By Mark Chisum
Jeff Fultz was a strong contender in last year’s Rattler 250, running up front all day until a low battery ended his hopes. Fultz was back for this year’s 34th Annual Rattler 250, and took the winner’s trophy back to his Troutman, NC home.
Augie Grill set fast time in qualifying, turning the 4/10ths mile oval in 15.194 seconds. Grill grabbed the early lead with Fultz staying close for several laps. With the race going green for the first 77 laps, Grill set a fast pace and pulled away from Fultz and the rest of the field. By lap 60, Grill had lapped all but four cars. Fultz, however, had reeled Grill back in, and took the lead on lap 75. When racing resumed, Fultz pulled away from Grill. On lap 107, Casey Smith worked his way past Grill to take over the second spot. Bubba Pollard followed in fourth, with Chase Elliott in fifth. Elliott was running just ahead of Fultz when the competition yellow came out on lap 125, saving Elliott from going a lap down.
When the green flew to restart the race, Grant Enfinger lined up inside of Fultz to try to regain his lap. Enfinger got the jump on Fultz, but was actually a little too quick. With Enfinger opening up a hole on the bottom, Smith followed Enfinger past Fultz to take the lead on lap 126. Enfinger had to drop back behind Fultz due to jumping the start. On lap 131, defending race champion Grill saw his hopes for a repeat end as he slowed and retire from the race with ignition problems. Enfinger was able to get back around Fultz and on lap 138 moved inside of Smith to regain his lap. Like Smith earlier, Fultz followed Enfinger through the hole and past Smith to regain the lead on lap 139.
Fultz continued to lead Smith, Pollard, Elliott, and Ryan Lawler until the caution flew on lap 182 for Johnny Brazier’s spin. The leaders took the opportunity to pit for fresh Hoosier’s and were set to go to the end of the race. Elliott pitted one lap before everybody else and took the lead when the other leaders pitted. Elliott led Lawler, Fultz, Pollard, and Smith to the green. Fultz made quick work of Lawler, getting past him for second in one lap. Twelve laps later he moved inside of Elliott to take the lead. On lap 201, Enfinger and Johanna Long got together and spun. Fultz pitted again, handing the lead back to Elliott.
On lap 204, Enfinger and Brazier had contact which sent Brazier into the inside retaining wall, ending the 1996 Rattler Champion’s day. Elliott led Lawler, Fultz, Pollard, and Smith to the restart. Fultz worked his way past Lawler on lap 210, and then moved inside of Elliott three laps later to take the lead for the final time. Pollard followed Fultz past Elliott to take second and began to challenge Fultz for the lead. Fultz built a three car length lead over Pollard, but as the race neared conclusion, Pollard picked up his pace and closed to Fultz’s bumper.
Pollard made a couple of attempts to get inside of Fultz, but couldn’t get the grip he needed to clear the leader. Fultz led Pollard to the stripe by one car length. Smith was well back in third with Elliott fourth and Tony Clark finishing fifth in his first Super Late Model start. Fultz took home $14,110 with his win.
In Saturday’s 5th Annual Pro Late Model Rattler 125, Korey Ruble took the lead on lap 115 to take the win. Johnny Henderson led the way in qualifying with a lap of 15.527, but Fultz got the jump and grabbed the lead as the field exited turn two of the first lap. 14-year old Stephen Nasse followed Fultz by on the outside to take second. Pollard followed a lap later as Henderson slid back to fourth. Nasse moved inside of Fultz to take the lead on lap 20.
Fultz tried to slip inside of Nasse on lap 30, but the Florida youngster held off the veteran to hold on to the top spot. Taylor Satterfield was making his way forward, moving past Pollard for third on lap 36. Henderson followed in fifth. As the race went green for an extended period, Nasse built a sizable lead over Fultz. Nasse led Fultz, Satterfield, Pollard, and Ruble to the halfway point of the race. However, as the race wore on, Fultz cut Nasse’s lead and was back on his bumper when the caution flew on lap 93.
On the restart, Fultz got a nose under Nasse, but once again, Nasse held off the challenge. Ruble had moved up to third and was on Fultz’s bumper when the caution flew again on lap 99. Fultz pitted for tires, moving Ruble to second, followed by Pollard, Brandon Johnson, and Satterfield. Ruble tried to sneak past Nasse on the restart, and was able to get underneath Nasse going into turn one. Ruble slipped, however, allowing Pollard to get by for second just before the yellow waved again. On the restart, Pollard got underneath Nasse to grab the lead.
Pollard began to pull away from the field as Nasse and Ruble were battling for second. Ruble was able to pass Nasse on lap 106 to move into second. Pollard had built a seven car length lead by that time, but Ruble chopped a car length off that lead each lap, reaching Pollard’s bumper on lap 112. Two laps later, Ruble eased to the inside exiting turn two and pulled even heading into turn three. Pollard was able to beat Ruble to the line to lead lap 114, but Ruble had the position, and took the lead as the pair headed out of turn two.
Ruble stretched his lead as the race headed to its conclusion, beating Pollard to the line by .767 seconds. Nasse followed in third with Johnson fourth and Satterfield fifth. The finishing order changed in post race inspection as Pollard was disqualified for an engine infraction. His “dq” moved everybody up in the rundown, and moved Fultz into the top five.