Jim Rouse, BRP Media, Ocala, FL- Night of a Thousands was upon Bubba Raceway Park for the first time in 2013 with the Bubba Army Late Models, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, Rent-N-Roll Gladiators, and the Florida Mini Sprints. Fans were treated to some intense racing because some drivers will do anything for $1000.
The Florida Mini Sprints opened the night up with Rhea Lynne Moss on point. Moss led through a few 1-car cautions before being overtaken on lap 9 by John Kahl. Kahl led just 1 lap as Nick Snyder jumped to the point. Moss’s night ended in the pits as did Kahl’s after both ran strong early on. Snyder held on through 2 restarts and led the final 10 circuits to pick up his 1st win at Bubba Raceway Park. Eddie Moss, Jr. finished 2nd, Gavin Thomas was 3rd, David Hall drove to 4th, and “Hollywood” Scott Kreuger rounded out the top 5.
1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stock action kicked off after that and “One Shot” Mike Tovet stole the early lead. That lead was shortlived as Bubba Durbin got around him and held on through a coupld of minor cautions for debris and a solo spin by Brandon Tillander. On the 9th lap, after a restart, Tovet got back around Durbin and began to pull away. After a lap 14 caution for Kyle Gaulard and Chuck Cessna there was a major pile-up on the backstretch. Jonathan Appleby went around while in a feisty battle with James Erickson. Appleby was then T-boned by the innocent Eddie Kilbury, Jr. Thankfully both drivers were okay but the cars weren’t so lucky. The drivers got the hint and went 6 caution-free laps to end the race. Tovet held on in his Fastech #1 while Durbin could only finish 2nd. Chad Scranton finished a quiet 3rd with James Erickson and Mike Stalnaker the top 5.
Darrell Padgett jumped to the top of the pylon right away in Bubba Army Late Model action with Rich Pratt and Tyler Ivey in tow. Billy Holmes slowed action on lap 1 when he looped his #7 before Richard Ferry’s flat tire did the same on lap 9. The restart for Ferry’s troubles allowed Adam Higginbotham to steal 3rd and he even took 2nd after Bryan Bernhardt’s tire failed him. Dalton Meyers lost a tire on lap 15 and that gave Ivey his shot to get back around Higginbotham- he used it perfectly and, after the caution for John Koller and Tyler Clem, got back to 3rd. The final caution flew for Richard Ferry and John Koller as they looped their racecars in turn 4 with just 3 to go. “The DeRailer” Darrell Padgett couldn’t be stopped as his #46P was on a rail right into Coors Light Winner’s Circle. Rich Pratt and Tyler Ivey completed the podium while Higginbotham and Jeff Mathews completed the top 5.
The Rent-N-Roll Gladiators closed Night of a Thousands with a 15-lapper. Josh Fincher started on pole and led the first 3 laps before Stephen Frankland made us get the anthem ready for The Queen. Frankland led until lap 6 when Art Souther got around him; Souther led through a few cautions for Roy Taylor, Kody Fisher, and Hayden McCormick but lost the lead to Jonathan Green with just 2-to-go. Green took the win and the cash away from Souther in a great battle between the 2 drivers while Robert Gullett found himself in 3rd. Stephen Frankland finished 4th and Brett Calogne finished in 5th.
Next week we have our first NeSmith Weekly Racing Series race for the Crate Late Models. They will be joined hy the E-Mods, Hobby Stocks, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, and Rent-N-Roll Gladiators. For more info please visit www.bubbaracewaypark.com or call us at 352-622-9400!
Bubba Raceway Park Results (3/30/13)
Bubba Army Late Models
1- 46P Darrell Padgett
2- 0 Rich Pratt
3- 47 Tyler Ivey
4- 20 Adam Higginbotham
5- 33 Jeff Mathews
6- B69 Bryan Bernhardt
7- 1* John Koller
8- 25 Dalton Meyers
9- 14 Tyler Clem
10- Z Tim Zackery
11- 7 Billy Holmes
12- 17 Richard Ferry
SCR- 15 Evan Becton
1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks
1- 1 Mike Tovet
2- 12 Bubba Durbin
3- 27 Chad Scranton
4- 16 James Erickson
5- 9 Mike Stalnaker
6- 55 Joey Durbin
7- 6 Tony Campbell
8- 46 Jeffrey Smith
9- 73 Brandon Tillander
10- 13 William Gillam
11- 66 Harold Erickson
12- 85 Chuck Cessna
13- 7 James Copen
14- 23 Tom Bassett
15- 12 Jim Leconte
16- 17 Eddie Kilbury, Jr.
17- 54 John Florkowski
18- 71 Ricky Kilbury
19- 69A Jonathan Appleby
20- 19 Kyle Gaulard
SCR- 33 Melvin Fockler
SCR- 28 Brandon Elwood
Rent-N-Roll Gladiators
1- 31 Jonathan Green
2- 21 Art Souther
3- 2 Robert Gullett
4- 7UK Stephen Frankland
5- 09X Brett Calogne
6- 9 Hayden McCormick
7- 11 Dave Ladrie
8- 88 Josh Fincher
9- 83 Kody Fisher
10- 18 Roy Taylor
11- 31 Jerry Taylor
SCR- 81 Steve Johnson
SCR- 87 Kyle Moore
Florida Mini Sprints Association
1- 116 Nick Snyder
2- 8 Eddie Moss, Jr.
3- 7 Gavin Thomas
4- 67 David Hall
5- 81 Scott Kreuger
6- 29 Connor Borah
7- 18 Jody McKenzie
8- 04 Paige Moss
9- 71 Austin Craddock
10- 68 Dirk Miller
11- 13T Tiny Sinquefield
12- 3D Tyler Clem
13- 9 Sean Babcock
14- 14 Scott Barberis
15- 14K Kat Thomas
16- 3S Robert Snyder
17- 24 Ken Penta
18- 13 John Kahl
19- 44 John Moss
20- 23 Rhea Lynne Moss
21- 39 Chase Cabre
22- 56JR Sheldon Kinser, Jr.
23- 30 John Crowder
24- 23D Dylan Colding
SCR- 1M Eddie Moss, Sr.
SCR- 4 Terry Taylor
SCR- 343 Paul Lanza