Jim Rouse (Ocala, FL) – The third week of racing at Bubba Raceway Park will feature yet another 4-division card. After 7 of our first 9 features have seen 8 different winners, including 7 first-timers in their respective divisions, we put it all on the line again with the debut of our Bubba Army 360 Sprint Cars, Scorpion Racing Products UMP DirtCar Open-Wheel Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, and 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks.

The Bubba Army 360 Sprint Cars will fight for the first time and many of the drivers who ran in the Eagle Jet International Top Gun Sprints Series will return with a new slate. Our former champions- Danny Martin, Jr. and Matt Kurtz- have been rumored to go at it on the 3/8 mile as well as Martin’s team-mate AJ Maddox, “The Peruvian Outlaw” Mark Ruel, Jr., and 2009 Top Gun champion Ryan “Jenson” Partin. Of course, the Sprint Car world went through a massive silly season so to get all the information and make your own opinions about the future check out www.floridasprintcarfans.com. (more…)

Jim Rouse, Ocala, FL- The Crate Late Models opened their season up with a non-points race for the NeSmith Weekly Series while the E-Mods, Hobby Stocks, and Rent-N-Roll Gladiators all put points and glory on the line in the second week of racing at Bubba Raceway Park.

Hobby Stock action was the opener and it started with Hunter Gustafson jumping to the lead from outside pole. Devin Walker and Donnie Ashford found themselves chasing the 15-year old driver until a lap 10 caution for James Erickson. Erickson took a wild ride as his car smacked the wall and the contact flipped his #16 right over after heavy contact with the fence. Erickson, who was 3rd at the time, got out under his own power and his only complaint was that he wrecked a beautiful racecar. The final 10 went caution-free but not drama-free as Walker, who’s feathers had been ruffled already by Gustafson, made a move that was seen differently by everyone. Regardless, Gustafson held Walker off and took home his first ever feature win and the whole family took the trip to Coors Light Winner’s Circle. (more…)

By- Jim Rouse, Ocala, FL- After 4 of the 5 winners last week were first-timers in their respective division at Bubba Raceway Park it leaves us wondering- can we do it again? Of course, the Crate Late Models will as it’s their first time out without the NeSmith Touring Series on site and the E-Mods will battle for just the 2nd time in history. The 2 that leave questions, of course, are the Hobby Stocks and the Rent-N-Roll Gladiators. Those 4 divisions will put on a fantastic show that you won’t want to miss!

The Bubba Raceway Park Crate Late Models will go at it on the 3/8 mile but just for track points as the NeSmith Weekly Series does not count races until March 25th. Kyle Bronson, coming off of a big win in the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series, has already won a NeSmith Touring Championship race so he knows how to win in the Crate Late Model on the big scale. Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. and Christian Augspurger will take their talents into the Crate Late Models and we’ll get a real solid look at 10-year old Tyler Clem as he’ll be on a level playing field with the stars. It’s going to be a great season for the Crate Late Models and it’s almost ready to start! (more…)

Jim Rouse, Ocala, FL- Bubba Raceway Park kicked off the 2013 season with a wild night of action that included a $3000 to win Late Model race, Hobby Stocks, the all new E-Mods, Thunder Stocks, and Gladiators. The season just started and it’s already getting intense!

Action got off quick as the Hobby Stocks put on a 20-lap thriller. Devin Walker used a solid starting spot to lead the first 3 laps but Donnie Ashford, the new driver of the Friend’s Racing #12 after Trevor Gamble’s job forced him to take a sabbatical, would steal it from “The Mayo Missile.” Jeff Sargent’s motor let go soon after and stacked the field up for another shot at the lead. Walker would fall to 3rd as Sean Monoghan got by him as well but over the next 12 laps Ashford, Walker, Hunter Gustafson, and Monoghan put on a fantastic 4-car battle. Gustafson fell off the pace on lap 15 with mechanical issues but the Gustafson Racing team is excited for the future. Ashford nearly lost it in traffic but he would not be denied victory in this one. With Ashford getting the trophy and Walker going 2nd it left Monoghan in 3rd- however, he was disqualified for technical reasons so James Erickson jumped on to the podium. Charlie Seroki finished 4th and Gustafson rounded out the top 5. (more…)

Jim Rouse, BRP Media Ocala, FL- This week we’ll try it again after most tracks cancelled racing plans due to the uncomfortable cold. Bubba Raceway Park will now open 2013 up with the Late Models, Hobby Stocks, all-new E-Mods, Thunder Stocks, and Gladiators.

