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Leytham, Balkum Square Off for Bombers Track Title; Three More Champions to be Crowned Saturday

By Chuck Corder

The last months have clearly shown there is little love lost between Pensacola’s Robert Balkum and Mobile’s B.J Leytham.

The top two drivers in the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers division have gone at it on the track at Five Flags Speedway, beating and banging around the famed half-mile oval and even sometimes treating it as their own Demolition Derby playground.

They’ve continued their rivalry off the track, too. Both in the pits and online through social media, the duo has engaged in a steady stream of trash-talking that would make Floyd Mayweather blush.

Needless to say, the pair won’t be sharing a Coleman stove and camper spot come December at the 49th annual Snowball Derby.

As they come into the Night of Champions on Saturday at Five Flags, Leytham and Balkum are far-and-away the top Butler U-Pull-It Bombers drivers. Leytham leads Balkum by a mere 19 points.

Since these are the final races for all divisions before the Derby arrives, big car counts are expected for all divisions this weekend — meaning no deficit is out of reach; no lead is safe.

“My goal is to beat him,� Balkum said. “I want to actually pass him, and not just stay in front and block him.�

A 25-lap fight to the finish Saturday will ultimately decide who will be crowned champion. Three other closely-contested divisions will also determine this season’s class of champions.

A full field is expected for the Deep South Cranes 150, the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series season finale, as the Super Late Models get one final look at Pensacola’s high banks before December’s Derby. Defending Blizzard Series champion Casey Roderick and 17-year-old Zane Smith are tied with 139 points coming into Saturday.

The Faith Chapel Super Stocks (30 laps) and The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen (30) also have intriguing storylines heading into the weekend.

Gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday and admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; and free for kids 5 and under.

“It’s prestigious,� said current Sportsmen points leader Steve Buttrick, who owns two Sportsmen track titles at Five Flags, not to mention his four Sportsmen Derby crowns. “If I did get it again, it’d be an honor to get it. But, first you gotta get there. It’s not done yet.�

In fact, it got much more interesting this past Sunday. With Buttrick joining siblings in Alaska for a family reunion, Jim Pokrant took advantage of his friend’s absence.

Pokrant finished fifth and closed to within 21 points of Buttrick, injecting some spice into this Saturday’s finale.

Jason Johnson’s title hopes in the Faith Chapel Super Stocks got a much-needed boost earlier this month when disaster struck Pace driver Todd Jones.

Earlier this season, it seemed destined that Jones would walk away with his second career Super Stocks track crown.

But Jones, the 2014 champion, saw his apparent victory on Sept. 2 wiped out during post-race technical inspection and was dealt a crushing blow to his championship aspirations.

On the strength of three podium finishes, including two runner-ups, Johnson now holds destiny in his hands. The Moss Point, Miss., driver will carry a 34-point lead into Saturday.

While the other three divisions competing Saturday will certainly capture the crowd’s attention, the battle most fans have been talking about this week and throughout the season, for that matter, centers on Leytham and Balkum.

The archrivals added more heat to their boiling feud last Sunday, defining the sport’s oldest adage, “rubbin’s racin’.�

Leytham made it to Victory Lane and accepted his ninth checkered flag of the season, sixth in a row, but not before Balkum threw the kitchen sink at him.

As Balkum looked to pass Leytham late in the race, the latter pinched down the former and nearly smooshed him into the wall.

On the final lap, it was Balkum catapulting his No. 52 onto the back left-side tire of the No. 8, forcing Leytham to hold on for the win.

“Everybody thinks it’s me beating on him, but he’s been beating on me, too,� Balkum said. “He’s been pretty rough on the right side of my car, as far as coming down on me and pushing me down the track.�

Calls to Leytham were not returned as of press time.

Despite finishing second eight times this season, Balkum sees reason for optimism.

“Here in the last couple of weeks we figured out some things, and I was actually faster than (Leytham) Sunday,� he said. “Normally, if I’m in front of him I can try and block him. But our gameplan this week is to pass him and leave him behind.�

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