By- Jim Rouse, Bubba Raceway Park Media
3-31-12 – Limited Late Models returned alongside the RaceCar Engineering Late Models, Mini Stocks, and the 1-800-ASK GARY Thunderstocks as these 4 divisions raced other drivers and the water which appeared after Limited Late Model Heats.
The Limited Late Models battled hard throughout while the backstretch gave a few drivers trouble. The final caution came out on lap 14 setting up a Green/White-Checkered. JO Nobles and Eddie Gainey stayed 1-2 all night while David Showers took 3rd after a strong run. Kevin Mills and Curt Thift completed the top 5.
An 8 lap battle between Buddy Pope, Kyle Kruse, and Dean Kinsey was intense for Mini Stock action. Kruse fell back but gradually caught Pope. As they dove into turn 1 on the final lap Kruse lost the grip in a galliant effort which let Pope win by half a lap. Kruse finished 2nd and Kinsey was 3rd.
The Missing Man. A 23 lap battle in honor of “Chewy” Lawton Minchew. “The Grim Reaper” Bo Allen and Richard Ferry took the front row and stayed 1-2 for quite some time with Ferry out front. On lap 14 top 5 runner Mark Whitener fell out when a vital component fell off of the Big Frog Motorsports #58 and that brought out a yellow flag. Jeff Mathews had battled into 2nd but Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. quickly dispatched the 33 and started chase of the 17 machine. Side by side the 17 and 21 battled for 5 laps until Jason Fitzgerald, driving a familiar car with a #35 on it, brought yellow out once more. The final 6 again Lloyd and Ferry went side by side but in turn 2 on the final lap Lloyd bogged down and Mathews made the pass for 2nd. Ferry took a win in honor of friend Minchew with Mathews and Lloyd sharing the podium with him. Bo Allen and Christian Augspurger completed the RaceCar Engineering Late Models top 5.
On lap 3 Eddie Kilbury, Jr. tapped the wall and went around and Joe Boyd made slight contact with the 17. Justin Durbin slowed to avoid and Shane Nichols, Jonathan Appleby, Glenn Baum, and “JonBoy” Jon Layerd joined the 7 car pile-up. A few more cautions forced the race to go just 15 laps. On lap 11 Brian Mullins made the first official pass for the lead when Jason Gamble washed up in turn 4; however, he earned it back on lap 14 when Mullins was slowed by lapped traffic. A 1 lap dash wasn’t enough for driver #28 and Gamble beat him to the line. Donnie Dobbins was a very quiet, yet solid, 3rd, Jonathan Appleby a strong 4th, and Justin Durbin completed the top 5.
Next week the Scorpion Performance Products UMP DirtCar Open-Wheel Modifieds, Top Gun Sprints, Hobby Stocks, 1-800-ASKGARY Thunderstocks, and the Gladiators battle for points and glory. For more information you can go to www.bubbaracewaypark.com or call the Speedway at 352-622-9400!
Bubba Raceway Park Results (3/31)
RaceCar Engineering Late Models
1- 17 Richard Ferry
2- 33 Jeff Mathews (Jeff Mathews Motorsports)
3- 21 Ivedent Lloyd, Jr.
4- 71 Bo Allen
5- 35 Christian Augspurger
6- 47 Tyler Ivey
7- B69 Bryan Bernhardt
8- 311 Kenny Monohan
9- 45 Bobby Richardson
10- 0 Rich Pratt
11- 1* John Koller
12- 2 Kyle Owen (Owen Motorsports)
13- 2F Jason Fitzgerald (James Mixon)
14- 58 Mark Whitener (Big Frog Motorsports)
15- RP1 Bug Rose
DNS- 11 Steve Slatton
DNS- 46P Darrell Padgett
DNS- 41K John Kellum
DNS- 02 Keith Nosbisch
DNS- 01 Jack Nosbisch, Jr.
DNS- 14 Bubba Clem
DNS- 72P Len Parrish
Limited Late Models
1- 18JO JO Nobles
2- 8 Eddie Gainey
3- 18 David Showers
4- 01 Kevin Mills
5- 42 Curt Thift
6- 14 Jerome Dipple
7- 33 Drake Dryden
8- 01C Alvin Carter
9- 25 Amber Williams
10- 75 Clifford “Sonny” Thompson
11- 17 Denica Hetznecker
12- 71 David Cline
13- 26 Bill Adkins
14- 1X Darrell Roberts
15- 20 Adam Higginbotham
16- 99 Robbie Allen
17- 2 Trey Isgette III
18- 32JR Brady Lockwood, Jr.
19- 14C Bubba Clem
DNS- 80 Paul Shead
DNS- 10 Steve Shead
DNS- 7 David Denson
1-800-ASKGARY Thunderstocks
1- 21 Jason Gamble
2- 28 Brian Mullins
3- 33 Donnie Dobbins
4- 69A Jonathan Appleby
5- 12 Justin Durbin
6- 5W Eddie Kilbury
7- 28E Brandon Elwood
8- 121 Gordon Cade
9- 28H Billy Holmes
10- 73 Brandon Tillander
11- 65 Shane Nichols
12- 4C Richard Calmes, Jr.
13- 65G Bobby Giles
14- 51 Jon Layerd
15- 118 Ron Adams
16- 3 Jeff Baer
17- 44 Todd Roberts
18- 2H Jimmy Holley
19- 3W Vaughn Woodall
20- 17K Eddie Kilbury, Jr.
21- 83 Joe Boyd
22- 23 Glenn Baum
23- 2W Mike McDonald
DNS- 49 DJ Horiski
Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks
1- 81 Buddy Pope
2- 1K Kyle Kruse
3- 11 Dean Kinsey
DNS- 11M Tommy Meyer
DNS- 26 Kris Prouty