Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Pollard Takes Inaugural CRA Super Series South Event

Cordele, GA (April 4, 2009) - Being the leader of Inaugural CRA Super Series South event, the Watermelon 125 at Watermelon Capital Speedway, was not a good place. Four different times lightening struck different drivers while leading, resulting in new leaders, so Bubba Pollard had to be worried when he took the lead for the second time on lap 120 after the leaders spun while racing side by side. But he hung on for the last five laps to take the win of the historic event. Korey Ruble finished second, Ryan Sieg third, Justin Drawdy fourth and Danny Bagwell fifth. "We had a real good car early, then the tires went away, or I ran them a little too hard, and after they cooled the car came back and we got faster as the race was going on, we seemed to be faster at the end" An elated Pollard stated in Victory Lane. Ryan Sieg started the night as fast qualifier, winning the WearCrete Racing with Jeff Fultz Fast Qualifier Award and drew a five for the invert to put Pollard on the pole with Ryan Lawler on the outside of the front row. Lawler jumped to the early lead, but Pollard would not be out done and he took the lead from the fourth lap and held on for the first long green flag run of 40 laps, with spirited racing behind him for second. When the race restarted after a car spun, Jeff Fultz was in second. Fultz wasted little time taking first driving by Pollard to take the lead on lap 42 with Pollard slipped back to third when Augie Grill made a bold move to take second. Fultz however was the first to have lightning strike, when a bracket on his trailing arm broke when he came out of the second turn and the car slipped off the outside of the track on the backstretch sending him on a wild ride sliding down the grass sideways before stopping in the third turn. Fultz crew was able to repair the car and he continued. Grill held the lead for just a couple of laps before Lawler moved past him to take the lead. Lawler then ran out to a large lead and looked to be taking the race over when lightening stuck for a second time as Lawler’s car slowed and he was eventually forced to the pits due to an ignition problem. Grill then inherited the lead once again on the 62nd lap. Sieg had worked his way up to second on was pushing Grill hard when lightening again struck with both cars spinning on the 102nd lap, in the fourth turn. Despite the cars ending up sideways on the track the other cars managed to miss them both and all of the cars on the track were able to continue racing. This put Justin Drawdy in the lead. Drawdy held the lead narrowly over Danny Bagwell until contact between the two cars caused Drawdy to spin. Bagwell was sent to the tail also, leaving Pollard as the final leader of the event. Korey Ruble and Danny Bagwell earned Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Awards. Ruble also earned the VDL Fuel Systems Hardcharger of the Race Award advancing nine positions to finish in second. Grill was the Total Performance Halfway Leader and won the ARP Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his great pass of Ryan Lawler early in the event. Tony Ponkauskas was awarded the Safety Solutions Tough Luck Award after his oil pump locked up during his qualifying run ending his night. Bagwell received the Racing Electronics Improved Positions Award. The next CRA Super Series South Event will be the All American 150 at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on May 3 in a combined event with the North series. The CRA Super Series North kicks off its season on April 11 at Anderson Speedway with the Anderson 125. For more information see www.craracing.net.

Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Fan Forum!