Different Team, Same Bubba Pollard in Pro Late Model Rattler 125

It may have been a new car, but the result was the same. For the sixth time in his career, Bubba Pollard took the checkered flag in the Grasshopper Pro Late Model Rattler 125 at South Alabama Speedway Saturday night.

Rather than his signature No. 26, Pollard piloted the No. 9 from the Jett Motorsports stable for the Pro Late Model event commonly referred to as the “Baby Rattler.” Pollard took the checkered flag ahead of Michael Hinde in the precursor to Sunday’s 47^th Annual Rattler 250 for Super Late Models.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity,” said Pollard in victory lane. “Mr. Pat [Jett] and everybody that works on their team. They gave us a fast race car and made it easy for me.

“It was kind of a shocker, the way it all went down and the way it unfolded. It’s fun to come out here and win. When you drive for someone that wants to win as bad as you do, you want to drive for them. He loves racing, and we do, too.

Pollard set fast time in qualifying for the race, but settled into third position in the early stages. Pollard bided his time until a restart just past halfway, taking the lead from Hinde on lap 70.

“At the start, they wanted to run a little faster pace than I did,” said Pollard. “I like riding, judging and being able to tell where I can beat them and they can beat me. I race my race depending on what everyone else does.

“They beat and bang a little bit, and I just took it all in. I felt like if we didn’t make our move on that restart, I figured lapped traffic would be issue. It was hard to get around and get by them. I knew I had to get it on the restart and make something happen.”

Christopher Tullis finished third, with Gavin Graham and Evan Shotko completing the top five.

Sunday, the Super Late Models take the stage in the 47^th Annual Hardee’s Rattler 250, sanctioned for the first time by SRL National. The $25,000-to-win event will take the green flag at 2 p.m. CT. Ty Majeski set fast time in qualifying for the event earlier on Saturday.

RacingAmerica.TV subscribers can watch Sunday’s race by clicking here.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
18TH ANNUAL GRASSHOPPER PRO LATE MODEL RATTLER 125

1. Bubba Pollard
2. Michael Hinde
3. Christopher Tullis
4. Gavin Graham
5. Evan Shotko
6. Bryson Shaffer
7. Jim Wall
8. Zack Dixon
9. Steve Dorer
10. Cale Gale
11. Colin Allman
12. Dustin Smith
13. Jeff Dawkins
14. Steven Chunn
15. Johnny Aramendia
16. Jolynn Wilkinson
17. Elliott Massey
18. Dylan Fetcho
19. Glenn Styres
20. Brian Reeves
21. Jeremy Miller

-Featured Photo: Ryan Nuttleman