CORDELE, Ga. — Bubba Pollard won the Protect Your Melon Buckle Up SpeedFest 150 at Watermelon Capital Speedway for the third straight year.
Pollard made the fifth and final lead change on lap 139 of the 150-lap event as he passed Stephen Nasse who had gained the lead when Pollard and the other leaders pitted on lap 109.
Pollard charged back to the front and made the winning pass just outside 10 laps to go.
“You don’t know if the strategy is going to work,” said Pollard. “Last year we won it by pitting early and today it was the other way. We had a 40-lap run to get it done. Had it been 25 it would have been interesting. It was a great race for the fans. I hope they enjoyed it in the cold weather, but it was some really good racing.”
The caution flew on lap 75 for a competition yellow and Nasse pitted from fourth to take tires with seven cars remaining on the track. Nasse charged to fourth and then held his position to save tires if a caution came out before a competition yellow.
Nasse held the lead until those with fresh tires climbed back to the leaders. He ended up second as Casey Roderick posted a third-place run after leading laps early on.
Rookie Dawson Sutton was fourth and defending series champion Gio Ruggerio posted a fifth-place run.
The victory by Pollard was his fourth in the SpeedFest event and fourth at the Watermelon Capital Speedway at Crisp Motorsports Park.
In the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour 100, Stephen Nasse took the top honors for the second time in his career.
Nasse outlasted Ross Chastain who had a strong second-place run. George Phillips was third to complete the podium.
The event was broadcast by SPEED SPORT affiliate Track TV.
The finish:
Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse, Casey Roderick, Dawson Sutton, Gio Ruggiero, Michael Hinde, Jett Noland, Cole Butcher, Matthew Craig, Timothy Watson, Michael Atwell, Billy VanMeter, Derek Kraus, Jake Finch, Daniel Webster, Dustin Smith, Brandon Jones, Steve Dorer, Tony Elrod, Michael Goddard, Hudson Halder, Collin Allman, Anthony Cataldi, Dave Farrington, Josh Berry, Connor Okrzesik, Jake Garcia.