Josh Dickens is not one of the more familiar names among fans that follow South Boston Speedway’s Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division. However, that could change as the 17-year-old Miami, Florida native is joining the field for the double 65-lap races that headline the ABC 13, WSET-TV Race Night presented by Bojangles event Saturday night, May 11 at South Boston Speedway.
Dickens drives for car owner Kres VanDyke, a well-known Late Model Stock Car Division competitor who has logged well over 100 career wins and track championships at Kingsport (Tennessee) Speedway, Lonesome Pine Speedway and Pulaski County Motorsports Park. The second-year Late Model Stock Car Division racer competed with VanDyke’s team in last year’s CARS Tour event at South Boston Speedway and finished 14th after starting 27th.
Dickens and the VanDyke Racing Performance team were at South Boston Speedway last week testing prior to the cancellation of the track’s May 4 event. Dickens said he was glad to be back on track.
“I ran about 10 races with a team out of Anderson, South Carolina and switched to VanDyke Racing Performance last year,” Dickens explained. “I ran 14th here in the CARS Tour race at the end of last year, and then went to Tri-County Speedway and finished 11th. We went to Florence, South Carolina for the (South Carolina) 400 and got into a wreck and junked the car. I’m finally back out for the first time in six months testing. I’m just happy to be back.”
Dickens understands he is facing a tough task in going up against South Boston Speedway’s top NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division competitors.
“It’s definitely tough going in against the hometown heroes,” Dickens remarked. “These guys know their stuff. Coming from the Tennessee-Bristol area and coming to a track we’re not as familiar with, it’s going to be tough just to get our footing and get going here as quickly as possible.”
Dickens, who won the U.S. Legends Cars Winter Nationals Road Course Championship and finished second in the U.S. Legends Cars Nationals oval track championships at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022, likes events like the double 65-lap races.
“I think it gives guys a chance to play more strategy,” explained Dickens. “You can’t go out there in the first race and burn your stuff up and go into the second race and be out to lunch. What I enjoy is you have to be more on the conservative side and make sure you have good stuff for both races.”
Dickens said South Boston Speedway is a fun track.
“I enjoyed racing here at the CARS Tour race at the end of last year,” Dickens noted, “being able to move around and run multiple grooves, run the apron down in (Turns) three and four, trying up top in (turns) one and two. There are multiple ways to make speed here. That’s what I like about a place like this.”
The current Mooresville, North Carolina resident feels good about his prospects of having a successful night in South Boston Speedway’s twinbill.
“I’m confident in myself and I’m confident in my guys that we can bring a pretty good piece,” Dickens said.
“I’ve just got to turn the laps, get back into the seat, and start getting back up to speed.”
Seven races are slated for the Saturday night, May 11 ABC 13, WSET-TV Race Night presented by Bojangles event at South Boston Speedway. Along with the double 65-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division there will be double 30-lap races for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division.
Rounding out Saturday night’s racing action are a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division, and a 25-lap race for the regional touring Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club.
South Boston Speedway will observe its annual First Responders Appreciation Night in conjunction with the Saturday, May 11 event. All first responders will be admitted free with a valid department ID/badge or a department roster signed by the chief with accompanying government-issued ID. In addition, there will be a parade lap of fire trucks, emergency vehicles and police cars from various agencies in the area during pre-race ceremonies.
The event schedule for the Saturday night, May 11 ABC 13, WSET-TV Race Night presented by Bojangles event has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. Practice will go from 3:25 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. Frontstretch spectator gates will open at 3:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for 6 p.m., pre-race ceremonies are scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night will start at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets purchased for last week’s canceled God’s Pit Crew Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service event will be honored for the Saturday, May 11ABC 13, WSET-TV Race Night presented by Bojangles event.
Advance tickets for the May 11 ABC 13, WSET-TV Race Night presented by Bojangles event are priced at $12 each. Advance tickets may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day.
Fans and competitors can find the latest news and updates from South Boston Speedway on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours, and through the track’s social media channels.
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