Close, but No Cigar for Donnie Wilson in 2014
Fine Season No Matter What the Point Outcome is
It's a matter of what could have been for Donnie Wilson. Plans to run the full 2014 Southern Super Series season were derailed with a rainout of the season-opening Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway back in March.
The rescheduled date was set for the following Saturday, but Wilson was committed to moving into a new home back in his home state of Oklahoma.
After missing the season opener, it would be hard to believe that Wilson would have a mathematical shot at the Southern Super Series championship heading into its final two races. But Wilson won the series' second event in Nashville, plus two more, and rattled off the most top fives of any driver to date.
Wilson will need a borderline miracle if he's going to overtake the four drivers ahead of him in the standings, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a strong season for the Oklahoma City driver.
"We're out of it," said Wilson about the championship battle. "We will likely end up fifth in the points which is a great year for me and our efforts. I mean we can catch them, but they are not all going to have a bad night at the same time. This series is tough and that just won't happen."
The success that has come with his three wins this year has been a 180-degree turn from his 2013 season. Wilson has supported Super Late Model racing all across the country, but had not been able to get over that hump to win for about a full decade until his three this season.
A year ago Wilson logged a top-five finish in the first race for the Southern Super Series. He then had to wait a full year to return to the top five and it resulted in victory at Nashville. From there his season has been nothing short of remarkable.
"We have three wins and all we want to do on the Gulf Coast is win both races and finish tied with Bubba Pollard for most wins this year," said Wilson. "It's been a great year and hopefully we can win a big race to cap off the season after the points are done and over."
Wilson is still seeking his first win at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida when the series visits the half-mile track on Friday, but he's already won at Mobile International Speedway in Irvington, AL this season, where the series will visit Saturday.
Wilson has been so close to the action, so he offered how he thinks things will turn out when this weekend's Gulf Coast action closes out the run for the 2014 championship.
"Daniel Hemric had a good night at Montgomery so it looks like it will come down to Hemric and Pollard again," said Wilson. "I say that and Hemric won the last Blizzard race. I'd have to put my money on Pollard because he's so good at both tracks down there. We'll see."
The Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco will end the season with a Gulf Coast weekend doubleheader beginning at Five Flags Speedway on Friday, September 19 for the Buddy's Home Furnishing Blizzard Series finale. The final race of the year will be run the next night on Saturday, September 20 at Mobile International Speedway, which will be a race to decide the 2014 Southern Super Series championship.
For more information on the Southern Super Series, visit SouthernSuperSeries.com. The Facebook page for the Southern Super Series is located at www.facebook.com/southernsuperseries. The series is also on Twitter at @SoSuperSeries. For advertising or sponsorship questions, please contact the track representatives. For media inquiries, please contact Matt Kentfield at 51 Sports via matt@51sports.net.
September 17, 2014
