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Burton Conquers 5 Flags / Pollard Class Act

Thanks to an unusual act of sportsmanship from a fellow driver, 15-year-old Harrison Burton enjoyed the grand elation of winning the 100-lap Rubber & Specialties Blizzard Series race Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.

“I wanted to win here so bad,� he said. “I’ve never been happier.�

Just a few laps earlier, he had never been so frustrated. He was trying to pass race leader Bubba Pollard in turn 4 on lap 94.

The two touched and Pollard spun out. During the caution, race officials announced Burton would have to go to the rear of the field.

“My heart was broken,� Burton said. “There was contact, but it was just a racing deal.�

But in a rare act rarely seen in stock car racing, Pollard pulled onto pit road during the caution and told race officials that the spin wasn(’t Burton’s fault. Race officials put Burton back in second place next to Casey Roderick.

“Bubba Pollard is the biggest reason I’m celebrating in victory lane right now,� Burton said. “That was very courteous of him.�

But the race wasn’t over yet. On the restart, Burton and Roderick, who won last month’s Blizzard race, got together and Burton took the lead. He held it all the way to the checkered flag.

In victory lane, he got a big hug from behind from his father, former Sprint Cup star Jeff Burton. They had been frustrated with their 12^th-place finish in last month’s race.

“What a way to rebound,� Burton said.

Speaking of rebound, Jeff Choquette finished second, racing for the first time in a year and a half.

“I’m just getting older and these young kids are coming in,� he said, nodding toward Burton.

But he got a call to race and posted a strong sixth-fastest qualifying time. He stayed in the top 10 and worked his way to second.

“I knocked the rust off,� he said. “I needed a long stretch of green flag racing and I got it so I was able to move up.�

Veteran driver Augie Grill finished third after dropping back early in the race. He shook his head when he was asked if he’d ever seen a gesture before like Pollard did.

“There’s a first time for everything,� he said. “Bubba’s a classy guy.�

In a Snowball Derby-like field of 36 cars, Pollard started third and took the lead from fast qualifier Zane Smith on lap 23. Pollard kept his outside restart position and pulled away during several restarts.

On lap 44, Burton went low to pass Pollard for the lead, but a spinning car brought out the caution, reverting the lead back to the previous lap, so Pollard dodged a bullet. He then kept the lead after the dramatic events on lap 94.

PRO TRUCKS

Stephen Davis drove a Texas truck he’d been working on for another driver and won the 40-lap Beef O’Brady’s Pro Truck feature and ended the two-race win streak of Taylor Jorgensen.

Earlier in the day, regular driver and owner Chris Comalander made the decision to let Davis – the winner of last year’s truck race at the Snowball Derby – drive.

“I didn’t get to do any practice, but things went our way,� Davis said. “Thanks to Chris for letting me

In the two previous wins, Jorgensen had worked her way through the field, but this time the 20-year Georgia driver took the lead early, passing defending points champion Brian Weimer for the lead on lap 6.

Davis was the fastest qualified, but started sixth on the invert. He closed to second and on lap 15 went low to make the pass. Jorgensen appeared about to spin, but she held on. Three laps later, she ducked low under Davis, but couldn’t make the pass stick.

“We had a good truck,� Davis said. “We lost the radio and Taylor got under me and I didn’t know where she was at.�

They both narrowly avoided a lapped truck that had hit the wall in turn 1, which brought out the only caution of the race. On the restart, Davis kept the point and Jorgensen couldn’t close enough to make another pass.

“If I’m going to be beat by anyone, I’d rather it be Stephen,� she said. “He’s taught me so much out here.�

Donnie Hamrac, racing in his first Pro Truck race, finished third.

SPORTSMAN

Steve Buttrick won his third The Dock at Pensacola Beach Sportsman feature, passing Johnny Greene on lap 24 of the 25-lap race.

Greene held the lead during the first 24 laps. Several times Buttrick closed in, but Greene would pull away.

But on lap 23, Buttrick went low on lap 23 and pulled away down the backstretch to take the lead on the next-to-last lap.

“I was loose, but Johnny got loose there at the end,� Buttrick said.

Shanna Ard was third.

 

BOMBERS

Mobile’s Robert Loper went from eighth to first on the opening lap and held it for all 20 laps in the Butler U-Pull-It Bomber feature.

He became the third different Bomber winner this season. B.J. Leytham was second and Robert Balkum was third.

“It took a lot of work to get past B.J. on that opening lap,� Loper said. “We built this new motor in three weeks.�

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