The adage goes “Good things come to those who wait.”
Chris Davidson just wishes it didn’t take so long.
The veteran Late Model driver has been driving over to Pensacola, Florida’s Five Flags Speedway from his native Texas for more than two decades. In that span, Davidson had never won a feature – neither in the Pro nor Super Late Model classes. He notched a victory in the last chance race at last year’s Snowball Derby, but never a regular-season feature.
That all changed Friday night at the famed half-mile asphalt oval. Davidson dominated the first of four Allen Turner Pro Late Model 100 races this season, holding off a hard-charging Ryan Paul late in the race en route to a memorable Victory Lane celebration.
“The car was really good all night,” Davidson said. “I have to thank Ryan Paul for driving me clean. The car didn’t fire off on (a late) restart and he had an opportunity to turn me and didn’t. Not too many racers would do that.”
Paul finished runner-up while last season’s defending Allen Turner PLM track champion Jake Garcia from Monroe, Georgia came home third.
Davidson took the lead from fast-qualifier Kyle Plott from Marietta, Georgia on lap 15, avoided lapped cars, and withstood three cautions – including one with four laps left – to overwhelm the 19-car field.
His biggest test came on the final restart with 96 laps complete. Davidson struggled to get going and Paul pounced and tried to rattle the leader’s cage. He made several attempts to get around Davidson, and each time the Pearland, Texas driver thwarted Paul’s plans.
Fourteen-year-old Grant Thompson struggled in his debut behind the steering wheel of a PLM, driving Augie Grill’s famed Grand American Race Car to a seventh-place result.
In what could be the first of many compelling battles the duo wage, Thompson and fellow teen Jake Garcia drove door-to-door in the opening laps following the drop of the green flag. Garcia, 15, got the better of Thompson, keeping him on the outside and forcing Thompson to chew up precious rubber on his right-side tires.
Davidson had no idea what was playing out behind him. He got around Plott early on and was into the wind for the remainder of the evening.
In other action, Derrick Griffin was flagged the winner of the Faith Chapel Outlaws feature, but was disqualified in post-race tech for an engine infranction.
That moved Kevin Chase to the win – the first of his career at Five Flags Speedway.
Bubba Winslow came home in second, with Todd Jones in third.
Daryl McDonald III made his second trip to victory lane of the season in the Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks feature.
“It was good race,” the Theodore, AL, driver said. “The car handled pretty well, and I’m really impressing myself with how this season has started.”
Jerry Goff, Jr. scored his second consecutive runner-up finish, with Caleb Burkett finishing in third.
For more information on 5 Flags Speedway, visit 5FlagsSpeedway.com.
5 Flags Speedway – Pensacola, FL
Race Results – June 5, 2020
Pro Late Models
1. Chris Davidson
2. Ryan Paul
3. Jake Garcia
4. Daniel Dye
5. Christopher Tullis
6. Colin Allman
7. Grant Thompson
8. Jordan McCallum
9. Hudson Halder
10. Jim Weber
11. Elliott Massey
12. Brandon Brilliant
13. Troy Grisaffi
14. Steven Chunn
15. Bobby Reuse
16. Kyle Plott
17. William Hale
18. Greg Fore
19. Jarrett Parker
Outlaw
1. Kevin Chase
2. Bubba Winslow
3. Todd Jones
4. Jason Welch
5. Bill Tutchtone II
6. Cameron Henderson
7. Conner Sutton
8. Jody Henderson
9. Jay Jay Day
10. Doug Thorpe, Jr.
11. Gary Goodwin
12. Brandon Shiflett
13. Jake Finch
14. Corbitt Moseley
15. Maddison Bragg
16. Chris Cotto
DQ: Derrick Griffin
Pure Stock
1. Daryl McDonald III
2. Jerry Goff, Jr.
3. Caleb Burkett
4. Austin McDuffie
5. Dylan Courtney
6. Jimmy Hollingsworth
7. Johntyler Hudson
8. Ira Roberts
9. Nick Bodin
10. Jimmy Day
