Add another accomplishment to the long list of accolades for Bubba Pollard.
The Senora, Georgia, driver finished second in the 100-lap Super Late Model Orange Blossom 100 at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday night, capturing the championship in dominating fashion after winning three races during the 53rd annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing.
Pollard wasn’t planning to head to New Smyrna for the World Series until he received a phone call from track regular David Rogers, who couldn’t run the week of racing due to a minor surgical procedure. In the end, the decision to step behind the wheel was well worth it.
“What a great group of guys to do this with,” Pollard said. “These are the hardest working guys I’ve ever worked with. David, Steve, T.M. Ranch. That’s why my team that’s down here with me work well with theirs. We’re all working well together. They’ve been together 30 years, and you don’t see that, sponsored that long. It’s big shoes to step into. David has done so much and I’m just thankful to have this opportunity.”
“We could have pulled it off tonight, it’s just hard to start that far back and not have more than one caution. And then I got stuck behind (Tate Fogleman) and you just have to have a lot of patience running with certain guys sometimes.
“Derek had a really good car. I just wish we could have gotten up there to race with him.”
As Pollard mentioned, Saturday’s finale for the Super Late Models rolled along with minimal issue. A caution at the halfway point slowed the field, but once the race went back green, it was clear sailing for the competition.
Derek Griffith picked up the checkered flag in the finale of the week. Griffith was challenging Carson Kvapil in the final laps of the opening night main event when the two made contact and Griffith was black flagged. After an up and down week, Griffith was able to end the prestigious event in celebration.
“We had a fast car all week,” Griffith said. “We got tangled up the first night, but my guys just did an awesome job. They made it easy for me tonight.”
Jett Noland, who took the lead on lap 10, led the race until lap 77 when Griffith rolled on by. As Griffith pulled away in the final laps, Pollard made his way to the back bumper of Noland, but it took him multiple laps to get around, ultimately giving Griffith the win.
Noland finished third, followed by teammate Tate Fogelman and Logan Seavey.
- Derek Griffith
- Bubba Pollard
- Jett Noland
- Tate Fogelman
- Logan Seavey
- Travis Brayden
- Carson Kvapil
- Jared Irvan
- Ryan Moore
- Derek Kraus
- Colin Garrett
- Alex Labbe
- Sam Mayer
- Gabe Sommers
- Nicholas Naugle
- Brad May
- Brad Kossaw
- Toby Grynewicz
- Clay Greenfield
- Anthony Sergi
- Spencer Davis
- Christian Rose