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Roderick Scores Second Blizzard Series Victory of Season; Pro Trucks Rookie Jorgensen Back on Top

By Chuck Corder

When Ronnie Sanders speaks, listen. Period. End of story.

The former Snowball Derby champion has been a late model maestro as a car owner and crew chief to some of short-track racing’s brightest stars in recent years.

Currently working on the Super Late Model of defending Blizzard Series champion Casey Roderick, Sanders had a self-fulfilling prophecy for his guy around the 75-lap mark of the Deep South Crane Blizzard Series SERF, Inc. 125 on Friday at Five Flags Speedway.

“I think we’ll have something for (Jeff Choquette),� Sanders declared while the race was under caution with 76 laps complete with Choquette leading the race.

Roderick made his crew chief look like a genius. After a suspenseful battle with Choquette, in which the two sparred even under caution, Roderick took the lead on Lap 104.

The Lawrenceville, Ga., driver withstood a flurry of late cautions and more banging with Choquette to pick up his second Blizzard Series victory of the season.

“I’ve got the best in the business. That’s why we’re running up front.,� said Roderick, who won the season opener in April. “I’m glad to be back in Victory Lane. I’m proud we all put on a heckuva show for the fans.�

Choquette dominated the first half of the Southern Super Series race, taking the lead on Lap 13 from Kyle Plott, who drew the pole position after being one of the top-10 qualifiers Friday.

Augie Grill qualified on the pole, the 13th one of those in Grill’s illustrious Blizzard Series career, but redrew fifth.

Zane Smith rallied from early issues to finish second and 14-year-old Chandler Smith impressed to round out the podium.

“That was the definition of never giving up,� said Zane Smith, who finished second to Sprint Cup’s rocketing star Chase Elliott at last year’s Snowball Derby. “I’ve never been so worn out. Somehow we came back. I just had to hang on.�

For the second time this season, first in a SLM, teenager Chandler Smith thrilled the Five Flags faithful.

“I just rode around and got used to the racetrack,� Chandler Smith said. “I was conserving my tires and it all came down to that.�

Choquette maintained a four-second lead over Harrison Burton, his closest competitor, at one interval Friday.

That big cushion was quickly erased on Lap 76 when the first caution of the night came out. As Sanders predicted, Roderick, indeed, had something left in the tank for Choquette.

“The car was awesome tonight,� Roderick said. “It was still a little free. I was a little worried with 50 (laps) to go. It was wiggling around a good bit. But the car is always good when we have cautions. It just keeps get better and better.�

It was doubly better for Roderick. A month ago, he and Choquette clashed when the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models ran at Five Flags. The pair finished 1-2 on June 24 in twin 50 lappers with Choquette sweeping the night and Roderick twice finishing as runner-up.

In Victory Lane, the two exchanged unpleasantries over a disagreement about driving etiquette, and the scene was set Friday for the talented drivers to add another chapter to their heated feud.

Roderick reached Choquette’s bumper by Lap 90, as the driving duo separated themselves from the rest of the 24-car field.

As they approached lapped traffic around the century mark of the race, it became clear neither alpha male was budging. They twice went three-wide into Turn No. 1 with a lapped car — Roderick squeezing between Choquete and Ryan Luza — as Choquette picked Roderick to maintain the lead.

The second caution of the night flew and ended the tightrope act.

Under the yellow, Choquette stalked Roderick around the famed half-mile asphalt oval, as the two barked through windows at each other. Race director Dan Spence finally ended the shouting match by warning them to back off the bumper of the pace car or they’d be penalized.

While Choquette initially held off Roderick on the Lap 102 restart, the No. 9 eventually succumbed two laps later. Choquette finished one spot off the podium in fourth.

 

Beef “O� Brady’s Pro Trucks

Taylor Jorgensen has wowed Five Flags Speedway fans and her fellow Beef “O� Brady’s Pro Trucks rivals all season.

The 20-year-old rookie from Stockbridge, Ga., had two wins in four 40-lap feature races coming into Friday night.

Yet, Jorgensen still felt she had something to prove in Friday’s 40 lapper after back-to-back finishes denied her another checkered flag to add to the growing collection.

She didn’t disappoint, swiping her third victory of the season at the famed half-mile asphalt oval.

“I needed to redeem myself after the last race,� said Jorgensen, whose mechanical issues on June 24 netted her a 12th-place. “I’ve been beating myself up for a month. This feels good. Hopefully, we can get a championship the next race.�

Mobile-area veteran Howard Langham finished second and Texan Rick Pollaro, who was the fast qualifier, rounded out the podium.

“It’s an honor to come to the races in Pensacola and get a good finish,� Langham said.

Jorgensen showed great patience in getting the lead. Instead of barnstorming to the front, her M.O. during those first two wins, she followed teammate and leader Rodney Benefield until Lap 26 when he got out of shape exiting Turn No. 2.

“I got to second there, and I was just pacing myself behind my teammate because he was just as quick as I was,� Jorgensen said. “I followed as long as I could. This is an incredible truck; an incredible opportunity.�

 

The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsman

Johnny Greene Jr. always saves his best racing for his good buddy, Steve Buttrick.

Green got his first win of the season, and it came at the expense of close friend Buttrick, the four-time Sportsmen Snowball Derby champion and current leader in The Dock on Pensacola Brach Sportsmen points standings.

Greene, a charter boat captain, passed the fearsome No. 33 on the outside following a late restart Friday in the 25-lap feature at Pensacola’s high banks. Buttrick’s best efforts couldn’t rattle Greene, who seemed just as shock as anybody to end up with the checkered flag.

“I’m not real sure,� Greene confessed when asked to describe how he beat Buttrick. “That was one heckuva race and a good show, I hope. I thank Steve, and all the guys, for racing me clean. It’s a rare occasion to beat ‘the man’ (Buttrick).�

To say the least. Friday’s runner-up was Buttrick’s third consecutive and fifth overall. More importantly, he boasts four victories and has finished in the top-two in all nine races this season.

 

“It was going good tonight,� Buttrick said. “I almost had Johnny a couple of times, but I couldn’t quite clear him. And those last two laps, he flat got me.�

Jim Pokrant continued his marvelous season with a third-place result Friday.

 

Butler U-Pull-It Bombers

There was a bit of mystery with B.J. Leytham and his No. 8 Bombers car Friday at Five Flags.

The Mobile-area hotshoe came into Friday night with a different motor than the one that brought him five wins in eight races.

Turns out, it doesn’t matter when Leytham is behind the wheel. He won for his sixth Butler U-Pull-It Bombers 20-lap feature Friday

Following a poor restart on Lap 6, Leytham recovered two laps later to take the lead and never broke a sweat the rest of the way.

“I blame this on Steve Denmark and Darrell Jackson. They made the car too fast,� Leytham joked. “I just drive this thing.�

Pensacola’s Robert Balkum finished second and Tommie Blocker rounded out the podium.

“The car was a little tight tonight,� said Balkum, who led early laps Friday.

Leytham was forced to turn to a separate motor because the engine that had been under the No. 8’s hood was claimed by fellow driver Jay Whalen following Leytham’s win earlier this month.

Five Flags rules state that every driver has an opportunity to buy any engine they want from a competitor for $1,500. The idea behind it is to prevent teams from spending thousands of dollars on equipment.

Leytham and his team had no problem giving the motor up. Friday night proved he had nothing to worry about.

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