38 Car Field Of Strong Super Late Models
By Joe Culpepper
 PENSACOLA, Fla. – Josh Hamner’s family has long been known for building durable racing engines.
The Alabama native now living in Pensacola obviously had the most horsepower Friday night, roaring to a 15-car-length victory over Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Joey Lagano in the Amp Energy 100.
The event was the first in the five-race Super Late Model Blizzard Series at Five Flags Speedway. Hamner took the early lead in the points championship that will guarantee two starting positions in the Dec. 7 Snowball Derby.
Hamner dove inside Lagano, 17, from Middleton, Conn., on the backstretch during Lap 86 and pulled comfortably into the lead with five circuits remaining on the half-mile speedway. Both drivers had fresh tires after temporary leader Ryan Crane of Panama City spun in Turn 2 to bring out the night’s seventh and final caution flag.
“These guys worked their tails off,” Hamner said in Victory Lane. “That’s what made it go so fast. This is the same car we had at the (2007) Snowball Derby, and it was a rocket ship.
“You’ve got to have good motors. You might not have to have the fastest motors, but you’ve got to have good ones.”
Hamner showed his dominance, leading 97 of 100 laps.
A melee involving six cars in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 83 threatened to keep Hamner from nabbing the win. Augie Grill, from Hayden, Ala., the reigning Derby champion and winner of the Allen Turner 100 Pro Late Model season-opener last month, appeared poised to notch his third consecutive victory at Five Flags.
Grill, however, spun his tires on the restart, resulting in several cars colliding before taking the green flag. Bubba Pollard, from Senoia, Ga., assumed the lead but had to pit to change an apparent flat tire, handing the lead to Lagano.
Lagano, scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Dover, Del., in June, restarted on the point. But Hamner poked his nose in behind the youngster and needed just two laps to streak into the lead.
“I’m pretty happy with that finish,” Lagano said. “But we came here for a win. Second place is the first loser to me. We got out of the pits first there late, and I thought we had something for them. But that 38 was fast all night.”
Hamner was impressed with Lagano’s first visit to Five Flags.
“I knew I had a good car, and Joey was good, too,” Hamner said. “He’s got a lot of racing experience to be as young as he is. He’s a heckuva driver, and it was a good, clean race.”
Lagano is slated to return to Five Flags Speedway for the second Blizzard Series race May 23.
“We’re definitely going to tighten it up when we come back here,” Lagano said. “It’s really a fun place to race at when you have new tires; it makes you a rocket man out there. Then all of a sudden you’re slidin’ sideways again.”
Third went to Hunter Robbins of Shorter, Ala. Mitch Cobb of Edwards, Colo., was fourth, while Grant Enfinger of Montrose, Ala., rounded out the Top 5.
Defending Blizzard Series champion Scott Carlson celebrated his 50th birthday with a sixth-place finish. Pollard, a tough-luck loser to Grill in the Pro Late Model opener in March, was the last driver on the lead lap with a 14th-place finish.
Crane finished 24th, while Grill settled for a 27th-place performance. Adam Crawford, of Harrisburg, N.C., and the son of NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series driver Rick Crawford, finished 34th.
Anderson tops Young in Super Stock battle
Scotty Anderson of Opp, Ala., outraced points leader Greg Young of Pensacola to the stripe to win the Super Stocks feature Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.
Anderson came into the second Super Stocks points race of the season fifth in the championship. Young collected 47 points and continues to hold the series lead with 108 points.
Former champion Shannon Jackson of Pascagoula, Miss., finished third.
Randy Thompson of Cantonment outlasted fellow co-championship leader William Kitchen of Pensacola in the Sportsmen feature to nudge ahead in the points standings after three races at Five Flags Speedway.
Thompson and Kitchen entered the night tied with 125 points, but Thompson departed with a slim three-point lead in the title chase.
Chris Palmer of Cantonment was third.
Kitchen motors to Bomber victory
Pete Kitchen of Molino drove his No. 2 car into Victory Lane in a 23-car field that took to the asphalt at Five Flags Speedway.
Kitchen entered the night second to points leader Danny Burns of Cantonment, who slipped to a seventh-place finish.
Second went to Rick Grimes of Milton, and Kenny Bullard of Cantonment rounded out the Top 3.
Amp Energy 100
Blizzard Series Race 1
Five Flags Speedway, Pensacola, Fla.
