Bubba Pollard checked another track off his list of tracks he hadn’t competed at and off the list he hadn’t won at with a dominating victory over Matt Craig at Motor Mile Speedway in the CARS Tour Super Late Model series.
Pollard qualified on the pole and led early but gave up the lead during the middle portion of the 125-lap race. Craig used the chrome horn a little to get by Pollard in a move Pollard later called dirty to get the lead. Pollard would reassert himself back in the lead but late in the race, the top spot was challenged again.
With 11 laps to go the caution waved for the fourth and final time when Molly Helmuth lost her brakes and slammed the outside wall in turn one. The ensuing restart saw Craig use the outside line to grab the lead but would be called for jumping the start and would be warned as they racked the field up for another restart.
This time Pollard would get the jump in a big way as Craig slipped back into the clutches of Stephen Nasse and Kodie Conner as they got three wide for second momentarily. Craig would pull back away after a couple of laps of racing with Nasse.
Pollard drove off to victory but Craig tried to make a race of it in the closing laps but Pollard would take the checkered flag. Craig would finish second with Nasse third, Tate Fogleman and Conner completing the top five finishers.
In victory lane, Pollard didn’t seem happy and was rather vocal about the dirty move he thought Craig made earlier in the race.
“When you drive me dirty, I’m going to drive you back dirty,” Pollard said in victory lane. “You’re looking at a new Bubba Pollard, I’m not taking any more shit this year.”
Craig for his part of the exchange downplayed the contact and said it was just racing.
“It was just racing,” Craig said. “You’re Racing on a track that’s less than a half mile, it’s tight and we’re going really fast in these cars. Shits going to happen.”
Craig added that he was proud of his team for being able to race with Pollard when no one else can seem to beat him.
“Nobody has been able to really beat Bubba, we ran on his bumper the whole race and ran better lap times. We’ll get there.”
Cover photo by Jaden Austin.
Results:
1 – Bubba Pollard #26
2 – Matt Craig #54
3 – Stephen Nasse #51
4 – Tate Fogleman #8
5 – Kodie Conner #45
6 – Josh Brock #17
7 – Jeff Batten #49
8 – Colin Garrett #24
9 – Jared Fryar #14
10 – Brandon Setzer #6
11 – Dan Speeney #37
12 – Ryan Moore #74
13 – Nolan Pope #34
14 – Amber Balcaen #51
15 – Toni Breidinger #21
16 – Matt Wallace #6
17 – Molly Helmuth #16
18 – Jett Noland #50
19 – Mike Speeney #17
20 – Josh Reeves #96
21 – Trey Jarrell #21
22 – Preston Peltier #33
23 – Jared Irvan #2
24 – Justin Crider #7
25 – Tovia Grynewicz #40
26 – Anthony Cataldi #00
