Pollard Stops Ruble’s Viper Streak

By Mark Chisum

For the fourth straight time, Justin South led the way in qualifying. South was able to keep the pole by drawing a one. South led the field to the green flag and took the lead going into turn one. Hunter Robbins, driving the aforementioned #18, followed South past outside pole sitter Spencer Davis to take second in the early going. South stretched his lead slightly over Robbins until the caution flew on lap 11.

When racing resumed, South again pulled away from Robbins. Pollard moved past Davis on lap 14 to take over the third spot. The race had an extended green period from lap 11 through 86. South continued to lead, building a 3-4 car length lead over Robbins, Pollard, Korey Ruble, and Davis.

As the race wore on, however, South started sliding back to the field, and by the halfway mark, the front four were running nose to tail. Pollard waited patiently in third, but on lap 66 saw an opportunity to advance and pulled alongside of Robbins, completing the pass one lap later. He immediately went to work on the leader and moved inside of South on lap 74 to take the lead. With Pollard opening the door, Ruble followed Pollard one lap later.

Ruble, winner of the last two Viper Series races, spent the remaining 25 laps trying to find a way around Pollard. Ruble stayed glued to Pollard’s bumper, even sticking a nose underneath on a couple occasions, but couldn’t get in position to make the pass. As the race neared its end, Pollard began to ease away from his competitor. Pollard led Ruble to the stripe by .487 seconds to take the win. Robbins followed in third. South slipped to fourth at the checkers with Chris Davidson fifth.

Although Chris Cotto led all 25 laps to win the Modified Feature, Kevin Peel made sure he earned it. Cotto grabbed the lead from the pole with Peel on his bumper. Peel looked inside and outside for a way around the leader, but Cotto was able to hold off Peel’s challenges. Cotto used lapped traffic to his advantage on a couple of occasions to keep Peel behind him. Cotto held Peel off to take a hard earned victory. The race for third was equally exciting with Lance Blacker getting past Heath Mills coming to the finish line to take the position. Kip Whitehead rounded out the top five.

In the Street Stock Feature, Chris Lucas took the lead on lap four and cruised home with the win. Johnny Otto led the first three laps before Lucas took over. Once out front, Lucas stretched his lead each lap to the end. Otto was second followed by Billy Maxie. Dennis Thomas and Darrell Cawley had a spirited battle for the fourth spot, with a lot of contact, with Thomas winning the war in the end.

Ricky Strickland scored a victory in the Roadrunner Feature, taking the lead on lap eleven and battling with Kim Bishop the rest of the way. Mike Wolfe led the first three laps before Bishop moved to the front. Strickland moved into second on lap five and set sail after Bishop. Strickland caught Bishop and took the lead on lap 11, but the battle was far from over. Bishop and Strickland battled the rest of the way. The pair came up on a lapped car with two laps to go. Strickland went outside, Bishop inside. The lapped car, trying to get out of the leaders way, pulled into Bishop’s path. There was contact and the lapped car went spinning into the inside wall. Bishop was able to keep his spot behind Strickland and had two laps to try and get back around. Strickland was able to get a good start and held Bishop off to take the win. Wolfe was third, followed by David Daniels and Bobby Rhodes.

In the Coyote Feature, Rusty Locklar grabbed the lead after a lap seven restart and went on to win. Josh Wood grabbed the early lead from the outside pole and lead the first six laps before the caution flew on lap seven. Locklar had moved quickly through the field from his fifteenth starting spot and took the lead on the restart. Wood chased Locklar the rest of the way, but couldn’t regain the top spot. Joseph Chandler scrambled from the rear of the field after being penalized for jumping the start to finish third. Lee Rogers was fourth with Perry Patino fifth.

In the Mini Sportsman Feature, Keith Hutchinson took the lead on lap three and went on to pick up his first win. Weston Spivey’s second place finish was his best/ Adam Salter, Melvin Cooper, and Donnie Howell rounded out the top five.

Action continues at the Kinston oval on August 25 with the Viper Series again headlining to night’s schedule. Also on the night’s schedule are feature races for the Modified, Street Stock, Roadrunner, Coyote, and CupLite classes. Track officials are also trying to confirm a date with the Southern Motorcycle Asphalt Racing Series. Once again, admission will be $5.00 for ages 6-60, with everybody else getting free admission. For more information, contact the track at (334) 565-3539, or visit the track’s web site at www.southalabamaspeedway.com.

Copperhead 100

1. Bubba Pollard

2. Korey Ruble

3. Hunter Robbins

4. Justin South

5. Chris Davidson

6. Brandon Odom

7. Dakota Stroup

8. Spencer Davis

9. Josh Adkins

10. Ryan Redmon

11. Sam Smith

12. Josh McCallum

13. Kyle McCallum

Modified

1. Chris Cotto

2. Kevin Peel

3. Lance Blacker

4. Heath Mills

5. Kip Whitehead

6. David Capps

7. Terry Davis

8. Rick McCarson

9. Mario Lupi

10. David Beale

Street Stock

1. Chris Lucas

2. Johnny Otto

3. Billy Maxie

4. Dennis Thomas

5. Darrell Cawley

6. Kory Wellter

7. Chris Salter

Roadrunner

1. Ricky Strickland

2. Kim Bishop

3. Mike Wolfe

4. David Daniels

5. Bobby Rhodes

6. David Davis

7. Billy Maxie

8. Jason Monaghan

Coyote

1. Rusty Locklar

2. Josh Wood

3. Joseph Chandler

4. Lee Rogers

5. Perry Patino

6. Danny Thompson

7. James Harris

8. Tony Tidwell

9. Dylan Wolfe

10. James Paulk

11. Michael Stokes

12. Brandon Till

13. Chris Johnson

14. Wade Burgans

DNS Michael Smith

Mini Sportsman

1. Keith Hutchinson

2. Weston Spivey

3. Adam Salter

4. Melvin Cooper