Bubba Pollard recorded his fourth straight Miller Lite series victory at Mobile International Speedway Saturday. Photo by Fastrax Photos/Tom Wilsey/Loxley, AL
Not even a full moon rattles Bubba Pollard.
On a strange night that saw plenty of craziness with big names struggling, Pollard remained the one constant Saturday just as he has been all year long.
He has now swept all four Miller Lite Super Late Model 100s at Mobile International Speedway in Irvington, AL, a Rick Crawford Performance Track, and matched his win total from last season with 12.
“We’ve got a lotta racing left,” Pollard said. “We’ll keep trying and see if we can’t get No. 13 here soon. Hopefully, the rest of the season plays out the way it has been going so far.”
His night of success was perhaps one of the exceptions Saturday.
Mike Garvey had a great car and led the race early on, but had major transmission troubles on the one and only restart following a caution with 51 laps completed. Still, Garvey, missing a gear, somehow managed to finish runner-up to Pollard.
“I didn’t have first gear,” Garvey said. “I could hear it rattle. I was lucky enough to get back to second. It’s a shame because I had a car to race. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. That’s the way it goes.”
Garvey’s problems ended up being nightmares for both D.J. VanderLey and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rookie Chase Elliott.
When Garvey, leading the restart, missed his shift, VanderLey was on his outside trying to get around him between turns 1 and 2.
Garvey tried to hold the position despite the transmission issues and forced VanderLey to check up with Elliott behind him. Elliott never had a chance, plowing into VanderLey and causing a long delay for liquid on the back stretch.
Elliott’s night was done finishing a distant 15th. VanderLey managed to recover and boast a ninth-place finish.
The other major head scratcher was Augie Grill. A night after losing to Elliott down the stretch at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, his No. 112 just never was right.
Grill contending early on, but pitted several times throughout the 100 lapper and finished an uncharacteristic 11th. Donnie Wilson, another perennial contender in the Miller Lite Super Late Model 100s, finished dead last in 16th.
Others, though, wouldn’t let the night’s wackiness effect them and rebounded from inauspicious beginnings. Johanna Long, who was mired on the cusp of the top 10 early in the race, got just what she needed in a pit stop and the NASCAR trucks series rookie finished fifth.
Jeff Fultz and ARCA regular Grant Enfinger were steady all night in the top five and were rewarded with third- and fourth-place finishes, respectively.
But it was Pollard who stood out. He reclaimed the lead from Garvey on that one restart and gradually began putting distance between he and the field.
“I knew with 15 good cars, we had to get the position early,” Pollard said. “I figured we weren’t going to get many cautions.”
He was right. Pollard had the fast time in qualifying with a scorching 16.880-second time and remained on the pole after correctly choosing the Red Bull can with the “1” on the bottom.
Garvey drew “2” and it appeared the pair would have a strong battle until the NASCAR trucks driver had his problems.
“I would’ve liked to race Mike,” Pollard said. “I really did want to race him, but I know it’s tough out here. You never know.”
Especially when there’s a full moon out.
Bubba Winslow scored his sixth Super Stock victory Saturday night. Photo by Fastrax Photos/Tom Wilsey/Loxley, AL
Praytor Realty Super Stocks
Bubba Winslow is making this look easy.
The Praytor Realty Super Stocks rookie from Cantonment, Fla., won another feature Saturday at MIS. It’s Winslow’s sixth victory in eight super stocks races between Mobile and Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. Shannon Jackson and Jessie Reid rounded out the top three.
“I don’t know if it’s easier,” said Winslow, who was a regular in the Bob’s Speed Shop Sportsmen division last season. “Racing anything is fun. When you win, that just makes it more fun. We’re having a year of a lifetime right now.”
Winslow, though, appeared to ruffle the feathers of at least one rival early in the 20-lap feature.
Coming off turn 4, Winslow hooked Bobby Baria in front of him and turned him into the outside wall. Winslow was heartfelt with his apology to Baria afterward.
“I know he’s mad at me and I’m mad at myself,” Winslow said of Baria. “I don’t race like that. You can ask Shannon and Jessie. I raced them clean, door-to-door all night.”
15-year-old Bryce Dulbahan broke through with his first career Sportsman victory. Photo by Fastrax Photos/Tom Wilsey/Loxley, AL
Bob’s Speed Shop Sportsmen
The kid has arrived.
Bryce Dulabhan has been painstakingly close several times to his first-career Bob’s Speed Shop Sportsmen victory at MIS. The 15 year old, who dominated go-karts and Legends races for the last several years, was desperate to break through.
He did in a major way Saturday, breaking through a pack of cars to get the lead thanks to a bold move midway through the 20-lap feature and holding off Randy Thompson down the stretch.
In a scene similar to 13-year-old Kyle Benjamin’s win in the Midwest Cooling Towers Pro Late Models Twin 50s last month, the grandstands erupted when Dulabhan parked his black No. 28 in Victory Lane.
“Every week we’ve tried something different and I’ve been getting more comfortable in my first year,” Dulabhan said. “It finally paid off. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Heck no.
