By Jimmy Rouse- Bubba Raceway Park Media
This Saturday Bubba Raceway Park returns to action after a week off in honor of the July 4th week-end. Bringing the action this week are the UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks on their Double Points night, Mini Stocks, and Gladiators. As always drivers will be gunning for wins so they can hoist the championship trophy in late November.
The UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds are as close as they get with the top 3 separated by a point. Jeff Mathews, looking for his 4th consecutive championship at Bubba Raceway Park, leads Jim Smith and Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. by 1 each. Mathews can’t rest as Smith and Lloyd have been consistently moving up in the finishing order. However, Kyle Bronson and Garret Stewart, tied at 10 behind Mathews, will be ready to strike at a mistake. Mathews and Bronson already have a win each, but Smith and Bronson are yet to win at Bubba Raceway Park. And, of course, Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. has wins in the Racecar Engineering Late Models division, but not in the UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds.
Chad Scranton won the first points race in the Hobby Stocks at Bubba Raceway Park, but holds only a 2 point lead over runner-up Tim Powers. Donnie Reed is only 5 points behind Scranton after his 3rd place finish, and Howard Osteen just 8 behind Scranton. Bud Chancey is tied with Osteen. Every driver will look for an early season win as it will matter when it comes time to hoist that season end trophy.
Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks Double Points night will be an exciting one to say the least, especially with $500 on the line. Jason Gamble will strive to hold on to his 24 point lead and nothing would be better then another win. Gamble’s lead was massive after his 3rd consecutive win, but after 3 weeks of bad luck the field has nearly caught him. Jonathan Gillette is 24 points back but on a long winless streak, and nothing would be better then closing the gap and taking a win. Vaughn Woodall is just an extra point back and wouldn’t mind taking career win #2. Gordon Cade and “The Canuck” Tim Mathieu are only 35 points behind Gamble. Mathieu has made massive gains over the past few weeks and would love to continue that. Of course, both drivers have won before, but Cade hasn’t won since his asphalt racing days and would like to take ‘close’ to ‘there.’ Double Points night will make the action in this division twice as great.
Ray Folwell leads the Mini Stocks by a margin of 13 over Brittany Yates. Of course, as team-mates they will work together until they hit that clay; then they battle for points and bragging rights in the workshop. The 16 year-old rookie Ryan Babcock has used his consitency to put his #9 in 3rd place in points, only 20 behind Folwell. Babcock won’t rest, however, as Ray Ethridge is just 10 behind him. Chris Zimmermann keeps the 10s alive as he’s 10 points behind Ethridge! Zimmermann has steadily gained knowledge of the clay to put himself in the top 5 and with 2 runner-up finishes, he wants 1 more spot. The Mini Stocks have always put on a great show and nothing less would be expected this week.
Appropriately named, “The Dominator,” Steve Cox was absent last week, but held onto his point lead. Brandon Haseleu cut the deficit down to 18 and will look to continue the cutting and the search for career win #1. Reid Christensen is 49 points behind Cox, but Christensen wants redemption for a few weeks ago. Richard Todd would like to gain some points as he’s only 10 behind Christensen. Matt Kramer is a mere 2 points behind Todd and would love to put his 77 in 4th. The Gladiators will take to the clay, but only 1 can emerge victorious.
Gates open at 4:30 with racing scheduled for 7. As always, the racing at Bubba Raceway Park on a Saturday night will be intense. For more information you can check out the Speedway website, www.bubbaracewaypark.com, or you may call the Speedway hotline.