By Jimmy Rouse- Bubba Raceway Park Media
This week-end at Bubba Raceway Park it’s the UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds for Double Points and $1500, return of the Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Gladiators, and the Florida Mini Sprints Association in their 4th of 9 races at Bubba Raceway Park.
The UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds have a Mathews Motorsports 1-2 at the front. Jeff Mathews is the points leader by 3 over team-mate Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. Mathews and Lloyd have vast experience as they are both champions at Bubba Raceway Park meaning it could be a battle for the ages between them. Dave Barber is only 31 points behind Mathews and Barber will strive to make the points up quickly and will also be looking for that win. Down 37 to the leader is Kyle Bronson. Bronson was the runner-up last season and is so far the only 2-time winner in the division. Jason Davis is 43 back but has been steadily getting that Snow Bros. Modified up to the front and he could take that win anytime. Henry Hall has been very consistent and is sitting 6th and could take his Modified right up to the front. Garret Stewart has his 67 in 7th spot and continues to get closer to his 1st win. Steve Whitener and Jim Passino are tied for 8th with 1-time-winner Whitener taking the tie-breaker as of now. Passino has run into some tough luck recently but has put his 34 up front numerous times and is a threat every week-end. Ronnie Chance is 10th and has consistently run in the top 10. Chance could break through and he would certainly jump at the chance. Devin Dixon is the last winner in the division and, of course, PJ Wiggins took a win in his final start at Bubba Raceway Park.
A 44 car leads by 44 points in the Hobby Stock division after 3 points races. Tim Powers leads Kevin Durden and both have won, but Durden hasn’t won at Bubba Raceway Park since last season. Buck Woodhouse has his 55W 56 points behind Powers. Woodhouse has 2 top 5s in the past 2 races and would like to move up the order into victory lane. Howard Osteen is the 4th place driver, but is 80 points behind Powers. Osteen is close to a win and it could come at any time. In 5th, 82 points behind Powers, is 2009 champion Bubba Christian. Christian has used the strength of 2 top 10s to move up the charts. Christian will have a hand-full as Billy Carlbert, Jr. is only 1 points behind him. Carlbert has a runner-up finish but won’t be staisfied until he goes 1 better. Joe Belkey has a race win and another Joe behind him in Joe Boyd. Belkey and Boyd had a great battle last time out and they’ll both look for a win. Tommy Ausburn and Devin Walker are 9th and 10th, respectively, and have done a fantastic job so far. They’ll all be looking for wins along with 2-time winner Chad Scranton, Matt Shea, and Mike Tovet.
Yates Racing currently leads the Mini Stocks but the field is rapidly approaching. Ray Folwell is the points leader over his team-mate Brittany Yates. Folwell won the first 2 and the 4th race while Yates won the 3rd, but neither has returned to the victory circle. Both have been close every week but haven’t shown the dominance as of earlier. Ryan Babcock, the 16-year-old rookie, is in 3rd and has shown consitency and maturity to stay there from the start. His career best 3rd came the first 1st week of the season and he continues to hold steady at the front. Ray Ethridge is in 4th place and showed last year that he can take home a win. Ethridge has a lot of points to make up but knows that he can still win the championship. Chris Zimmermann is 5th and has shown much improvement the past few races. Zimmermann will have to hold off Roberto Morfin, Jr. who is already a race winner in 2011.
“TacoSon” steadily improves every week and is a threat to become the 2nd multiple-time winner. Buddy Pope is the 7th place driver and has a non-points win already, but missed a couple of races and has cost him points. Kody Kinsey, along with Babcock, is a rookie and has his 11 in the 8th position. Kinsey has used the advice from his father to get his 11 to the front. Charlie Staats and Stephen Hahlbaugh have both missed 3 races and they are 9th and 10th, respectively, in the standings. Staats has a win as well as 2008 champion Keith Briggs, Shirlene Hammond, and Tim Zackery but his was a non-points race.
The Gladiators call him “The Dominator” and for good reason. Steve Cox is the points leader and has his S&S P38 up front with 5 wins, including a streak of 4-straight. “The Dominator” has a comfortable points lead over Reid Christensen and Brandon Haseleu. Both Young Guns are looking for their 1st career wins. In 4th is Richard Todd. Todd continues to improve and is knocking on the door of career win #1. Jerry Taylor is the points driver for M&M/Shade Tree Racing and has raced the 10, 13, 31, and 57 cars to 5th in points. Taylor has a few runner-up finishes in his career and won’t give up until he gets that win. Kody Fisher has his 83 in the 6th position and has a season best finish of 4th. Fisher will have a good battle with 7th place Stephen Frankland. “The British Bulldog” has a 3rd place finish to his credit but, just as everyone but Cox, is still searching for that 1st win at Bubba Raceway Park. In 8th is the driver with the most Gladiator wins in the past 2 seasons and also the most nicknames. Casey Feaster is 8th and also has 3 consecutive non-points wins this season. The 9th place driver, Matt Kramer, has a top 5 and will continue to improve and hopes to take that 1st win home before too long. Cox’s team-mate Steve Johnson is 10th and will do his best to get his celebration in victory lane. Jonathan Green, Scott Sullivan, and Sammy Dale all have 1 win each and could take a 2nd any time soon.
The Florida Mini Sprints Association has 3 different winners in David Pleaugh, Gavin Thomas, and Jesse Teed. All will look for repeats this week-end, but there’s also a championship to look at. Chris Pacetti won the last feature for the division and also holds the points lead. Anything can happen with this highly competitive class in which 12 drivers have a top 5 in 3 features at Bubba Raceway Park.
Gates open at 4:30 with racing scheduled for 7. For more information you can check out www.bubbaracewaypark.com or call the Speedway hotline!