At a track known for wild finishes, Sunday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 produced one of the wildest ever in the 64-year history of Martinsville Speedway.
In a race filled with 17 caution periods, a next-to-the-last-lap bumping incident between eventual winner Lee Pulliam and leader Matt McCall had fans on their feet and tempers running wild in the pits. Pulliam made contact with McCall as they went into Turn 3 to make the pass and take home the $25,000 first-place check and the legendary grandfather clock trophy.
McCall retaliated by spinning Pulliam in the third turn on the cool-down lap after the race.
“This is breathtaking and the biggest win of my career,” Pulliam said. “I can’t think of a bigger stage to be on and get it (win). This is our Daytona 500.”
Pulliam, who finished third in the final NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national point standings, made the pass after running in the top five during the entire race.
“He got into me going into Turn 1 on the final restart and I just paid him back going into Turn 3,” Pulliam said of the finish.
Brandon Butler took advantage of the action up front to finish second and Stacy Puryear finished third. Dexter Canipe Jr. rebounded from an earlier spin to come home fourth. McCall was able to save his car and collect a fifth-place showing.
McCall visited the post-race stage to have a few words with Pulliam.
“I went up to him and told him I will see him around,” McCall said. “I have got too much going for me on my other career in racing but I will remember this and I will see him again.”
Davin Scites finished sixth and Greg Edwards seventh. Jeb Burton finished an impressive eighth, followed by Coleman Pressley and Mike Darne.
Philip Morris, the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champion and defending race winner, battled mechanical issues all day after winning the pole in Saturday’s qualifying and finished a disappointing 22.
Racing returns to Martinsville Speedway on October 28-30 with the Tums Fast Relief 500 weekend.
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