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Blizzard Finale Has Lots to Offer With Championships on the Line
Southern Super Series Drivers in the Middle of a Final Test for Derby and Blizzard Title Battle
Daniel Hemric, John Hunter Nemechek and Bubba Pollard will battle at Five Flags Speedway in the Buddy's Home Furnishing Blizzard Series championship event Friday night. Those Super Late Model standouts will be joined by a host of other talented drivers at the Pensacola, Florida half-mile, many of whom will be jockeying for positions that hold implications beyond Friday's 125-lap event.
Some drivers will be chasing points to lock into the top 10 on the track's Blizzard Series, while others will be dialing their cars in for the 46th annual Snowball Derby coming up on December 8th at Five Flags. Still others will be making Friday's trip to Five Flags with just one thing in mind - a trophy in the Buddy's Home Furnishings 125.
No matter what their reasons, some of the nation's top short track talents will converge in the Blizzard Series and Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco combination event at Five Flags this Friday.
"My main focus will just be on getting out of Pensacola Friday night with a spotless race car and the trophy in hand,' said Ross Kenseth, who took major Super Late Model wins at the Winchester 400 and the All American 400 last season.
Kenseth will drive the race for the Adrian Carriers team which won the season finale a year ago before going on and taking a runner-up finish in the Snowball Derby with Jeff Choquette behind the wheel. The Buddy's 125 is an opportunity for Kenseth to get some laps in a new ride.
"There might be a little bit to learn as far as what changes the track might go through from day to night, but the weather won't be very close to how it will be at Derby time so I'm not too sure how much I'll be able to apply to the Derby."
Kenseth has a hot streak bringing him into Pensacola with back-to-back wins elsewhere in the Super Late Model world. Likewise, 15-year-old Kyle Benjamin is on a roll heading into the Buddy's 125 Friday night.
Benjamin recently won the ARCA Racing Series event at Salem Speedway (IN) for his second win this year in his rookie campaign. Benjamin also won the most recent Blizzard Series race on July 26.
"Going to Five Flags Speedway this weekend is like a big practice for the Snowball Derby," said Benjamin. "You want to win it when you get there, but there is more on the line. Five Flags Speedway's track conditions always change so we need to be on top of that and going there this Friday will help us prep for the Derby."
Benjamin may run hard for the win, he is conscious of the championship battle that is going on in both the Blizzard Series and the Southern Super Series.
"In regards to the Blizzard Series, our goal is to win, but we are also respectful for those drivers going for the championship."
Kenseth and Benjamin will be joined by Austin Theriault, who just won the Beech Ridge 300 in Maine as well as Bubba Pollard, Daniel Hemric, Mike Garvey, Hunter Robbins, John Hunter Nemechek, David Rogers, TJ Reaid, DJ VanderLey, Scott Carlson, Donnie Wilson and the rest of the Gulf Coast regulars and the Southern Super Series regulars at Five Flags.
Ticket information and more on the Friday, September 20 Buddy's 125, a combination event between the Southern Super Series, the Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship Series and the track's Buddy's Home Furnishings Blizzard Series at Five Flags Speedway can be found on www.5flagsspeedway.com. More details on the Saturday, September 21 Miller Lite Series, Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship and Southern Super Series event, the RE Suspension 125 at Mobile, can be obtained on www.mobilespeedway.net.
September 18, 2013
