Murphy, Pollard GMP Champs

Bates’ last-place finish Saturday – along with Double championship points on the line in the race – allowed Murphy, Tina Stevens and Brian Hardman to vault over Bates in the final Outlaw Late Model standings.

Murphy, who came home second to Hardman in the OLM main Saturday night, finished the season with 1125 points - 15 better than runner-up Stephens, who scored 1110.

Meanwhile, Pollard finished right on the back bumper of event winner Chase Elliott in the Super Late Model feature. The runner-up effort was enough to give Pollard the first-ever GMP Super Late Model season championship. Pollard scored 590 points in four SLM events in GMP’s inaugural season of racing to take the crown over Hoschton’s Jimmy Garmon.

Pollard was the model of consistency at GMP this season finishing third in the season-opening SLM event on March 13 before following it up with three-straight second-place efforts on June 19, July 17 and Saturday.

Garmon’s 458 points were good enough to beat Allen Karnes 434 for second in the SLM season standings while Chase Elliott (415) and Greg Simpson (380) rounded out the top-five.

Next up at Gresham Motorsports Park will be McDonald’s Night With Ronald McDonald on Saturday, Oct. 9.

It will be a full night both on and off the track with the Pro Late Models, Renegade Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Trucks battling it out on a Double Points night to determine the season champions in those divisions. The Outlaw Late Models will also compete in a 35-lap non-points main event.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald.