5/15/2021
Five Flags Speedway
Watson Wonderful in Outlaws Win; Graham, Fowler Continue Dominance While Loper Collects Leytham BountyÂ
Watson Wonderful in Outlaws Win; Graham, Fowler Continue Dominance While Loper Collects Leytham Bounty
By Chuck Corder
They’re going to need to build more shelves in the trophy case at the Watson house.
After enjoying a decorated Legends car career, young Timothy Watson seems poised to repeat that success in the Faith Chapels Outlaws series at Five Flags Speedway.
The Panama City kid captured his first career 35-lap feature Friday night in just his second race at the famed half-mile asphalt oval.
Mother Megan Watson wiped happy tears from her eyes, wrapped her arms around her boy and lifted him off the ground, as the Watsons celebrated in Victory Lane.
“It feels pretty great,� Timothy Watson said. “It’s a huge accomplishment getting this win. The biggest difference between this and my Legends car is the power-to-weight ratio This Outlaws car handles a lot better and is a lot more stable.�
Pace’s Todd Jones finished second and Jason Welch was third.
“I’m getting old, and these kids are so strong,� Jones said. “I’ll tickled with second.�
Watson qualified second, but started fifth in the 21-car field after the die roll. He climbed to third on Lap 7 while fellow Panama City-area driver Jake Finch controlled the tempo of the race early.
Watson finally caught up to Finch and passed him for the lead on Lap 17. Watson quickly opened up a two-second lead and withstood two cautions down the stretch to secure the victory.
Proxy Equipment Pro Trucks
Whether it’s sports, arts, or anything else in life, rarely is a sequel better than the original.
But young Gavin Graham is ready to buck that trend.
The 13-year-old from Lakeland is on a torrid pace, driving the same Curt Britt No. 38 that Grant Thompson drove to a track championship at Five Flags Speedway last year.
Graham won his second Proxy Equipment Pro Trucks 30-lap feature Friday at Pensacola’s high banks in dominant fashion despite the end of the race being marred by numerous cautions.
“We had a really fast truck tonight,� he said. “I can’t thank Curt Britt enough. It was a good race until the end when it turned into a demolition derby.�
Graham has won four straight races, capturing two checkereds at Five Flags, one at Mobile International Speedway, and one at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga.
Fellow curt Britt driver Hunter Johnson, who won the Pro Trucks opener last month, finished runner-up to Graham and Darryl Rudd claimed third-place honors.
Graham had built a five-second lead against Johnson and the rest of the field when the first yellow came out. There would be three more cautions, but Graham stayed calm under pressure on each restart and pulled away each time the leaders exited Turn No. 1.
The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen
Track announcer Bill Roth joked that on his next trip to a casino Brannon Fowler will be riding shotgun.
The Molino driver has been on a hot streak to start the 2021 season at Five Flags Speedway and is showing no signs of letting up.
Fowler won another The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen 25-lap feature Friday at the famed half-mile asphalt oval – his fourth in a row. Not only did he avoid surrendering a bounty that was on him, but Fowler also collected an additional $100 for choosing to start tail end of the seven-car field.
“There was a time early in the race that I got a little nervous,� he said. “We’ve got a lotta good young, upcoming drivers. Maddox Langham is becoming quite the wheelman, and I had to work and work to get by him.
“But, that was fun. It’s been a dream season so far.�
Jim Pokrant finished second and Jonathan Langham came home third.
Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks
Robert Loper has won on the biggest stage at Five Flags Speedway
The Theodore, Ala., driver owns a pair of Snowball Derby crowns in the Pure Stocks class after wins in 2015 and 2017. Loper seems to always bring his “A� game when the stakes are high.
He did it again Friday night, winning the Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks 20-lap feature and collecting a $250 bounty for topping teammate Cameron Leytham. Loper started third, but quickly shot to the lead and held off a hard-charging Leytham in the closing laps.
“I didn’t think anything about it, to be honest,� Loper said of the bounty. “The car was really fast. We’ve done a whole lotta work with this car to get it where it is. I couldn’t be happier.�
In just his second race driving the No. 88 for Darryl Jackson, Loper was brilliant in maintaining his lead and keeping a comfortable distance on Leytham.
Despite the loss, Leytham finished runner-up and extended his series points lead. Parker McDonald rounded out the podium with his second consecutive third-place finish.
Second race out. Come back even faster next week.
“That stinks doesn’t it?� Leytham joked. “I’m gonna hear it at the shop from Robert, I guess.�
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