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Season Opens Strong

Pollard Wins Thrilling Blizzard Finish As 2011 Season Opens With A Bang At Five Flags
How do you like your racing?

In your face or a methodical and calculated brand of door-to-door battles?

The Super Late Models in the Blizzard Series gave a near-capacity crowd both on opening night at Five Flags Speedway.

Bubba Pollard led just four laps Friday, but they all came down the stretch of the Pepsi Max 100.

As he did to kick off the Blizzard Series season last year, Pollard captured the victory, outlasting Grant Enfinger and Augie Grill.

“We were able to take our time and be patient,� said the Senoia, Ga., driver, who took the lead form Enfinger on Lap 96. “Early in the race, we had some chances, but the door would close. That was OK, though.�

Indeed it was.

Pollard followed Enfinger past Grill following the fourth and final restart with eight laps left Friday.

Two of Five Flags wrinkles to the 2011 season proved extremely entertaining.

The debut of new tire that has a different compound in it allowed the drivers to comfortable run all 100 laps without ever having to worry about wearing out.

Fans also got a chance to see double-file restarts for the first time at Five Flags.

Both Grill, who led the final two restarts, and Mike Garvey, who led the first two, chose the outside lane.

“I was real surprised when those guys picked the outside, but now I know why they did,� Pollard said. “I jumped to the outside on the last few laps and the car just stuck. It was awesome.�

It proved wise early on, but came to bite Grill at the end.

When he tried to get the jump on

“I don’t think the other cars were better than us at the end, I just screwed up on the restart,� said Grill, who led much of the race. “They got by me and I couldn’t get back up. The car was good. I may’ve run it a little too hard.�

Grill racing cars hard? Who would’ve believed it?

It came as no surprise to see Enfinger battling Pollard at the end. The fastest car in qualifying at 16.477 seconds, Enfinger had to start in eighth after a roll of the dice inverted the field.

He bided his time before making his move, leading for Laps 93-95 before Pollard edged to the front.

“We knew we could be patient and pick our time to push the envelope,� Enfinger said. “Everything played perfectly. I thought we had the best car at the end.�

Pensacola’s Johanna Long had a great car, too, for much of Friday.

The reigning Snowball Derby queen and NASCAR trucks rookie driver was running in the top five for most of the race before falling back to 10th.

She watched quite a battled unfold between the top three.

“This was great racing,� Pollard said. “That’s what it’s all about right there. Any three of those cars could’ve won tonight. That’s what the fans come out to see.�

Five Flags never disappoints.

Super Stocks

With the night beginning with a thrilling finish, it seemed only fitting that the night would end with another nail-biter.

Bubba Winslow made a late push on the last two laps to edge Jesse Reid at the line in a photo-finish victory.

“I have to thank my dad,� Winslow said. “He turns wrenches on (the car) like he’s out there driving it.�

Reid led the whole race until Winslow got him at very end.

“It was a good race,� a disheartened Reid said. “The car got a little loose at the end.�

Sportsmen

The more things change, the more they stay the same for Steve Buttrick.

Buttrick posted his 13th victory in the last calendar year dominating the field Friday just like he did all of last year.

The Cantonment driver led every lap. Buttrick briefly was challenged by Brannon Fowler, but did not let that faze him. He pulled away late to win by several car lengths.

Bombers

Pace’s Curtis Faircloth and Jay’s Tally Warrick made it a one-two Santa Rosa County finish.

Warrick passed Johnathan Day on Lap 13 of 20.

It appeared the young Warrick would make a flawless transition from the dirt at Milton’s Southern Raceway to the half-mile asphalt oval of Five Flags.

But, the kid got loose coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 17 and Faircloth pounced. He never looked back.

“That was good hard racing, I guess you could say,� Faircloth said. “We put on a show for these folks.�

Pepsi Max 100 results—1. Bubba Pollard; 2. Grant Enfinger; 3. Augie Grill; 4. Donnie Wilson; 5. T.J. Reaid; 6. Mike Garvey; 7. David Rogers; 8. Travis Kittleson; 9. Josh Hamner; 10. Joanna Long; 11. Scott Carlson; 12. Chris Davidson; 13. Dylan Presnell; 14. Junior Niedecken; 15. Dwyane Buggay; 16. Clay Alexander; 17. Allen Karnes; 18. Gary Sullivan; 19. Jeremy Pate; 20. D.J. VanderLey; 21. Ryan Crane; 22. Bobby Good Jr.; 23. Thomas Praytor; 24. Ron McDonald; 25. Daniel Hemric

Super Stock results—1.Bubba Winslow; 2.Jessie Reid; 3. Shannon Jackson; 4. John Shuffler; 5. Randy Thompson; 6. Joe Mahuron; 7. Darin Matthews; 8. Mike Moore

Sportsmen results—1. Steve Buttrick; 2. Brannon Fowler; 3.Michael Couture; 4. Chris Nielsen; 5. Jim Pokrant; 6. Mark Montgomery; 7. Tina Davidson; 8. Marty White; 9. Justin Babb; 10. Todd Jones

Bombers results—1. Curtis Faircloth; 2. Tally Warrick; 3. Johnathan Day; 4. Kenny Bullard; 5. Gary Goodwin; 6. Johnny Greene Jr.; 7. Brandon Burks; 8. James L. Beal III; 9. Courtney Rodrigues; 10. Tony Boyd; 11. Leonard Craig Jr.; 12. Tracy Soles; 13. John Burks; 14. Benny R. Bender; 15. Thom “Doc� Crosslin; 16. Brian Lane; 17. Robert Balkum; 18. Hunter Ward; 19. William C. Davis

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