Mike Garvey and car owner Tracy Goodson in Victory Lane. (Photo Courtesy of Speed51.com)
As the name suggests, the Allen Turner Tune Up 100 was supposed to be a preview of things to come at Five Flags Speedway in December.
The Pro Late Models didn’t disappoint, as Mike Garvey captured his second straight race and built some essential momentum leading into the 43rd Snowball Derby in December.
Garvey made an early move that will live long in Five Flags’ lore and withstood seven cautions and a bevy of drivers to battling for the lead.
“We’re hitting on some stuff that’s different from everybody else,” said Garvey, a Blizzard Series regular and a part-time NASCAR trucks driver. “Now is a great time to do it.”
The night was bittersweet for D.J. VanderLey, one of those drivers who battled Garvey. The Auburn freshman finished seventh, but did hoist the series championship.
VanderLey had tire troubles on the final restart with three laps to go, falling four spots from third.
If there was any drama as the night started on whether Ronnie Smith could make up his 47-point deficit to VanderLey, it was all sucked out in qualifying. VanderLey (16.880 seconds) was second to Bubba Pollard’s fast time of 16.853. At 17.275, Smith was well back and watched his 47-point deficit climb to 60, clinching the series title for VanderLey.
“We had the right front go flat that’s how that freight train came around us,” VanderLey said. “We’ve had an amazing season. We set a goal to win two track championships and that’s what we accomplished. Tonight was about pride.”
Garvey had reasons to be proud, too, with an incredible piece of racing that saw him climb from the middle of the 24-car field pack all the way to the front by Lap 12.
Following a caution on Lap 2, the two dozen cars stayed single file for the next three laps.
Deciding he had had enough of all the nose-to-tail stuff, Garvey made a move that folks will be talking about for some time.
A lone wolf, Garvey took it to the outside and began to chew up spots the way Five Flags chews up tires. In one trip around the half-mile oval, Garvey was up to fifth.
The part-time NASCAR trucks driver wasn’t content there, though. Fourth was his thanks to the high-side, then third. In a matter of seconds, Garvey was around VanderLey for second.
By Lap 12, he had weaved around Odom for the lead, culminating a spectacular and improbable piece of driving because Five Flags puts so much emphasis on the track’s apron.
“It was just there,” Garvey said. “We didn’t plan on it. It opened up so we went. It was just one of those nights.”
A night that saw him hold off charges from VanderLey, Pollard, Jason Young and Kezie Ruston among others.
Ruston, an 18-year-old female driver from Oklahoma, was impressive late. After the sixth restart, she made her move around VanderLey for second and had her eye on the lead.
She put the bumper to Garvey and was eyeing up a possible pass on Lap 90 when she spun down the back straightaway.
Afterward, Ruston’s crew thought VanderLey spun her, but he insisted he never touched his fellow teenager.
“It got a bit crazy at the end,” VanderLey said.
Just another night at the half-mile oval.
In only Garvey's third time in a Pro Late Model he has won twice. Tonight he will go for another win when he competes in the Thomas Concrete PLM 100 at Gresham Motorsports Park.
You can listen live tonight at 9:30 on Racetalkradio.com
Allen Turner Tune Up results�1.Mike Garvey; 2. Bubba Pollard; 3. Johanna Long; 4. Brandon Bendele; 5. Kenzie Ruston; 6. Mike Alexander; 7. D.J. VanderLey; 8. Dwayne Buggay; 9. Kyle Bryant; 10. Brandon Odom; 11. Giancarlo Serenelli; 12. Ronnie Smith; 13. Donny Kelly; 14. Troy Grisaffi; 15. Jason Young; 16. David Jones; 17. Logan Boyett; 18. Eddie Craig; 19. Robert Royce; 20. Shanna Ard; 21. Ricky Vice; 22. Josh Godwin; 23. Tommy Rollins; 24. Mason Mitchell
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