The Late Models 2012 season was the most competitive in recent history and this race will be the 75th points-paying event since the reconversion back to dirt in 2008! Mark Whitener will go to work defending his 2012 title while home-town hero Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. will look for yet another win at his playground. Christian Augspurger took home a big-money race last season and knows there’s more to reach- in fact, there’s a chance to be crowned the youngest champion of the division by a few years. Bo Allen and Bryan Bernhardt will try to break the curse and visit Coors Light Winner’s Circle but Jeff Mathews and Richard Ferry will try to put a few more checkmarks in the “W” column. The main question is yet to be answered, however: Can anyone stop Whitener and Lloyd?

Many people are saying that the most competitive division in the Southeast United States right now is the Florida Street Stocks and when you have 10- yes, 10- drivers that can win on any given night and finish, well, 10th the next night it’s tough to argue. Drivers like Brian Hansford and Scotty Kay, Jr. made names for themselves last year as did “Ragin” Rodney Wright. You can never count out the last 2 Bubba Raceway Park champions in Tim Powers and Trevor Gamble or hired guns Kevin Durden, Mike Tovet, Grady Christian, and 16-year old Devin Walker. Add Tim Gay, Brian Morgan, and Mike Stalnaker to the mix and you have 12 of the best drivers in the business right now! (more…)

Ocala, FL- Bubba Raceway Park is ready to throw some mud once more after an exciting Bubba Army Winter Nationals in which drivers such as Tony Stewart, Ken Schrader, Steve Kinser, and Bryan Clauson tore it up and put on 13 exciting nights of racing for the fans. We open up our points-paying season this Saturday at 7:00 with the Scorpion Racing Products UMP DirtCar Modifieds and the 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks. Joining them after a 1-year hiatus from the 3/8 mile track will be the always exciting Florida Mini Sprints Association and the debut of the all-new Bubba Army 360 Sprint Cars. (more…)

Jim Rouse, BRP Media (Ocala, FL) – The USAC Amsoil National Sprint Cars and the Southern States Midgets Series were given the honor to complete the 26 day Bubba Army Winter Nationals and they completed it in style!

The Southern States Midgets went into the night with a tie atop the standings- Ryan Partin of Florida and Aaron Farney of Indiana both had 163 to their name! Farney won Fast Qualifier with a 16.003 and won the Heat meaning he needed only to finish 2nd to wrap up the Florida portion of the championship. Damon Fortune would jump to the lead while Farney and Partin chased just as they had done 24 hours prior. Farney took the lead for a brief moment but didn’t take it completely until lap 8. On lap 10 Partin would end his night and bring out the race’s only caution. Farney took an easy win in the race and a hard-fought championship with it. Fortune would wind up 2nd while Andy Bradley, Darrin Davis, and Partin completed the top 5.

USAC Preliminary Events started with Qualifying and it was Chase Stockon again on top with a 13.936 (96.87 MPH) which was just .117 off of Bryan Clauson’s NTR set on Thursday. Stockon would win his heat as would Chris Windom, who had flipped the night before and was using a back-up car. Landon Simon won his first career USAC Heat and Brady Bacon rounded Heat race action up with another win. Robert Ballou would win the B Main and Chris Gurley, again, used a Provisional to make the 23-car field. (more…)

Jim Rouse, BRP Media 2-21-13 Ocala, FL – The USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Championship began their season with a thriller at Bubba Raceway Park while the Southern States Division II Midgets put on some exciting racing as well.

The Midgets had a wild 15-lapper that started with Aaron Farnay, Darrin Davis, and Ryan Partin the starting order. Partin made quick work of Davis who’s car started to smoke as the race came to a close. With Davis’ off the pace it left just Partin to defend home soil and he did just that as he strolled to his first ever win on the 3/8 mile track. Farnay finished in a solid 2nd place and Davis went back to the chalkboard in 3rd.

USAC Preliminary Events started with Chase Stockton falling less than 0.15 off of the track record but he did walk away with the Fast Qualifer Award. Nick Drake would start the heat races off with a win and Brady Scott, “The Wild Child” Jac Haudenschild, and Shane Cottle followed in his footsteps. The 4 heats locked 16 cars in and a B Main, won by Chris Windom, secured 6 more spots on the 22-car starting grid.

Feature action started with Dave Darland and Coleman Gulick going at it up front before a lap 3 red flag when Shane Cottle flipped his #2. “The Throttle” walked away from the crash but lost valuable time and cash. On the restart Gulick found himself doing 2 full 360s before the yellow was displayed; however, under yellow, he lost his cool and rammed Darland (who he was upset with for the restart that seemed slow) and was immediately parked. Action didn’t stop there as he pulled to the pit exit and showed his displeasure to Darland who nearly earned a black flag himself. (more…)