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Allen Turner Hyundai PLM Preview: Door Slings Wide Open for New Champion to Emerge from New, Twin-50s Format

By Chuck Corder

Last year’s champion has graduated up a division. A new format is attracting big names.

Change has come to the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Model Series at Five Flags Speedway and the first glimpse at the fresh look will arrive Friday night when an eye-popping field will debut the new, twin-50-lap feature format.

The Faith Chapel Super Stocks also kick off their season while The Dock at Pensacola Beach Sportsmen and the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers continue their young seasons.

Gates open at 4 p.m. with races slated for approximately 8 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; free for kids 5 and under.

“With twin 50s, anything can happen,� said 23-year-old Casey Roderick, who won the Blizzard Series championship for Super Late Models a year ago in Pensacola. “I’m looking forward to learning how it’s gonna play out.�

The same sentiment can be shared for Roderick this season. The Lawrenceville, Ga., driver hasn’t been in a PLM seat since 2010 when he was driving for NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott.

But an unexpected call, from a late model hall of famer no less, a week following the 2015 Snowball Derby had him jumping at the chance at a PLM rebirth. Roderick is teaming up with short-track icon, and fellow Georgian, Ronnie Sanders this season to steer the famed red No. 18.

Sanders, the 1977 Derby champion (even if Darrell “D Dubya� Waltrip still has the trophy — Google it!), has molded a slew of perennial late model winners, such as Bubba Pollard, Hunter Robbins and Korey Ruble.

“Absolutely!� Roderick emphatically answered when Sanders asked if he’d like to drive his PLM.

Though the sample may be small through this young season, the Peachtree State partnership seems to be gelling just fine. Roderick has been consistent with podium finishes, posting a second at Montgomery (Ala.) Motor Speedway and a third at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga., during SpeedFest.

“Ronnie Sanders is a big name in short-track racing,� Roderick said. “He’s so passionate about it and it’s a great atmosphere to be around. If you walk up to him at the track, he comes across quiet. But when you get to know him, he starts telling stories back when he used to race.�

Like Roderick, Justin South is another late model standout occupying a new seat and adding luster to this season’s battle for the championship in Allen Turner Hyundai PLM, which got a facelift from last season.

Gone is the 20-/30-lap, dual features. In its place will be a pair of 50-lap races. Similar to last year, the winner of the first feature will roll the die to invert the field for the second race.

“The way the formatting is, it should definitely make for some interesting racing,� South said. “We’ll see who decides when to go hard and who falls off if they go too early. The way I see it is on Friday night, I have one race with two parts. I have to figure out how I’m going to drive in part-A, and what I have to do in part-B to cross the finish line first.�

The first time South drove Larry Blount’s late model last December, South navigated it to the pole for the Snowflake 100.

This season, though, while Augie Grill will drive South’s Richard Petty-inspired No. 43, South is back in Blount’s No. 21, trying to recreate some of that Snowflake magic he had with crew chief Dustin Skinner, son of former NASCAR regular Mike Skinner.

“I’m going from the old-time Petty number to the old-time (David) Pearson number,� South said of the former NASCAR rivals. “After the weekend was all said and done for the Snowflake, I could tell it was a pretty competitive racecar and that’s when we decided to run for the championship.�

Last year, Grill served as South’s crew chief and the pair was an immediate hit. After a handful of near-misses at Pensacola’s high banks in his accomplished career, the 28-year-old South scored his first victory at Five Flags last May during a 100-lap event.

He nearly won in Mobile the following night and did return to Victory Lane a race later away from the Gulf Coast with Grill atop his hauler.

This year, South hopes to duplicate that kind of success with Dustin Skinner.

“Dustin’s really young, bright and a helluva crew chief,� South said. “My only race with him was at the Snowflake, and that’s how this deal came together to run for the championship.�

They’re all vying to replace last year’s track champion, Ryan Luza. The 19-year-old Texan is now racing SLMs.

“Everybody wants to win every race and the championship. I know it’s going to be really good competition,� said South, a Leeds, Ala., native. “I always love coming to Pensacola. Sometimes money doesn’t permit me to. That’s why I’m thankful Larry is helping me out so much. I’m so appreciative to work with really great guys.�

Changes is a good thing.

It’s a lesson Roderick, South and the entire Allen Turner Hyundai PLM field will learn come Friday.

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