It all comes down to this weekend for 5 drivers in a close battle for the 2014 Championship in the Southern Super Series, presented by Sunoco Race Fuels. These key drivers are Bubba Pollard, Anderson Bowen, Daniel Hemric, Augie Grill and Donnie Wilson. After 13 of 15 races these 5 drivers are in a close battle for the crown, and after tonight here and Saturday night at Mobile International Speedway, one of these drivers will wear the crown in one of , if not the most, competitive Super Late Model Series in the coun-try. They are pictured to the right as they stand in points going into tonight.

Last year Hemric pulled it out in the final race by just one point over Pollard. Don’t be surprised if this year is a repeat. I can’t guarantee anyone that it will be that close, but what I can guarantee is some of the most competitive Super Late Model racing that you will ever see.

Also up for grabs is a Cham-pionship in the Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series, here and the Gulf Coast Championship, which includes Mobile A lot of money is on the line for these drivers, so may the best man smile all the way to the bank on Monday.

Look for some new faces. One crew drove 60 hours from Canada to be here, as they try to get geared up the Snowball Derby. All this plus the Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bomb-ers. A Champion will also be decided tonight in the Super Stocks and you can bet your bottom dollar that Todd Jones and Bubba Winslow will be “up on the wheel” to attempt to come out on the top.

We will return in one week (September 27th) with the “Whataburger Night of Champions”. It will consist of a 100 lap race for the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models, plus Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Sportsman and Bomb-ers. All remaining Champion-ships will be decided on this exciting SATURDAY night of racing. This will also close the door on our regular race season.

Donnie Wilson-Car 2 Oklahoma City, OK

Augie Grill-Car 112 Hayden, AL

Anderson Bowen-Car 29 Suwanee, GA

Daniel Hemric-Car 98 Kannapolis, NC

Bubba Pollard-Car 26 Senoia, GA

Final Blizzard and Super Stocks Tonight

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Car Photos Tom Wilsey

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Video Ted Baber850-458-2501

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The stage is set for Bubba Pollard this weekend. Much to the delight of his large fan base at Five Flags Speed-way, Pollard’s shot at redemption begins right here at the famed half-mile asphalt oval tonight.

Last year during the inaugural season of the Southern Super Series, a Super Late Model touring circuit that tours iconic tracks across the southeast, Pollard lost the championship by one measly point to Daniel Hemric.

Pollard enters tonight’s fourth and final Buddy’s Home Furnishings Bliz-zard Series 125 lapper holding a slim, 8-point margin over the defending champion Hemric.

With one more race to run Saturday night at Mobile International Speed-way, Anderson Bowen, Augie Grill and Donnie Wilson are also still in the mix if the leaders have untimely ends to their Friday nights.

A track champion will be crowned tonight in the Faith Chapel Super Stocks with current leader Todd Jones leading defending series champion Bubba Winslow by 3 points.

The points battles are tight for both the Beef “O” Brady’s Sportsmen and Butler U-Pull-It Bombers, as drivers from both classes look to put themselves in ideal position before next weekend’s Whata-burger Night of Champions, which will be run on a special Saturday night, Sept. 27, at Pensacola’s high banks.

The Sportsmen and Bombers will be joined by the Pro Trucks and the Allen Turner Pro Late Models where former Snowball Derby champion Johanna Long and defending PLM track champi-on Garrett Jones will vie for the crown.

Chuck Corder’s Thoughts

On Tonight

Sept 27 Whataburger Nite of Champions, Pro Late 100, Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Sportsmen and BombersNov 22 Snowball Derby (c) PreviewDec 3-7 Snowball Derby 300

2014 scheduleWXBM-FM

Eddie Gibbs of Gulf Breeze

Sometimes the sport of racing can be so cruel. Established friendships can get ripped apart over championship desires. It would seem as though Five Flags Speedway has such a scenario on its hands with the Butler U-Pull-It Bomb-ers class.

Close allies, current points leader Robert Balkum and reigning track champion Michael Nelson, are separated by six points with just two features left in the season.

Thankfully, Balkum and Nelson have made a pledge to not let a little thing like racing history stand in the way of the bond they’ve formed and nurtured in recent years.

“We’re both out here to have fun,” said the 23-year-old Nelson, who won one of two features Sept. 5 for his fourth victory of the season. “(Balkum has) always helped me out, from the very beginning of my career. And, since last year and through this year, he’s been basically my main help.” The pair’s friendly rivalry continues tonight.

