South Boston Speedway Recognizes 2016 Track Champions

Four champions were crowned at South Boston Speedway’s 2016 champions’ dinner Saturday night and it was announced that post-season awards will top $53,000.

 

Matt Bowling, Joey Throckmorton, Kenny Mills and Johnny Layne all received sterling silver championship trophies along with the track’s traditional champion’s rings. They also all received monetary bonuses for their championships.

 

Bowling claimed the track’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model stock championship while Throckmorton was crowned the Limited Sportsman champion. Layne received championship honors for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and Mills for the Budweiser Hornets Division.

 

It was Bowling’s second consecutive Late Model title and his third overall. He is only the second driver to win at least three Late Model crowns in the track’s history, joining legendary David Blankenship, who won seven titles in his career.

 

Bowling began the 2016 season planning to run just a handful races. He wound competing in almost 50 throughout the Mid-Atlantic region on the way to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship.

 

He had the most poles, most wins and led the most laps at South Boston in 2016. He finished outside of the top 10 only once all season at South Boston.

 

Throckmorton had a near-perfect season on the way to the Limited Sportsman championship. He won 10 races to tie the track record for Limited wins in a season. He finished in the top 10 in every race while leading the most laps and winning the most poles.

 

It was only fitting Throckmorton would have such a remarkable season. The last race of 2016 was his final race as he steps away from driving to help his young son Ty in go-kart racing.

 

“One of the things I looked forward to when I would win and drive back around the track … everybody knows my family stands in turn three … and being able to spot them. That was probably the most satisfaction I got, seeing them happy,” said Throckmorton.

 

Layne picked up his first Budweiser Pure Stock Championship by winning the most races, leading the most laps and winning the most poles. He also captured the Hard-Charger award, which carried a monetary bonus, for making up the most positions on the track during the season.

 

Mills had just a three-point leading going into the final race of the season but turned in a solid fifth in that final race to claim the Budweiser Hornets Division championship. But perhaps as big as the championship was the fans voting Mills the most popular driver among drivers in all divisions at South Boston. It may have been the first time that a non-Late Model driver won the award.

 

Peyton Sellers captured the Late Model Stock Hard-Charger award while David Latour Jr. was the Limited Division Hard-Charger winner and Justin Dawson captured the Hornets Division Hard Charger award.

 

Nathan Crews was named the Late Model rookie of the year with Colin Garret capturing Limited rookie honors and Jordan Pickrel taking the rookie award in the Pure Stock Division.

 

Garrett also captured the UNOH Youth Achievement Award.

 

South Boston Speedway will kick off its 60^th season on March 25 with the Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100s, featuring two 100-lap races for the Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Budweiser Hornets race.

 

The full 2017 schedule can be found at southbostonspeedway.com.