Jim Rouse, BRP Media (11-24-12) Ocala, FL – The Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds, Buddy’s Home Furnishings Limited Late Models, Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks, and Rent-N-Roll Gladiators wrapped up their title fights while the 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks must wait another week to smell the trophy.
First up were the Rent-N-Roll Gladiators as they wrapped up the championship between Steve Johnson and Brandon Haseleu. A 10 lapper started with Reid Christensen out in front of the field as he looked for another win. Haseleu would struggle as he actually pulled off for the night early which allowed Steve Johnson to take home the title. On lap 6 David Pate smacked the outside wall out of turn 4 to bring the only caution of the race out. Steve Johnson would retire as his radiator began to steam and he knew the title was his. That left just Christensen and Stephen Frankland on track. They would finish in that order while Johnson, Pate, and Brandon Haseleu rounded out the top 5.
The 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks were up 2nd and Bubba Durbin would lead early. A lap 5 caution for DJ Horiski’s turn 4 spin gave Brandon Elwood the shot he needed to jump to the lead. Elwood would then lead through multiple cautions, including a completely synchronized spin from Brian Mullins and Jonathan Appleby, before giving way to “IceMan” Chad Scranton with just 4 to go. Scranton took home the $1000 prize, along with his weekend sweep, while Bubba Durbin finished 2nd. Elwood would finish a solid, yet disappointing, 3rd with Jonathan Appleby and Jeff Stalnaker, Jr. behind him.
Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds began with Dalton Lanich flying past his team-mate from 3rd to lead lap 1. Lanich, however, would have to hold off names like Pratt, Mathews, Bronson, Hammond, and both David and Buzzie Reutimann. On lap 11 Paul Snyder spun and Tyler Clem, who had held David Reutimann off for over 6 laps earlier, made contact as he had nowhere to go. Rich Pratt used the restart to take the lead and David Reutimann did the same as he took 2nd. A couple of cautions kept the pack bunched together. Rich Pratt, a GT Academy graduate, would take home win #1 of 2012 over NASCAR winner David Reutimann and Richard Petty Driving Experience driver Dalton Lanich. Bryan Bernhardt and Buzzie Reutimann rounded out the top 5.
Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks started with Keith “Hotshot” Briggs up front for an important reason. Reid Christensen brought the yellow out on lap 2 when he ran into the turn 4 wall. Buddy Pope spun in 2nd on lap 4 and didn’t lose a spot. With 2 to go Dean Kinsey brought a yellow out and gave Buddy Pope 1 last shot at Hotshot. Briggs would have to hold off Pope, Kody Fisher, Dean Kinsey, and Kris Prouty. Briggs would win in an emotional homecoming for his mom. Pope, Fisher, Prouty, and Kinsey were the top 5.
The final event of Bubba Is Thankful Weekend was our Buddy’s Home Furnishings Limited Late Models. JO Nobles would inherit pole and lead from the start but the youngsters Christian McGillivray and Tyler Clem were all over the division champion. On lap 5 Billy Holmes got loose and Shane Koperda had nowhere to go but into driver #7. Both were okay and Koperda continued on. McGillivray spun on the restart allowing Carter Stokes to jump to 2nd and Jason Pope to 3rd. Stokes would stall under caution and could not return to action leaving Jason Pope and Tyler Clem as the top 3. Ricky Land spun out of turn 4 on lap 13 and set up a great finish but Nobles would have his hands full with Pope and Clem. Nobles would not be denied his 12th win in 22 races while Jason Pope and Tyler Clem took career performances with 2nd and 3rd, respectively. David Showers and Christian McGillivray rounded out the top 5.
Next week is the NeSmith Crate Late Model Series finale and a $2500 to win 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stock battle! They both wrap their championships up and they are tighter than ever. You can contact us on Twitter (@BubbaRacewayPrk), Facebook, www.bubbaracewaypark.com, or call us at 352-622-9400!
Bubba Raceway Park Results (11/24)
Scorpion Racing Products UMP DirtCar Open-Wheel Modifieds
1- 78 Rich Pratt
2- D00 David Reutimann
3- 2L Dalton Lanich
4- 33L Bryan Bernhardt
5- 00 Buzzie Reutimann
6- 40B Kyle Bronson
7- 7 Kent Corbin
8- 33 Jeff Mathews
9- 2S Garret Stewart
10- 15 Roger Crouse
11- 34 Chuck Gustafson, Jr.
12- 5K Tim Smith
13- 75C Charlie O’Neill (DNF- pulled off)
14- 40 Wayne Hammond (DNF- spun off)
15- 14 Tyler Clem (DNF- contact)
16- 54S Paul Snyder (DNF- accident)
17- Z06 Larry Mott (DNF- pulled off)
18- 18 Chris Rutherford (DNF- pulled off)
Buddy’s Home Furnishings Limited Late Models
1- 18JO JO Nobles
2- 102 Jason Pope
3- 14 Tyler Clem
4- 18 David Showers
5- 5C Christian McGillivray
6- 21 Forrest Gough
7- 11H Waylon Haynes
8- 15 Shane Koperda
9- 66 Ricky Land
10- 20C Cheyanne Cox (DNF- parked)
11- 33 Carter Stokes (DNF- mechanical)
12- 26P David Ponder (DNF- accident)
13- 7 Billy Holmes (DNF- accident)
DNS- 21W CJ Waldron
1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks
1- 27 Chad Scranton
2- 12 Bubba Durbin
3- 28E Brandon Elwood
4- 69A Jonathan Appleby
5- 9 Jeff Stalnaker, Jr.
6- 14 James Sullivan, III
7- 28 Brian Mullins
8- 3 Jeff Baer
9- 114 John Thorpe
10- 9D Robert Donaly
11- 29L Daniel Laird
12- 49 DJ Horiski
13- 83 Matt McKinnon (DNF- pulled off)
14- 6 Tony Campbell (DNF- pulled off)
15- X Justin Dean (DNF- pulled off)
16- 58 Shane Nichols (DNF- pulled off)
17- 25 Dean Kinsey (DNF- pulled off)
18- 55 Joey Durbin (DNF- pulled off)
DNS- 33 Mike Stalnaker
Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks
1- 19T Keith Briggs
2- 81 Buddy Pope
3- 26 Kris Prouty
4- 83 Kody Fisher
5- 11 Dean Kinsey
6- 30 Reid Christensen (DNF- accident)
Rent-N-Roll Gladiators
1- 21 Reid Christensen
2- 7UK Stephen Frankland
3- 81 Steve Johnson (DNF- radiator)
4- 69 David Pate (DNF- accident)
5- 3 Brandon Haseleu (DNF- pulled off)
6- 30 Danny Brown (DNF- contact)
DNS- 44 Devan Pegel (DNS- accident)