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Benjamin Holds off Enfinger and Pollard for Navy Federal 125 Win

Benjamin BecomesFourth Consecutive First-Time Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series Winner

 

PENSACOLA, FL (July 27, 2013) – Drivers in the deep south have been asking for a Super Late Model series like the Sunoco Southern Super Series for many years. And when they got their wish and it came with its quirks. One of those quirks, an invert after the lap 75 break, is what put teenager Kyle Benjamin in JEGS victory lane at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL.

Easley, South Carolina’s Benjamin grabbed his first Sunoco Southern Super Series victory in the Navy Federal Credit Union 125 presented by Driven Racing Oil at Five Flags Speedway after advancing from fifth to first on the lap 75 inversion.

The first 75-lap segment of the 125-lap event was dominated by a battle for the top spot between series point leaders Bubba Pollard and Daniel Hemric. Following the lap-75 restart, Pollard and Hemric wasted no time in making their way back up to the front of the field behind Benjamin and Enfinger holding the top spots. The eventual battle for the runner-up spot between Enfinger and Pollard was just the ticket for Benjamin. The duo battled for the second position for the final 20 laps of the event which allowed Benjamin to step out to a healthy lead and eventually capture the win.

“The invert helped us,� explained Benjamin. "We made some adjustments at the break that I feel like helped us a little bit. They got battling behind us and that was obviously good for us. The longer they stayed back there side by side the more I could pull on them.�

The Navy Federal 125 victory marks Benjamin’s first Sunoco Southern Super Series victory and also makes him the fourth consecutive first-time Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series winner. The win comes after Benjamin and team made a mid-season crew chief change putting Michael Masters atop the pit box after parting ways with long-time mentor Freddie Query.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am right now,� said Benjamin. “We’ve been trying so hard to win here and we have finally pulled it off. With five laps to go I was thinking, ‘Five to go, four to go, three to go… please just end.’ So I’d like to thank my dad, Michael Masters and the entire crew for all they’ve done working so hard this weekend.�

Capturing his first win at the historic venue was not the only thing Benjamin was proud of, he also beat some pretty stout on-track competition to earn it.

“Seriously, we’ve been trying two years in a row to win this,� said Benjamin. “And we finally did it. This is probably the most exciting win I’ve ever had. I mean, it’s a big deal to win here anyways. We won at Five Flags and beat Bubba (Pollard) here – that’s two big things right there. It’s a tough place to drive and it’s a tough place to beat Bubba.�

Benjamin’s win also marks another first for the Sunoco Southern Series as his No. 71 became the first Hamke-built machine to take the checkered flag in the series thus far.

“This is great for Hamke too,� said Benjamin. “I wouldn’t run anything else, I love these Hamke cars and I’m happy with it and happy I could get this first win for them.�

Bubba Pollard started the evening by winning the Fast Time Award and the $500 check presented by RW Engines, McGunegill Engine Performance, Ford Racing, Progressive Racing Engines, and Hamner Racing Engines. It was the third Fast Time Award for Pollard in the series at the Florida-panhandle half-mile and sixth this season.

Pollard then rolled a one on the dice for a straight-up start for the feature. However it was Daniel Hemric who led the first lap and continued to pace the field until Pollard reclaimed the top spot 58 laps into the event. Pollard held the lead until the invert came following the lap-75 restart when rolling a six mired him deeper in the field and put Benjamin to the top.

Following the restart, Benjamin set sail in the top spot and left the rest of the field to battle in his mirror. And battle is what they did as Pollard closed in on Enfinger for second the two battled side-by-side for the final 20 laps of the event before coming to the line still side by side. Enfinger claimed the runner-up honors with Pollard to his inside practically sliding sideways.

Early leader Daniel Hemric never let the battle get out of his sights as he stayed just in their tire tracks awaiting his chance to make a move – a chance that never showed before the checkered flag flew and Hemric crossed the line in the fourth position.

DJ VanderLey edged John Hunter Nemechek to round out the top-five.

The Next Southern Super Series event will be the Mobile 125 presented by RE Suspension at Mobile International Speedway (AL) on Saturday, July 27th.

For more information on the Southern Super Series, visit: www.SouthernSuperSeries.com The Facebook page for the Southern Super Series is located at:www.facebook.com/southernsuperseries and on Twitter it's: @SoSuperSeries For advertising or sponsorship questions, please contact the track representatives. For media inquiries, please contact Matt Kentfield at 51 Sports via: matt@51sports.net

 

Navy Federal Union 125

Presented by Driven Racing Oil
Five Flags Speedway
July 27, 2013
Official Results

 

Pos.	No.	Driver	Laps
1	71	Kyle Benjamin	125
2	7	Grant Enfinger	125
3	26	Bubba Pollard	125
4	98	Daniel Hemric	125
5	2	DJ VanderLey	125
6	8	John H. Nemechek	125
7	18	Hunter Robbins	125
8	11	David Rogers	125
9	2	Donnie Wilson	125
10	31	Kyle Grissom	125
11	21	Scott Carlson	125
12	99	Wayne Niedecken Jr	125
13	14	Chris Davidson	124
14	79	Kyle Bryant	124
15	5	Daniel Keene Jr	104
16	30	Bobby Knox Jr	82
17	1	Mike Garvey	64
18	43	Dennis Schoenfeld	63
19	97	Jimmy Garmon	62
20	86	Chet Morrison	54
21	7	Casey Smith	47
22	51	Stephen Nasse	17
23	51	Bobby Measmer	12
24	47	Allen Karnes	4

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