1. Josh Hamner, Harperville, Ala., 100 laps
2. Joey Lagano, Middleton, Conn., 100
3. Hunter Robbins, Shorter, Ala., 100
4. Mitch Cobb, Edwards, Colo., 100
5. Grant Enfinger, Montrose, Ala., 100
6. Scott Carlson, Pensacola, Fla., 100
7. Michael Pope, Dublin, Ga., 100
8. Casey Smith, Austin, Texas, 100
9. Corey Ruble, Dothan, Ala., 100
10. Jeff Choquette, Loxahatchee, Fla., 100
11. Ken McFarland, Hoover, Ala., 100
12. Jason Young, Houston, Texas, 100
13. Brad Webb, Wetumpka, Ala., 100
14. Bubba Pollard, Senoia, Ga., 100
15. Roger Reuse, Pelham, Ala, 99
16. David Hole, Cumming, Ala., 99
17. John Bolen, Jasper, Ala., 99
18. Dale Little, Satsume, Ala., 98
19. Dennis Schoenfeld, Concord, N.C., 98
20. Danny Bagwell, Cordora, Ala., 97
21. Cecil Chunn, Spring Hill, Tenn., 97
22. David Rogers, Orlando, Fla., 94
23. Ron Joyner, Pensacola, Fla., 91
24. Ryan Crane, Panama City, Fla., 85
25. Heath Hindman, Signal Mountain, Tenn., 83
26. Dwayne Buggay, Woodstock, Ga., 83
27. Augie Grill, Hayden, Ala., 83
28. Billy Tutchtone, Pensacola, Fla., 83
29. Ron McDonald, Pensacola, Fla., 78
30. Chris Davidson, Pearland, Texas, 59
31. Donald Long, Pensacola, Fla., 48
32. Jeff Scofield, Plant City, Fla., 48
33. Tim Martin, Amite, La., 48
34. Adam Crawford, Harrisburg, N.C., 34
35. Donnie Wilson, Oklahoma City, Okla., 16
36. Gary Sullivan, Denham Springs, La., 16
37. Matthew Stichmann, Waco, Texas, 6
38. Lee Carter, Pensacola, Fla., 6
Lap leaders: Josh Hamner 1-82; Ryan Crane 83; Joey Lagano 84-85; Hamner 86-100.
Polesitter: Donnie Wilson (17.323 secs.)
Margin of victory: 2.191 seconds
Fastest lap: Josh Hamner (101.226 mph)
Sportsmen official results
1. Randy Thompson, Cantonment, Fla.
2. William Kitchen, Pensacola, Fla.
3. Chris Palmer, Cantonment, Fla.
4. Bo Resmondo, Pensacola, Fla.
5. Tina Davidson, Pensacola, Fla.
6. Bubba Winslow, Pensacola, Fla.
7. Thomas Faddis, Cantonment, Fla.
8. Edward Denison, Pace, Fla.
9. Gary Robinson, Bay Minette, Ala.
10. Sean Slye, Navarre, Fla.
Super Stock official results
1. Scotty Anderson, Opp, Ala.
2. Greg Young, Pensacola, Fla.
3. Shannon Jackson, Pascagoula, Miss.
4. John Shuffler, Crestview, Fla.
5. Mike Moore, Pensacola, Fla.
6. Brandon Harris, Cantonment, Fla.
7. James Kimbrough, Pensacola, Fla.
8. Freddie Tanner, Lucedale, Miss.
9. Bo Wilkinson, Orange Beach, Ala.
10. Allen Pierce, Orange Beach, Ala.
11. Earl Polk, Pensacola, Fla.
12. Chris Cotto, Milton, Fla.
13. Steve Campbell, Pensacola, Fla.
Bomber official results
1. Pete Kitchen, Molino, Fla.
2. Rick Grimes, Milton, Fla.
3. Kenny Bullard, Cantonment, Fla.
4. Michael Nelson, Pensacola, Fla.
5. Daniel Webber, Pensacola, Fla.
6. Travis Fowler, Pensacola, Fla.
7. Danny Burns, Cantonment, Fla.
8. Tim Holland, Milton, Fla.
9. Sam Mellema, Pensacola, Fla.
10. William Goulet, Navarre, Fla.
11. Joel Lesley Jr., Pensacola, Fla.
12. Rick Thompson, Pensacola, Fla.
13. Timothy Hendrix, Pensacola, Fla.
14. Daryl Lynchard, Navarre, Fla.
15. Chip Cooley, Milton, Fla.
16. Leonard Craig Jr., Cantonment, Fla.
17. Ronnie Powell, Cantonment, Fla.
18. Brandin Sidner, Cantonment, Fla.
19. Shannon Warren, Pensacola, Fla.
20. Brandon Lee, Pensacola, Fla.
21. Travis Silcox, Pensacola, Fla.
22. Brandon Burks
23. Devron Brooks
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