Pollard Scores at Five Flags; Smith Secures SSS Title
Pensacola, FL — Bubba Pollard pulled out his broom Saturday night at Five Flags Speedway. The driver from Senoia, Georgia set fast time in the Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco season finale, the Deep South Cranes 150, and followed it up with his 11th series win.
But the biggest check of all was the $10,000 championship check that was awarded to Texas native Casey Smith, who locked up his first Southern Super Series title with a 10th-place finish at the Pensacola, Florida half mile..
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| Bubba Pollard won the Deep South Cranes 150. (Speed51.com photo) |
“We had a really big lead and we’ve been so good all year,” said Smith upon being named the series titlist. “We’ve been constantly gaining points, but tonight I don’t know why we ran so bad, but all in all it’s been a great year and I’m really relieved. I’ve been biting my fingernails and praying that everything would take care of itself.”
Meanwhile, Pollard’s second win of the 2015 season was one that came even when his No. 26 wasn’t at its best, according to driver.
“We had a good car,” said Pollard. “I don’t know, the car just didn’t react like it normally does, something might be wrong with the rear end. I was able to keep it up front and save our tires the first hundred, but it’s a lot of fun to win.”
Pollard started the Deep South Cranes 150 from the pole position and jumped out to the early lead. Pollard led the first 84 laps before Donnie Wilson, who had been stalking Pollard around Five Flags, made his move for the lead. The two made contact as Wilson took the top spot, leaving an opening for Casey Roderick to follow Wilson and move into second and Pollard slipped to third.
A caution on lap 94 for a tangle between Garrett Jones and Hunter Robbins moved up a competition caution and two-tire pit stop break that was scheduled for lap 100.
As the field got back to green, Pollard worked his way back into second and Wilson paced the field at the front. The caution quickly flew again, putting Pollard and Wilson side by side on the restart. The two raced door to door with Pollard gaining the edge and the lead on the high side.
Just five laps later the battle for the lead was back on. Wilson worked the inside past Pollard to retake the lead. Pollard tried the crossover move, but Wilson held strong and kept the top spot.
Wilson appeared to have the field covered as he then put distance between himself, Pollard and the rest of the field. On lap 130, however, Wilson suddenly began to slow on the track and drop back in the field with an engine issue, handing the lead back to Pollard. Wilson pulled in a few laps later, while Pollard hung on up front to claim the win in the final Southern Super Series race of the year.
“I hate it for Donnie, he had a good car tonight. It was fast,” said Pollard. “He had the dominant car for sure. I’ve lost races that way and for one once it returned the favor, so thanks to all my guys for working hard. There’s a whole bunch of people that help me out and make this all possible.”
Casey Roderick finished second, which earned him the championship in the four-race Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series, a four-race point battle of events at Five Flags Speedway.
With the 2015 Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco, teams now prepare for the 48th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags, December 2-6. For more information on the Snowball Derby, visit www.snowballderby.com.
The 2016 Southern Super Series season will kick off at South Alabama Speedway March 18-20, 2016.
For more information on the 40th Rattler 250 weekend at South Alabama Speedway, the opening event of the 2016 Southern Super Series season onMarch 18-20, 2016, visit www.southernsuperseries.comand www.southalabamaspeedway.
For more information on the Southern Super Series, visit the all-new SouthernSuperSeries.com. The Facebook page for the Southern Super Series is located at www.facebook.com/
Sources: 51 Sports/Southern Super Series PR