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Young Dulabhan Never Slows Down When Making a Connection with Allen Turner PLMs, Fans

By Chuck Corder

Bryce Dulabhan eats, sleeps and breathes stock cars.

Passion for driving and the sport of racing oozes from every pore of his 17-year-old frame.

From gaining a better appreciation of the geometry that goes into the late models he steers to his desire to connect with his blossoming fan base, Dulabhan’s dedication is infectious.

The Fairhope (Ala.) High School junior hopes that love and energy continues to catch on Friday at Five Flags Speedway when the Allen Turner Pro Late Models return for another 50 lapper, which is split into 20 and 30-lap features.

The Modfieds, Sportsmen and Bombers also return to the famed half-mile asphalt oval when the grandstands open at 5 p.m. Tickets are only $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, military and students, $5 for children 6-11 and free for the little ones.

“We have a lotta people that follow us from track to track,� said Dulabhan, who began racing go-karts at age 7. “I try to be as interactive as I can and drive as clean as I can.

“I don’t know what it is that attracts such a good crowd, but I want to keep it as long as I can because they’re the reason where we’re out there.�

Not the only reason, though.

Dulabhan wants to win, and he’s quickly becoming a master at it.

After initial trepidation, the new PLM format seems to have suited the youngster just fine.

When Dulabhan arrived at Five Flags for the second series of the season in May, he already boasted a win at his hometrack in Mobile and had come ever so close with second and fourth-place finishes at the first series in April at Five Flags.

Dulabhan left nothing to chance on that unforgettable night last month. Thanks to a daring move at the start of the 30 lapper, the kid got out front and held off all comers to notch his first career win at America's Favorite Home Track.

“This is awesome,� said Dulabhan, who just completed his junior year across Mobile Bay at Fairhope High School. “To finally get a win at a track with this much prestige, it’s a good feeling and the best win by far.�

Coming into Friday, Dulabhan sits just one point behind 14-year-old Garrett Jones in the Allen Turner PLM Series standings.

“At first, I really didn’t know what to think about the format,� he said. “If you win or finish near the top in the first race, the second race is tough because they invert the field and getting through the slow cars can be a chore.

“We’ve had some close calls. I’ve had to go through the grass a few times.�

Close calls aside, Dulabhan is enjoying the confidence success has brought.

Running against the elite names in late model racing last year, he certainly took some rookie lumps.

There were a few highlights, though. A thrill for Dulabhan’s young lifetime came in Mobile when he battled Augie Grill — he of the two Snowball Derby and two Snowflake 100 victories, the holy grail of late model racing — for the win before finishing a close second.

“I learned a lot that night for sure,� Dulabhan said.

He may just be a few months away from his senior year of high school, but Dulabhan boasts a doctorate in door-to-door when class is in session on the track.

After racing go-karts for a handful of years, he made the popular leap to Legends and traveled to some of racing’s biggest venues as an Alabama state champion.

Dulabhan competed at famed Charlotte Motor Speedway, the same one his NASCAR heroes battle on, for the prestigious Legends Million race.

Dulabhan broke a drive shaft in qualifying, but the experience?

“Man, it was a blast,� he said.

All his formative racing years — both the preparation and success — though were geared toward racing late models.

When the momentous occasion of his first win arrived last month, Dulabhan was overcome.

“It was emotional,� he said. “So much hard work went into it. I finally felt a sense of relief. It was a relief to my family. We’ve been trying to get there. And, no matter what happens now, we got there.

“Words can’t describe it. It made everything worthwhile.�

The green flag on Bryce Dulabhan’s dream ride has only just dropped.

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