Four-time former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Philip Morris continued his dominance of South Boston Speedway Saturday night with a sweep of the twin 75-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined the NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 75s racing program.
Saturday night’s sweep gives Morris five victories in seven starts at the .4-mile oval this season.
The Ruckersville, Virginia resident took the lead from former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia on the 12th lap and led the rest of the way in winning the first of the night’s pair of 75-lap Late Model Stock Car Division races.
Morris got a good start on the race’s final restart with 10 laps to go and crossed the finish line 1.275-second ahead of Sellers in taking the win. Danny Willis, Jr. of South Boston, Virginia finished third with Jason Barnes of Stony Creek, Virginia and Austin Thaxton of Clarksville, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Twenty-one cars started the race that was punctuated by seven caution flags and two red flags as a result of mishaps.
Morris had a tougher time of things in the second 75-lap Late Model Stock Car race. Due to an inverted start of the top 10 finishers of the first race, Morris started 10th in the nightcap. He quickly began picking up positions, but spun in a multi-car incident on the fifth lap and found himself back in eighth place on the restart.
On his drive to the front of the field, Morris battled briefly with Sellers before challenging Barnes for the lead. Morris swept past Barnes on the 24th lap to take the lead, and with no caution flags to slow the pace, Morris sped away from his challengers and crossed the finish line 4.447 seconds ahead of Sellers to win the race and complete the sweep.
Barnes finished third, Thaxton finished fourth and Thomas Scott of Efland, North Carolina rounded out the top five finishers in the 16-car field.
Crews Edges Dalton In Limited Sportsman Division Race
Trey Crews of Halifax, Virginia wrestled the lead away from Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton of Greensboro, North Carolina with 11 laps to go and pulled away to win Saturday night’s 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race.
Crews crossed the finish line 1.244-second ahead of Dalton to earn his second win in three starts this season at South Boston Speedway.
Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia finished third, Billy Myers of Hurt, Virginia finished fourth and Chris Elliott of Bullock, North Carolina rounded out the top five finishers.
Crews started on the pole and led the first 19 laps before Dalton squeezed past him to take the top spot on lap 20. Dalton was able to fend off Crews until Crews made a late bid and grabbed the lead for good with 11 laps left in the race.
Pickrel Takes Pure Stock Division Win
Jordan Pickrel of Keeling, Virginia earned his first win of the season Saturday night, edging Randy Hupp of Halifax, Virginia in the night’s 30-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division.
Pickrel crossed the finish line .382-second ahead of Hupp in earning the victory.
Pickrel led the entire race, but not without having to fend off several challenges from Hupp, who, like Pickrel, was looking for his first win of the season.
Daniel Shelton of Hurt, Virginia, defending division champion Johnny Layne of Nathalie, Virginia and Bruce Mayo of Halifax, Virginia completed the top five finishers.
Jarrell Makes It Two Wins In A Row In Hornets Division
Cameron Jarrell of Amelia, Virginia took the lead from Kenny Daniel of Sutherlin, Virginia on the sixth lap and led the rest of the way to win the 15-lap race for the competitors in the Budweiser Hornets Division.
Defending division champion Tyler Crute of Alton, Virginia finished second with Daniel finishing third. Kevin Currin of Chase Cory, Virginia and Joey Clay of Halifax, Virginia completed the top five finishers.
Holdren Repeats In Mod-4 Division
Dennis Holdren of Roanoke, Virginia made it two wins in a row Saturday night, edging Jesse “Doodle” Lang of Roanoke, Virginia by .428-second to win the night’s 30-lap race for the Mod-4 Division.
Holdren started at the rear of the field, passed Lang for the lead with seven laps to go, and pulled away to take the win over Lang.
Cory Dunn of Salem, Virginia, Jesse Yopp of Moneta, Virginia and Josh Phillips of Roanoke, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
NASCAR racing action returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday, June 16 with the running of the Halifax Insurance Presents Whelen NASCAR Late Model 100 racing program.
A 100-lap race for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will headline the seven-race card that starts at 7 p.m. The night’s action will also include twin 25-lap races for the Limited Sportsman Division, a 30-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Hornets Division.
The touring USAC Eastern Midgets Series will be making a stop at South Boston Speedway with the competitors in that series being featured in a 35-lap event. Fans will get a taste of what racing was like in years gone by as the competitors in the regional touring Southern Ground Pounders series make the first of their two scheduled stops at South Boston Speedway this season to compete in a 25-lap race.
Registration and pit gates open at 2 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. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
For additional information about the Halifax Insurance Presents Whelen NASCAR Late Model 100 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
