By Chuck Corder

Brannon Fowler has left nothing to chance.

With only Saturday’s championship finale left, the 37-year-old Molino already has locked up his fifth career The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen crown thanks to one of the more dominant seasons in recent memory.

The 30-lap Sportsman feature Saturday will be a victory ride to Victory Lane for Fowler and will be one of four local classes to crown Five Flags Speedway track champions.

Fowler has a lot of people to thank from his many sponsors to his grassroots team that consists of dad Glenn, friend Rob Pollard, girlfriend Tiffany and an eager eight-year-old.

Collin Fowler’s presence in his dad’s shop has been both heartwarming and, truthfully, invaluable.

“He’s way beyond his years for eight years old. Definitely way ahead of dad and PawPaw,� Brannon Fowler admitted. “He takes it all in, and doesn’t forget. Any task you ask him to do — getting the car jacked up and needing all four tires taken off, and he knows how to put them back on, which is tricky because the lug nuts have a bevel side to them. For the average kid, that could easily be something to overlook. But, he has great attention to detail.

“It makes me proud, too, that he takes an interest in something like that.�

The future of racing seems to be in good hands if there are enough Collin Fowlers out there.

In the present, Collin Fowler’s father has enjoyed a season for the ages at the famed half-mile asphalt oval. Brannon Fowler will be looking for his fifth feature win of the season Saturday. He also has six runner-ups and has only finished off the podium once in 12 races.

Championships will also be decided for the Faith Chapel Outlaw Stocks (50 laps), Pro Trucks (50) and Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks (25) making it a night where the local classes get the full spotlight and don’t have to play undercard to late models.

Qualifying begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday with pre-race festivities slated for 6:55 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; and free for kids 5 and under.

“It means a lot for all the local classes,� said Fowler, who has won six total track championships among two classes at Pensacola’s high banks. “The fans that come out and are there, you know they’re in the seats to see us. Plus, we get a chance to bask in the glory, and have our moment in the sun.�

Gary Sutton, like Fowler a former local class Snowball Derby champ, holds a 28-point lead over Todd Jones in the Outlaw Stocks points race.

Sutton has celebrated a few checkered flags, but the trend to his season has been his consistency in coming away with top-10 finishes in the inaugural season of the popular Outlaw Stocks.

“Honestly, I have no idea how big our lead is,� Sutton said. “We don’t race for points. I raced for points a couple years ago and it was the worst experience of my life.

“We’re going there to win, dude! If we can’t win, we’ll get as close to the front as we can. The people that work and sponsor this car deserve to win. We’re not gonna ride around and race conservatively. We’re going to (the track to) win.�

Sutton, the winner of the Super Stocks Snowball Derby in 2012, likes how the track continues to promote local racers with Saturday night’s backyard feel.

“It’s how it used to be,� Sutton said. “Back in the day, the late models — they were the locals. Now, it’s a lotta big-money teams from outta town. It’s cool the guys that race here every week get their own night. You hope the people that have been coming every week, getting to know these cars and drivers, will be there again this week supporting us. It’s cool to feel that love when you’re not necessarily somebody who fans have heard of through the Internet or on TV.�

With his little man right beside him for every trip to Victory Lane, this season has been extra special for Fowler.

He was involved in a horrific wreck early last season and missed the majority of the year recovering and rebuilding.

Fowler has stayed clean this season and proven that when given clean air he’s as tough as any driver to beat at Five Flags, regardless of class.

“Certainly, we have no complaints,� Fowler said. “No DNFs, no bad nights — it’s been a testament to everyone that helps.�

Especially Collin.