Speed records were broken, the new pavement was broken in and Philip Morris showed he still has what it takes to win at South Boston Speedway.
The four-time former NASCAR Whelen All American Series national champion and two-time former South Boston Speedway champion won both of the twin 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined Saturday’s season-opening Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100’s racing program.
Morris led the entire race which had to be extended to 102 laps to accommodate a green-white-checker finish following a late caution period. He cleared Kelly Kingery on the ninth lap after a close battle and fended off a challenge from Nick Smith of Hampton, Virginia in a two-lap dash to the finish following the race’s final caution period to win the first race. Bobby McCarty of Summerfield, North Carolina, Cordova, Maryland resident Tyler Hughes and Madeline Crane rounded out the top five finishers.
Morris started eighth in the second race after a drawing to determine how many cars would be inverted for the start of the second race. He gradually picked his way through the field, taking second place away from McCarty on lap 45, and setting out after race leader Lee Pulliam.
A caution flag on lap 57 allowed Morris to restart the race beside Pulliam. Morris slipped past Pulliam for the lead on lap 65 only to have to battle Pulliam on another restart with 13 laps left.
Morris was able to get out front immediately and hold off Pulliam the rest of the way, edging Pulliam by .291second at the finish. Smith finished third with Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia and Austin Thaxton of South Boston, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Morris averaged 58.706 mph in winning the first race and averaged 75.576b mph in winning the nightcap.
Latour Wins Limited Sportsman Division Race
David Latour of Clemmons, North Carolina won Saturday’s 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race to score his first career win at South Boston Speedway.
In a wild race that saw the lead swap hands eight times and be slowed by six caution periods, Latour grabbed the lead from Trey Crews of Halifax, Virginia with two laps to go and held off Eric Winslow of Pelham, North Carolina by .528-second at the finish to pick up the win.
Dylan Saul finished third, Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton of Liberty, North Carolina and Crews rounded out the top five finishers in the 15-car field.
Creed Scores First SBS Pure Stock Division Win
Ryan Creed of Reidsville, North Carolina sped past Johnny Layne of Nathalie, Virginia with three laps to go and hung on to win the 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock Division race.
Creed’s first career South Boston Speedway win came by a margin of .644-second.
Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia finished third behind Creed and Layne, with Tyler Conner of Scottsburg, Virginia finishing fourth and Jimmy Wade of Halifax, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Crute Wins Hornets Division Opener
Tyler Crute of Alton, Virginia picked up his first career South Boston Speedway win, topping a field of 13 cars in the 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.
Crute took the lead from Simon Jones of South Boston, Virginia on the fifth lap and led the rest of the way to pick up the win.
Kevin Currin of Chase City, Va., Justin Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia and Jred Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia completed the top five finishers.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
NASCAR racing returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday, April 8, when the track goes under the lights for the first time in the 2017 season with the NASCAR Late Model Twin 75s racing program.
Getting the green flag at 7 p.m., the five-race card will be highlighted by twin 75-lap races for the competitors in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division. A 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division will round out the night’s action.
Registration and pit gates open at 2:30 p.m., practice runs from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and qualifying starts at 6 p.m. The first race gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 7-12. Kids ages six and under are admitted free with a paid adult.
For additional information about the NASCAR Late Model Twin 75s racing program or any other events at South Boston Speedway, please visit the speedway’s website at www.southbostonspeedway.com or telephone the speedway at 434-572-4947 or 1-877-440-1540.
SBS PR
