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Z3 CoverageRADIO COVERAGE
PRINT COVERAGEPollard Continues Hot Streak with Win in Wild Miller Lite 100
John Kenny, Z3 Sports IRVINGTON, AL -- Being there at the end is key to winning. That has never been more true than it was for Bubba Pollard, who won the Miller Lite 100 at Mobile (AL) International Speedway on August 08. Pollard survived two late race incidents in turn four to capture his second win at MIS and his third win in the Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship Series for 2009.
During the 76 lap run, Pollard saw little competition for the lead, with his biggest threat coming from Augie Grill. Hunter Robbins and Johanna Long both demonstrated their strength by working up to the second and third positions, respectively. The two young stars also showcased one of the best battles on the track by staying nose-to-tail with each other through much of the run. The caution came out when Grill - the Miller Lite Series point leader - spun coming out of turn four. Grill had lost the handle on his car and was the last car on the lead lap with Pollard closing in. The pit stops set up the end of the race with Robbins and Chris Davidson beating Pollard off of pit road. Robbins showed he was worth the pre-race hype, holding Pollard at bay until lap 94. Going through turn three Pollard bumped Robbins, sending the Shorter, AL native spinning through the grass. Both cars rolled away unharmed, but the incident gave Johanna Long the lead with Davidson in second and Grill, Robbins, and Pollard rounding out the top five. Johanna Long broke an axle on the restart, as the field entered the front straightaway. The mechanical failure resulted in a pile-up involving Robbins, Grill, Jeremy Colangelo, Matt Smith, and Stephan McCurley. The field was haulted under the red flag, leaving only seven cars on the track. Davidson restarted with the lead, only to have Pollard make quick work of the Texas native. Casey Smith had a quiet night to come away with second as Long, Davidson, and John Bolen rounded out the top five. The win, combined with Grill’s DNF, helped Pollard regain the points lead in the MLS and extend his lead in the SGCC. The local divisions also contributed some exciting racing to complement the Miller Lite 100. The Modifieds started the racing action with a 25-lap green flag feature. Mark Churdimsky started the race from the third position and jumped out to an early lead in the attrition filled event. Gerald Wilkerson put heavy pressure on Churdimsky, only to fall victim to mechanical failure and retire for a sixth place finish. Points leader Donnie Hamrac advanced to the runner-up position and ch allenged Churdimsky for the rest of the race. Hamrac could not work his way around the leader, and settled for second. Mike Maddox, Brandon Howell, and Kris Bean rounded out the top five. The Sportsman division put fans on their feet early with a wreck that resulted in Nick Brownlee barrel rolling down the back straightaway. Brownlee was not injured and racing commenced. Points leader Ricky Johnson battled his way from 12th to take the lead with less than 10 laps to go. Johnson took the checkered the flag, but was later disqualified. Chad Robinson was credited with the win, giving him his second win in a row. Jonathan Langham, Chris Brownlee, Joe Thorton, and B.J. Leytham rounded out the top five. The Bomber division finished out the night with a caution-free 15 lap feature. Johnathan Day showed why he is the points leader by jumping out to a big lead. Jay Jay Day fought from the fourth position to challenge his cousin. The two battled each other clean, but Jay Jay could not find a way around and finished the race second. Rusty Powell Jr., Layme Corry, and John Beasley rounded out the top five. The Miller Lite Series will conclude on September 26, as will the SGCC series. Racing at MIS resumes on August 29 with heat and feature races for the Pro Late Model, Super Stock, Sportsmen, and Bomber divisions. Please visit www.mobilespeedway.net for more information on Mobile International Speedway, the Miller Lite Series, or the Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship.
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The night started on a good note for Pollard by capturing the pole and jumping out to an early lead. The 100 lap race went caution free for the first 76 laps.
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