11092013Ocala, FL- Five divisions head to Bubba Raceway Park for the final race of the season that doesn’t hand out rings and checks with extra ‘”0’s” and three of the five have drivers with championship clinching scenarios. Rich Pratt, Brandon Elwood, and Nick Snyder can all wrap up their respective championships- Late Models, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, and Florida Mini Sprints- while the TQ Late Models and Hobby Stocks shoot for glory as well.
Rich Pratt has a commanding 80 point lead over 11-year old Tyler Clem in the Late Models, but he has yet to return to Coors Light Winner’s Circle. Pratt has had a solid year but wants that win; Clem has been impressive and wouldn’t mind grabbing a victory either. Bryan Bernhardt sits third but has Mark Whitener, three race winner, and Kyle Bronson, the top candidate in the Nesmith Touring Series Rookie of the Year chase, are barreling down on him. It’s going to be a great finish to one of the best seasons in Late Model history at Bubba Raceway Park.
Devin Walker let some of his championship lead slip away last time out but he still holds a 500 point gap over Sean Monoghan. Walker has, of course, wrapped up the 2013 title and is the second-youngest Hobby Stock champion in the Modern Era (Bubba Christian in 2009). Mike Stalnaker grabbed his third victory of the season last week and slotted up into third, just ahead of fellow three-timer Hunter Gustafson and Brian Shea. With just two races left, there’s almost a guarantee of a first-time winner since there has been 10 on the year so far.
The 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks are not the closest championship, if you can believe it (The Modifieds top four is closer than second in the Thunder Stocks!). Brandon Elwood opened up his lead to 65 over William Gillam with just 130 points left on the table now. Now mathematically eliminated in the fight, Melvin Fockler is keeping his mind set on a feature victory and celebrating a remarkable first full-season that way; fourth placed Brandon Tillander will try to do the same as Fockler. Fifth placed Tony Campbell hopes to throw the monkey off of his back and jump to Coors Light Winner’s Circle for the first time.
The TQ Late Models will return and impress as they always do. Four different winners in their four events keeps every one coming back for more. Sean Babcock, Dave Rader, Terry Wright, and Don Strosahl, Jr. will all try to be the first repeat winner; drivers like John Hopke and 10-year old Austin Strosahl will go for their first victory.
Like his life-long counterpart Tyler Clem, “The Marco Island Missile” Nick Snyder has had an incredible year and is the championship leader. Snyder holds an 85-point gap over David Hall and that is with the FMSA drop night. If Snyder can leave with that gap in tact he will have all control in the finale at the end of the month. Eddie Moss, Jr. sits 91 markers behind young Snyder and Dirk Miller is outside of the 105-point mathematical gap that he needs to crawl inside of before he leaves Bubba Raceway Park. Hall and Moss must play catch up if they’re to prevent Snyder from becoming the youngest champion in FMSA history.
Pit gates open at 4, grandstands at 5, and racing is scheduled for 7. For more info, please visit www.bubbaracewaypark.com or call us at 352-622-9400.