot on Lap 7 when then-leader Okie Mason ran into mechanical troubles. Mason slide up the track coming out of Turn No. 1, and Pollard pounced on his golden opportunity.

“This thing’s a handful,� Pollard said. “It’s a whole lot harder to drive than a late model. It’s so free, I felt like it was barely hanging on.�

It was a near exact replay from his dominant Blizzard Series victory earlier in night.

Teenager Ryan Worsham pressured Pollard a few times, but each time the kid got close to the 28 year old, Pollard found another gear and surged back ahead by a few car lengths.

Beef O’Brady’s Sportsmen

Steve Buttrick is the Bubba Pollard of Five Flags Speedway’s local divisions.

He’s certainly as prolific, victory wise. And when Buttrick has clean air, like Pollard, he’s tough as nails to wrestle the lead away from.

Such was the case Friday at Pensacola’s high banks. Buttrick took the lead on Lap 2 and didn’t budge the final 23 laps. He has won four of the eight 25-lap features staged at Five Flags this year.

Eventual runner-up Shanna Ard and third-place Brannon Fowler each tried to rattle Buttrick’s cage, but the Cantonment driver wouldn’t be denied.

“Man, it sure is fun racing with Shanna and Brannon,� Buttrick said. “The rain cooled things off for us and changed the track a little bit.�

Ard and his No. 29 hopped into second when Fowler’s No. 00 raced up the track following a restart with 17 laps completed.

“I burned the right front tire off in the first six laps,� Ard said.

Butler U-Pull-It Bombers

Geno Denmark has an impressive streak going at Five Flags Speedway.

In nine races this season, he has yet to finish off the podium. Denmark was there again Friday, and enjoying unexpected fruits from his labor.

When the checkered flew, Robet Loper edged Denmark by half a car length, crossing the line first after the 20 lapper. But, what would’ve been Loper’s third win this season became Denmark’s fifth.

Denmark got his runner’s-up trophy upgraded to a winner’s piece of hardware when Loper’s win was tossed out in technical inspection.

Denmark nearly had the win outright, but his power steering failed him on the final lap.

“It only went out when it counted most,� Denmark joked. “I gave it all I could coming outta (No.) 4. It was good race. Robert ran perfect lines the whole race.�

Denmark peeked for the lead on Lap 14, getting underneath Loper in Turn No. 2. He couldn’t make it stick, though.

Lapped traffic became a problem for the leaders. But, Loper shot the gap between two lagging cars as he tried to escape Denmark’s clutches.

“That was pretty fun,� Loper said immediately after the race when he was still believed to be the winner. “I didn’t know if I was going yo make it out of that or not. Luckily, Geno didn’t beat my brains out.�

Loper’s disqualification pushed Robert Balkum up from third to second.