The Fairhope High School student pounced when he saw his opening on Lap 8. In his first race in 34 years, Kenny Shirley led from the pole, but had a mirror-full of Thompson with seven laps in the books.
As they battled for the lead, they got loose when Thompson scrubbed Shirley’s bumper. With the bottom side of the track wide open, Dulabhan, back in fourth, knew the time was now.
He leaned heavy on the throttle and never looked back.
“They were jostling for position and I saw ’em get together, and I took the opportunity,” Dulabhan said of Shirley and Thompson. “I didn’t know if I could avoid all of them, but I stuck in there.”
It takes guts of a champion to make moves like that. His work wasn’t done, though.With 12 laps remaining, Dulabhan turned his attention to keeping Thompson at bay. Thompson took a few peaks, thought better of it, fell in line and waited to make his final moves until the white-flag lap.
Dulabhan slammed the door on Thompson each time.
“It’s an awesome feeling. I can’t describe it,” the kid said. “It’s a long time coming.”
Jay Jay Day made his eighth trip to MIS victory lane in the Bomber feature Saturday. Photo by Fastrax Photos/Tom Wilsey/Loxley, AL
Island Motors II Bombers
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Island Motors II might want to consider sharing the title sponsorship with the Day Family because, simply put, they own this division.
For the eighth time this season, Jay Jay Day won another 15-lap feature and cousin Johnathan Day posted a top-three finish. The newest wrinkle came from Jimmy Day, Jay Jay’s father.
The patriarch of Day Racing Team landed just behind his son and in front of his nephew as the runner-up.
“Dude, it’s awesome! I love it. I’d rather see him race than me,” son said of father. “It’s just like finishing first. We worked our tails off for this.”
Jimmy Day hadn’t raced in 10 years until Jay Jay got him in a Stinger race out a the dirt track a few months back.
What happened that night? Jimmy Day won.
He was even prouder of his last name this Saturday night.
“For all you haters, look at the front straightaway: Day, Day, Day,” Jimmy Day announced.
Once again his son had the car to beat. And this time, there were no issues in post-race technical inspection unlike last week when Jay Jay Day lost out on $1,700 because of a too-light crankshaft.
Jay Jay Day had an absolute rocket ship Saturday. As the fast car, he rolled a 10 on the die to set the field’s invert.
That matter little once the feature arrived. Jay Jay Day shot to the front in two laps and had protection, if he needed it, from his father for the remainder of the 15-lap feature.
“I was good on the start and restarts, so I knew I could get out front and find a line I could run,” Jay Jay Day said. “I just wanted to get out front and hold ’em off.”
Oh, wait a night for the Days.
Up next at Mobile International Speedway is the Lee Fields Memorial Pro Late Model 100 Sept. 2-3m featuring racing from the Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers. Visit www.mobilespeedway.net for more info.
Mobile International Speedway – Irvington, AL
Miller Lite Super Late Model 100s – Aug. 13, 2011
Miller Lite Super Late Model 100
1. Bubba Pollard, 50.00
2. Mike Garvey, 47.00
3. Jeff Fultz, 44.00
4. Grant Enfinger, 41.00
5. Johanna Long, 38.00
6. Kenzie Ruston, 35.00
7. Dale Little, 32.00
8. Steven Davis, 29.00
9. D.J. VanderLey, 26.00
10. Josh Bragg, 23.00
11. Augie Grill, 20.00
12. Allen Karnes, 20.00
13. Thomas Praytor, 20.00
14. Jessie Reid, 20.00
15. Chase Elliott, 20.00
16. Donnie Wilson, 20.00
Praytor Realty Super Stocks
1. Bubba Winslow, 50.00
2. Shannon Jackson, 47.00
3. Jessie Reid, 44.00
4. Darin Matthews, 41.00
5. Christopher Brownlee, 38.00
6. Bobby Baria, 35.00
7. Randy Thompson, 0.00
Bob’s Speed Shop Sportsmen
1. Bryce Dulabhan, 50.00
2. Randy Thompson, 47.00
3. Brannon Fowler, 44.00
4. Johnny Greene, 41.00
5. Bob Bryant, 38.00
6. James Patrick, 35.00
7. Bubba Winslow, 32.00
8. Mark Barnhill, 29.00
9. Jason Smith, 26.00
10. Philip Goudreaulet, 23.00
11. Jonathan Langham, 20.00
12. Kenny Shirley, 20.00
13. Lee Reynolds, 20.00
14. James O’Neal, 20.00
Island Motors II Bombers
1. Jay Jay Day, 50.00
2. Jimmy Day, 47.00
3. Johnathan Day, 44.00
4. Rusty Powell Sr., 41.00
5. Wesley Barnhill, 38.00
6. Leonard Craig Jr., 35.00
7. Thomas Denton, 32.00
8. Dale Hammac, 29.00
9. Benny Bender Jr., 26.00
10. T.J. Thompson, 23.00
1. Troy Bartlett, 20.00
12. Dayton Sidner, 20.00
13. Michael Beasley, 20.00
14. Charles Lathan, 20.00
15. Daniel Hill, 20.00
16. Donald Hunt, 20.00
17. David Johnson, 0.00
