Philip Morris added to his lead in the win column in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division at South Boston Speedway Saturday night, speeding away from Bobby McCarty after the race’s final restart with 19 laps to go to win the NASCAR Late Model 100.
Morris quickly opened a gap on McCarty after the last restart and drove away to a 2.041-second win. It was the fifth win of the season at South Boston Speedway for the former multi-time NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion and South Boston Speedway NASCAR track champion. Saturday night’s win was Morris’ 62nd career win in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division at South Boston Speedway.
Former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion and South Boston Speedway NASCAR Track Champion Lee Pulliam of Alton, Virginia finished third after falling to 14th place in the field as the result of having to spin his car to avoid colliding with another driver who had spun in front of him on lap 20 of the 100-lap race.
Brandon Pierce of Oak Ridge, North Carolina finished fourth and Danny Willis Jr. of South Boston, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers. Stuart Crews of Long Island, Virginia, Josh Oakley of Rougemont, North Carolina, Raymond Pittman III of Amelia, Virginia, Charles Barnes of Chase City, Virginia and Jason Pittman of Chester, Virginia completed the top ten finishers.
South Boston Speedway points leader Peyton Sellers finished 11th after having to make a lengthy pit stop to have his team take care of a broken gear shifter.
Morris led 99 laps of the race that was slowed by three caution periods that consumed 22 laps.
Jones, Latour score victories in Limited Sportsman Division twinbill
Mike Jones of South Boston, Virginia and David Latour Jr. of Clemmons, North Carolina split wins in Saturday night’s twin 25-lap Limited Sportsman Division races.
Jones took the lead from Trey Crews of Halifax, Virginia on lap 13, right after the race’s final restart, and edged Crews by .606-second to score his third win in a row. Latour finished third, with Colin Garrett of South Boston, Virginia and Chris Elliott of Bullock, North Carolina rounding out the top five finishers.
Latour started on the pole in the nightcap and was in the right place at the right time to take advantage of a mishap when Crews and Garrett, battling for the win, made contact, with Crews spinning to bring out a caution flag with three laps to go.
Garrett was placed at the rear of the field for the restart with three laps to go, a move that put Latour on the front row with Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia for the final restart.
Latour bolted into the lead on the restart and held off a big charge by Crews, edging Crews by .700-second to take the win. Garrett rallied to finish third, Myers finished fourth and Jones, who was involved in a crash on the second lap, rebounded to finish fifth.
Autry sweeps Pure Stock Division twinbill
Former South Boston Speedway Budweiser Pure Stock Division Champion Greg Autry of Alton, Virginia had a big night Saturday night, sweeping the night’s pair of 15-lap Budweiser Pure Stock Division races.
The pair of wins gives Autry three wins in the division this season, tying him with Walker for the most wins in the division this season.
Autry edged Jared Milam of Danville, Virginia in both races, scoring a flag-to-flag victory in the first race, and then rallying from his fourth-place starting spot to muscle his way under Milam to take the lead with two laps to go in the nightcap to complete the sweep.
Harrison Walker of Buffalo Junction, Virginia finished third in both races, with Bruce Mayo of Halifax, Virginia and defending division champion Johnny Layne of Nathalie, Virginia finishing fourth and fifth respectively in both races.
Priest Wins Hornets Division Race
Conner Priest of DeWitt, Virginia earned his second victory of the season, scoring a flag-to-flag win in the 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.
Kenny Mills Jr. of Alton, Virginia charged from the rear of the field to finish second, with Jared Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia, Tyler Crute of Alton, Virginia and Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia completing the top five finishers.
NEXT RACE AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY
The stars and cars of the PASS South Super Late Series will return to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night August 12, with the 7 p.m. running of the PASS Super Late Model 150 racing program.
A 150-lap race for the PASS South Super Late Models and twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will headline the night’s racing action. The four-race event will also include a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $10 each and may be purchased at the South Boston Speedway office until 5 p.m. on Friday, August 11. Adult general admission tickets will be priced at $15 each at the gate on race day. Youth ages 7-12 will be admitted for $5. Kids ages six and under will be admitted free with a paying adult.
For additional information about the PASS Super Late Model 150 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.
