LUCAMA, NC – Bubba Pollard prevailed in Saturday night’s $10,000-to-win Super Late Model race at Southern National Motorsports Park, holding off a fierce challenge from Preston Peltier in the closing laps.
Pollard led throughout much of the race, but had to fend off challenges from Mason Diaz and Preston Peltier in a shootout in the Solid Rock Carriers 300. After Peltier and Diaz tangled late, Pollard was able to survive a challenge from Peltier to score the victory – his first at Southern National and his fourth in the CARS Super Late Model Tour.
“They had good racecars,” Pollard told Race22.com after the race. “We were trying to save as much as we could there at the end. We just got real tight when it was time to go. We got free in and that made us tight in the center. Just had to be conservative and change my line around the last 25 laps and just kind of do the best we can with what I had. We kind of fell off there a little bit. We started the race off not really where I wanted to. We stayed tight. At least the car stayed consistent, that’s the biggest thing. They put pressure on me there and luckily we had just enough to stay in front of them.”
While Peltier was strong on the long runs, it was the launch on restarts that allowed Pollard to pull out front.
“We had a little more motor than they did,” Pollard said. “I think that hurt me on the long run but helped me on these restarts. Next time we’ll know and make some better decisions.”
Pollard raced at Southern National in 2015, finishing fourth in that race.
“This is the second time I’ve been here,” Pollard remarked. “We always like going to new places and winning different places. This place reminds me a lot of Slinger, just a little bit bigger. It’s cool racing here.”
Preston Peltier, who was forced to settle for second, was disappointed with the result.
“I had plenty for Bubba,” Peltier stated. “This car was the best car. If you take away the restarts, we had the best car here tonight. The restarts were killing me. It was really hurting me on those restarts. Over the long run, after we got a few laps on, this thing was really killer.”
Next up for Pollard will be the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway on Sunday, March 17th. He will make his second career Late Model Stock Car start at Orange County Speedway on Sunday, April 7th.
“We’ll be there at Orange County,” Pollard commented. “Looking forward to that. It’ll be a lot of fun. Hang out with some good people, drink some beer, have some fun and try to win a race. The $30,0S00 will be just Late Model Stock.”
The next stop on the CARS Tour schedule is Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 23rd.
Super Late Model results
- Bubba Pollard
- Preston Peltier
- Brandon Setzer
- Jared Fryar
- Stephen Nasse
- Mike Speeney
- Justin Crider
- Matt Craig
- Trevor Noles
- Brandon Lynn
- Kodie Conner
- Tate Fogleman
- Mason Diaz
- Dan Speeney
- Gracie Trotter
- Tyler Church
- Molly Helmuth
- Nolan Pope
- Colin Garrett
- Trey Bayne
- Tim Hollis
- Gabriel Fogg
- Jody Measamer
- Matt Wallace
- Steven Wallace
- Jeff Batten
- Anthony Cataldi
