SOUTH BOSTON — Three NASCAR countrywide champions had been within the discipline for Saturday afternoon’s Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100s at South Boston Speedway. Of them, former countrywide champion Lee Pulliam of Alton and defending national champion Philip Morris of Ruckersville break up wins in one hundred-lap Late Model Stock Car races that opened the music’s 62nd season.
The other former NASCAR countrywide champion in the field, defending South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, also had an excellent afternoon, rising with a couple of runner-up finishes after setting a brand-new song record in qualifying.
Pulliam won the primary of the day’s pair of hundred-lap races, taking the lead from Sellers with fifty-seven laps to go and riding away to a 2-2d win over Sellers.
Morris completed 0.33, Mike Looney of Catawba and Austin Thaxton of Clarksville rounded out the top five finishers.
Morris started fifth in the 2d race, which had an inverted start of the pinnacle finishers of the primary race, with Sellers beginning sixth and Pulliam lining up in the 7th area.
The defending NASCAR national champion took the lead from pole starter Thomas Scott on the 13th lap and led the rest of the way, edging Sellers by 1.896 seconds to win.
Scott, of Efland, North Carolina, completed 1/3, with Thaxton and Jason Barnes, of Stony Creek, rounding out the top five finishers.
Pulliam was sidelined early in the second race. His car slid up into the wall while struggling with Scott for the role in the pinnacle four, and he finished thirteenth after being sidelined for 38 laps of the race.
Willis wins restricted sportsman.
Danny Willis Jr., of Cluster Springs, opted to retake a step from the Late Model Stock Car Division to compete inside the NASCAR Limited Sportsman Division, and it paid off.
Willis received Saturday’s 50-lap race, surviving a hotly contested war with Washington country native Jessica Dana and Daniel Moss of Danville, Virginia, to post his first win since the 2015 season.
Moss finished 2d, .480-2d in the back of Willis, with Dana finishing 1/3, less than three-tenths of a 2d in the back of Moss. Jason Myers of Hurt and Drew Dawson of Nathalie rounded out the top five finishers.
Four lead adjustments were made among three drivers, with Willis leading two times for a total of 21 laps.
Crews take the natural stock win.
Nathan Crews of Long Island began at the front row, took the lead on the whole lap, and sped to victory within the 30-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division.
Of Keeling, Jarrett Milam finished 2nd, .353-second at the back of Crews, with Bruce Mayo, of Halifax, finishing 0.33. Matthew Epps of Halifax completed fourth, and Scott Phillips of Halifax rounded out the top 5 finishers.
Layne earns victory
Steven Layne, of Nathalie, competing in his handiest fourth career race, gained Saturday’s 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.
Layne took the lead from pole starter Aaron Cash of South Boston on the second lap and led the rest in scoring his first professional win.
Kevin Currin, of Chase City, finished second, with Jared Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia, Tyler Stanley of South Boston, and Josh Dawson of Nathalie rounding out the top five finishers.
Next race
Racing returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday, March 30, with one of the music’s most suitable occasions of the season, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour one hundred fifty. The stars and cars of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour stars and cars will go to South Boston Speedway for the first time since 2001 and be featured in a 150-lap race.
Besides, the location’s top NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division drivers and teams could be featured in twin 75-lap races.
The day’s occasion timetable will include practice from 9 a.m. until eleven a.m., Grandstand gates opening at 11:30 a.m., and qualifying starting at noon. An autograph session might be held trackside from 1 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. Pre-race sports will begin at 1:50 p.m., and the first race of the day will get the green flag at 2 p.m.
Advance grownup, well-known admission tickets are priced at $10 each and may be available till 5 p.m. On March 29. Adult standard admission tickets on race day could be $15 each. Youths aged 12 and under are admitted unfastened with a paying adult.
