This weekend, Super Late Models compete for the final time at New Smyrna Speedway (FL) in 2019, with the annual running of the Florida Governor’s Cup 200. To prepare fans for this major event, Speed51 “Stat Boy” Elgin Traylor takes us By the Numbers through the extensive history of the race.
3: A year ago, Jeff Choquette won the Florida Governor’s Cup 200 for the third time in his career. He looks to get the win total of four, held only by Butch Miller and Ed Howe.
4: Bubba Pollard has four top-five runs in the Florida Governor’s Cup and yet is still winless. His best finish was second in 2017.
8: Track champion Brad May will look to make his eighth start in the Florida Governor’s Cup 200. He was fourth in 2016.
9: There have been nine different pole winners in the last nine races in the Florida Governor’s Cup 200.
11: Bubba Pollard will pilot the number 11 entry normally driven by David Rogers. This will be the first Gov Cup that Rogers misses since 2004 which was the year he was hurt in a wreck at Orlando.
32: This will be the 32nd race for the Florida Governor’s Cup at New Smyrna. That’s more than the races held at Golden Gate Speedway (1965-1978, 1981-1983) and what is now known as Showtime Speedway (1979, 1984-1987).
38: There is some unfinished business for Anthony Sergi, who led 38 laps a year ago before finishing fourth. Sergi has two top-five runs in the Gov Cup, but the fourth-place run last year was his best.
200: This is the longest race of the year for the Super Late Models at New Smyrna.
350: Stephen Nasse has led 350 laps at the Florida Governor’s Cup with no wins. He was second a year ago in the historic race.
543: According to our friends at TheThirdTurn.com, there have been 543 different drivers who have raced the Florida Governor’s Cup 200.
$15,000: The winner’s share of the 200-lap Florida Governor’s Cup race.
Historical Years
1999 – Wayne Anderson joins father Dick as a winner of the race and they become the first father-son set of winners.
2009 – Tim Russell follows in his father David’s footsteps as the second father-son winning pair in the Gov Cup.
2011 – Some youngster from Michigan came south and stole the show to win his first Super Late Model race. His name was Erik Jones and we all know the rest of the story.
Florida Gov Cup Pole Winners
2018 Jeff Choquette 17.687
2017 Ty Majeski 17.743
2016 Zane Smith 17.563
2015 Cole Anderson 17.456
2014 Stephen Nasse 17.721
2013 Bubba Pollard 17.463
2012 Johnny VanDoorn 17.454
2011 Ben Kennedy 17.336
2010 Jimmy Weller 17.511
2009 Jeff Choquette
2008 Wayne Anderson 17.364
2007 Tim Russell
2006 Travis Cope 17.836
2005 Mike Fritts 17.846
2004 Justin Drawdy
2003 Jimmy Cope 17.970
2002 James Powell 17.901
2001 James Powell
Bold won the race as well
Past Winners Florida Governor’s Cup 200
2018 Jeff Choquette
2017 Ty Majeski
2016 Ty Majeski
2015 Ty Majeski
2014 Travis Cope
2013 Augie Grill
2012 Augie Grill
2011 Erik Jones
2010 David Rogers
2009 Tim Russell
2008 Wayne Anderson
2007 Jeff Choquette
2006 Jeff Scofield
2005 Mike Fritts
2004 Jeff Choquette
2003 Wayne Anderson
2002 Mike Fritts
2001 James Powell, III
2000 Jimmy Cope
1999 Wayne Anderson
1998 Billy Bigley, Jr.
1997 David Rogers
1996 Jack Cook
1995 David Russell
1994 Pete Orr
1993 Pete Orr
1992 Bobby Gill
1991 Bobby Gill
1990 Bobby Gill
1989 Dick Anderson
1988 Dick Anderson
1987 Butch Miller
1986 Butch Miller
1985 Butch Miller
1984 Butch Miller
1983 Leroy Porter
1982 Jimmy Cope
1981 Mike Eddy
1980 Not Run
1979 Jim Fenton
1978 Dick Trickle
1977 Robert Hamke
1976 Ed Howe
1975 Ed Howe
1974 Ed Howe
1973 Wayne Reutimann
1972 Ed Howe
1971 Jack Arnold
1970 Don Gregory
1969 Robert Hamke
1968 Gary Balough
1967 Dumont Smith
1966 Bobby Brack
1965 Wayne Reutimann
-Story by: Elgin Traylor, Speed51 Correspondent
-Photo credit: Speed51 photo
