Pollard Back in Viper Victory Lane

By Mark Chisum

After being disqualified for an engine infraction in the season opening Pro Late Model Rattler 125, Bubba Pollard got right back in step, wheeling his Ronnie Sanders’ owned Impala to victory in the Viper Series Sidewinder 100. Pollard had to work a little during the race, but, by the end held a commanding lead over second place Brandon Odom.

Pollard set a new track record for Pro Late Models in qualifying with a time of 15.235 seconds, beating Ben Rowe’s three year old record of 15.360. Inversion put Sam Smith on the pole with Korey Ruble on the outside. Pollard rolled off from the fifth starting spot. Ruble out-raced Smith to turn one to grab the early lead. Smith didn’t get off to a good start and Dennis Reno Jr., Logan Boyett. Pollard, and Odom all got by. Reno began to slide back after seven laps, with Boyett taking over second and Pollard taking over third.

Reno brought out the first caution when he slowed on the track on lap 20. Ruble led Boyett, Pollard, Odom, and Tony Clark when the yellow flew. During the caution period, Pollard was sent to the pits due to leaking fluid. Repairs were made and he rejoined the race at the back of the field. Ruble’s night was about to go south as the field returned to green. On the restart, Ruble began to slide back through the field due to a deflating tire. Boyett took the lead on the backstretch and Ruble lost spots each lap. On lap 24, he spun, bringing out the second caution. Ruble lost a lap while in the pits and was never a threat again.

Back up, front, Boyett built a three car length lead over Odom. Pollard had quickly made his way through the field and was two car lengths behind Odom. Clark was in fourth, followed by Smith. Everybody settled down and ran some laps with the running order the same at the halfway point. Kyle Bryant spun on lap 61, ending a 36-lap green period. Pollard decided it was time to go on the restart and went to the outside of Odom. After a couple of side by side laps, Pollard took the position and set out to erase Boyett’s eight car length lead. Pollard closed the gap each lap. Pollard caught Boyett on lap 71. He moved to the inside of the leader on lap 72. Boyett was able to hold the lead for a couple laps, but with the inside position, it was a matter of time before Pollard would take the lead. Pollard cleared Boyett on lap 74 and eased away.

With his tires going away, Boyett couldn’t off Odom. He then had a hard battle with Clark. Clark was able to get past Boyett, but Boyett fought back in the end to regain the spot. On the final lap, as Pollard was taking the checkers, Smith moved inside of Boyett on the backstretch. The pair raced off turn four with Smith beating Boyett to the line to take third. Clark followed closely in fifth. After reviewing the race, track officials found scoring error. The race had actually went 101 laps. The only pass on the extra lap was for third place. Boyett was awarded third place, along with Smith.

In the Modified race, Heath Mills took the lead on lap two and went on to win over Lance Blacker and Cameron Page.

In the Coyote Feature, Lee Rogers led just one lap, but it was the one that counted. Brent Slawson grabbed the early lead from the pole. Slawson led the first seven laps, but when he tried to go low under a lapped car coming out of turn four, he got sideways, allowing the group racing for second to close. Travis Slawson was able to get under the leader to take the top spot, and Brent Slawson began to slide back through the field. Travis Slawson was able to pull away as Joseph Chandler, Rogers, and Rusty Locklar battled behind him. Rogers gained second with Locklar third and Chandler fourth. Rogers was able to cut into Slawson’s lead and caught the leader just before the caution flew on lap 20. Rogers got inside of Slawson on lap 24 to take the lead, just as the caution flew for Kevin Bishop’s spin, sending Rogers back to second. Slawson led Rogers on lap 24, but Rogers got a good run off of turn two and stuck his nose under Slawson. Rogers pulled even as they entered turn three. They came off turn four together, but Rogers had the momentum on the inside and beat Slawson to the stripe to earn a well deserved win. Jason Monaghan got past Locklar to take third. Chandler rounded out the top five.

Cameron Henderson took the lead on lap three and went on to win the Street Stock Feature. Martin Quattlebaum followed in second with Billy Maxie third and Dennis Thomas fourth.

Zak Wallace led flag to flag to win the CupLite Feature. Wallace started on the pole and took off at the start, building a sizable lead. While Wallace was speeding away to the win, a tight battle was forming behind him for second. As the race was nearing its conclusion, Jack Whittle, Greg Adams, Waylon Spivey, and Chase Berry were racing nose to tail and side by side. Whittle was finally able to get past Berry for second. Adams followed and was able to get inside of Whittle as they took the white flag. Contact in turn one sent Adams spinning. He collected Spivey and Berry. Whittle went on to finish second. Jeremy Peacock drove past the wreckage and came around to finish third. Adams was credited with fourth and Spivey fifth.

In the Mini Sportsman Feature, Eddy Hinson came from the tenth starting spot to take the win. Joey Cannon led the first nine laps before Hinson drove by on the inside to grab the lead on the tenth circuit. Once out front, Hinson stretched his lead over Jeremy Geddings and took a relatively easy win. Cannon finished third, followed by Karen Williams and Dylan Wolfe.

South Alabama Speedway will be closed next weekend, but action returns on May 1 with features in the Super Stock, Modified, Street Stock, Roadrunner, Coyote, and Mini Sportsman classes. There will be special admission charges for the night with adult admission just $5.00. For more information, contact the track at (334) 565-3539, or log on to the track’s web site at www.southalabamaspeedway.com.

Results

Viper Series

Sidewinder 100

1.       Bubba Pollard

2.       Brandon odom

3.       Sam Smith

      Logan Boyett

5.       Tony Clark

6.       Will Mack

7.       Kyke Bryant

8.       David Capps

9.       Korey Ruble

10.   Billy Ammons

11.   Dennis Reno Jr

12.   Tim Peters

Modified

1.        Heath Mills

2.       Lance Blacker

3.       Cameron Page

Street Stock

1.       Cameron Page

2.       Martin Quattlebaum

3.       Billy Maxie

4.       Dennis Thomas

Coyote

1.        Lee Rogers

2.       Travis Slawson

3.       Jason Monaghan

4.       Rusty Locklar

5.       Joseph Chandler

6.       Aaron Horan

7.       Michael Piland

8.       Danny Thompkins

9.       Kevin Bishop

10.   Brent Slawson

11.   Chris Maloy

CupLite

1.        Zak Wallace

2.       Jack Whittle

3.       Jeremy Peacock

4.       Greg Adams

5.       Waylon Spivey

6.       Chase Berry

7.       Gordon Reese

8.       Carroll Williams

9.       Karl Williams

Mini Sportsman

1.       Eddy Hinson

2.       Jeremy Geddings

3.       Joey Cannon

4.       Karen Williams

5.       Dylan Wolfe

6.       Joshua Sibley

7.       Dale McClendon

8.       Jason Cannon

9.       Mike Wolfe

10.   JR Carroll

11.   Kevin Calloway