Bombers and Beef “O” Brady’s Sportsmen will crown track champions at next Saturday’s Night of Champions, The race for the Faith Chapel Super Stocks title ends this evening. Todd Jones, who won the Modifieds track championship in 2011, leads defending Super Stocks champion Bubba Winslow by 3 points going into tonights finale.

Nelson knows a thing or two about Snowball immortality. Two years ago, at the tender age of 21, the Pine Forest graduate and current U.S. Marine Corps reservist won the Bombers version of the Snowball when the Gary Goodwin’s winning car was disqualified.

“When we heard the news, we were yelling and going crazy,” remem-bered Nelson, who finished second at the checkered flag before the official ruling came down in the tech shed. “We had the car on a jack stand and it fell off. We didn’t care. We still took pictures.

“We didn’t get to finish first on the track, but we’re looking forward to doing that this year.” First up for Nelson, though, is a chance to successfully defend his first career track title that he locked up last season.

Nelson boasts four wins and nine podium finishes in 2014. That kind of productivity should have him on top of the standings. But, racing being racing, Nelson’s points sustained a sizeable dent when he blew a motor during the June 13 feature. And what driver was there to help Nelson repair his damage in time for the next feature?

Mr. Balkum himself. “Robert was the one that helped me and my dad put the thing back together,” Nelson said. “He said he doesn’t regret it. And that’s what competition is all about. We’re making it great for the fans and great for us.”

It has also been great for Michael Nelson and Mike Nelson. Father and son used to sit in the stands and watch the races when Michael was a kid. Now, fathers and sons are watching them. “It means the world to me,” Michael Nelson said of being able to share the racing experience with his old man.

By Chuck Corder

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The Locksmith Leader

1 10   Okie Mason 5402 13   David Beale 4713 66   Heath Mills 3094 17   Chris Cotto 2875 8   Donnie Hamrac 2096 7   Robert Chason 1857 117   Michael Swilley 1738 88   Joe Thornton 1709 99   Brandon Howell 127

10 131   Jeff Letson 123

1 52    Robert Balkum 14232 03    Michael Nelson 14173 22    John K Merritt 13074 27    Tommy Lowery 12385 11    Courtney Rodrigues   12056 83    Tim WIlmot 9807 1    Hunter Ward 9288 15    Preston Prevatte 9269 7    Rick Culbertson 773

10 99    Ryan Worsham 656

1 29    Shanna Ard 14592 00    Brannon Fowler 14223 77    Shawn Laws 1262  4 33    Steve Buttrick 11745 12    Thomas Faddis 9826 07    Jim Pokrant 9727 33    Kenny Williams 9008 42    Randy Thompson 7919 83    Bo Resmondo 75910 17    Kris Pierce 718

1 9    Todd Jones 6232 12    Bubba Winslow 6203 42    Randy Thompson 5944 9    Dave Nolan 5525 5    Kevin Chase 4466 57    Charles Skipper 3477 33    Dave Mader III 3258 84    Joe Mahuron 939 8    Justin Knowles 91

10 84    Jeremy Tassin 89

1 11    Johanna Long 6752 88    Garrett Jones 6713 99    Jr. Niedecken 6544 14    Ryan Luza 5395 21    Larry Blount 5366 30    Rusty Sanford 4966 33     Dustin Smith 4968 4    Elliott Massey 4829 22    Bryce Dulabhan 431

10 17    Kurt Guillot 419

1 6   Okie Mason 6562 98   Jay Jay Day 6333 99   Teras Hodivsky 5944 26   Ray Hoey 2985 72   Greg Leachman 2846 1   Howard Langham 2737 56   Darryl Rudd 2548 13   Jeremy Tassin 2439 50   Ty Roberts 217

10 16   Jessie Reid 208

1 26 Bubba Pollard 3372 29   Augie Grill 3053 2   Donnie Wilson 2994 98   Daniel Hemric 2975 18   Hunter Robbins 2746 29   Anderson Bowen 2647 1   Mike Garvey 2488 11   David Rogers 2339 3   Kyle Grissom 216

10 12   John H Nemechek 196

. Pushin it to the limits...the Sportsmen find themselves 3 wide often.

WWhich Lane is the passing lane?