Chase Elliott celebrates with his father, 1988 Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott, in 5 Flags Speedway’s victory lane after winning Saturday night’s Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model feature. Photo by CINKAR Images
Someone dust off the trophy case at the Elliott household. Add another shelf. Knock down a wall. Chase Elliott’s collection of hardware, a vast majority boasting Pensacola roots, got heavier with another Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 win Saturday night at Florida’s Five Flags Speedway.
“This means a lot to me,” said the Dawsonville, GA, native and son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott. “My guys work hard year after year.”
The recently-turned 17 year old and his team are a machine built for winning, seemingly stronger than their No. 9 Pro Late Model that revs under Elliott.
Elliott captured his second ’Flake in three years, easily beating runner-up Mike Garvey and third-place Kyle Benjamin to the checkered flag. Johanna Long finished seventh while daddy Donald Long’s troubles placed him 31st in the 36-car field.
It marks Elliott’s third trip to victory lane in three years at Pensacola’s high banks after his historic win at last year’s Snowball Derby.
Elliott hopes to add another page in his bursting record book at 2 pm. Sunday when 36 Super Late Models line up for the 45th running of the Snowball Derby.
No driver has swept the ’Flake and short-track racing’s most prestigious race in the same year.
“I know we’ve got a team capable of winning tomorrow,” Elliott said.
That seems to be short-track racing’s most prestigious understatement.
Elliott led twice Saturday for a total of 52 laps, including the final 47. Justin South, who sat on the pole (16.905 seconds) after qualifying ahead of Elliott and Benjamin’s dual 16.978, was the only other leader.
Elliott is so proficient in all phases of his game, but his restarts proved to be once again a major advantage Saturday.
It was a vital part of his repertoire down the stretch, as the race saw eight total cautions, five coming in the last 10 laps.
“It’s pretty much a fact, anytime we’re out front, the cautions are gonna come out,” Elliott said. “We were fortunate to stay out front.”
Time after time, he owned the unsuspecting victim on the outside groove, most notably Benjamin. Class was in session for the 15 year old, who is home schooled back in South Carolina.
“I learned a lot,” Benjamin admitted. “(Elliott) kind of caught me off guard. It’s good to race against somebody like Chase and learn a few things.”
Elliott steered the bus Saturday on the entire field. He deftly maneuvered through lapped traffic, avoiding looming pitfalls with an effortless turn of the wheel.
Elliott’s experience belies his youth. He navigates the famed half-mile asphalt oval as if he has been driving on it since his first Big Wheel.
“I don’t know about being a veteran,” Elliott said. “I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Tell that to his counterparts. They’ll need some convincing to swallow that bit of honey.
“Chase was fast,” Garvey said. “We were biding our time and all of a sudden the car was tight. But that’s no excuse. Chase was better.”
What else is new? It has become one of life’s certainties.
Death, taxes and Chase Elliott leaving Pensacola with hardware on Snowball Derby weekend.
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And the weekend isn’t over.
Five Flags Speedway – Pensacola, FL
Allen Turner Snowflake 100 – Dec. 1, 2012
1. 9 Chase Elliott 100
2. 1 Mike Garvey 100
3. 71 Kyle Benjamin 100
4. 29 T Austin Theriault 100
5. 4 J Erik Jones 100
6. 12 Brandon McReynolds 100
7. 11 Johanna Long 100
8. 41 Chris Davidson 100
9. 6 L Austin Luedtke 100
10. 22 Augie Grill 100
11. 1 C Cody Coughlin 100
12. 29 Anderson Bowen 100
13. 4P Kyle Plott 100
14. 83 Scotty Ellis 100
15. 112 Kenzie Ruston 100
16. 29 Spencer Davis 100
17. 43 Justin South 100
18. 5 Chase Miller 100
19. 33 Weston Griffith Jr 100
20. 91 Zachary Hausler 100
21. 14 Corey Deuser 99
22. 3 Brandon Kelley 99
23. 88 Garrett Jones 99
24. 66 Korey Ruble 94
25. 81 Brandon Odom 94
26. 77 Bryan Silas 92
27. 96 Benjamin Kennedy 91
28. 99 Wayne Niedecken Jr. 91
29. 45 Dwayne Buggay 91
30. 36 B Rodney Benefield 82
31. 4 L Donald Long 66
32. 98 Russell Fleeman 24
33. 2 Matt Smith 23
34. 54 Daniel Hemric 23
35. 121 Joseph Meyers 23
36. 64 David Jones 19
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