.Austin Thaxton found himself in the right place at the right time and came away with his first win of the season in Saturday night’s Aqua Pros 100 NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division race at South Boston Speedway.
In earning his first victory of the season at the .4-mile oval, Thaxton became the fourth different driver to visit Victory Lane at South Boston Speedway this season. The win equaled the one win Thaxton earned last season at “America’s Hometown Track.”
The Clarksville, Virginia resident pulled away from his challengers after the final restart with eight laps to go and was never seriously challenged in the closing laps.
Thomas Scott of Efland, North Carolina finished second, .668-second behind Thaxton, with Danny Willis Jr. of South Boston, Virginia, defending track champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia and Raymond Pittman III of Amelia, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
The lead proved not to be the best place to be for much of the race. Track and NASCAR National Point Leader Philip Morris and Sellers tangled on lap 40 while battling for the lead. Morris spun again on lap 62 while battling Mike Jones of South Boston, Virginia for the top spot.
Jones, who was returning to action with a new car after having had his car destroyed in a violent crash and subsequent fire in a June 16 race at South Boston Speedway, led on four different occasions. His bid for his first Late Model Stock Car Division win ended in a crash with Jason Barnes of Stony Creek, Virginia as they were battling for the lead with 13 laps to go.
Scott inherited the lead, only to lose it to Thaxton on the final restart.
The race was a highly competitive one with seven lead changes among five different drivers.
Crews Claims Fifth Limited Sportsman DivisionWin Of Season
Trey Crews of Halifax, Virginia wrestled took control after the race’s final restart with 23 laps to go and held off Jacob Borst of Burlington, North Carolina to win Saturday night’s 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race.
Crews’ margin of victory over Borst in scoring his fifth win of the season was 1.259 second.
Bob Davis of Thaxton, Virginia, Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton of Greensboro, North Carolina and Brandon Jones of Amelia Courthouse, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers.
The race was a four-car battle between Crews, Borst, Dalton and Jones, with Crews getting the upper hand after Jones and Dalton tangled on lap 27 while battling for the lead.
Milam, Shelton Split Wins In Pure Stock Division Doubleheaderi
Jarrett Milam of Keeling, Virginia and Daniel Shelton of Hurt, Virginia split wins in Saturday night’s twin 15-lap races for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division.
Milam won the first race to score his first win of the season, edging Bruce Mayo of Halifax, Virginia by .271-second to earn the win. Defending division champion Johnny Layne of Nathalie, Virginia finished third with Harrison Walker of Buffalo Junction, Virginia and Jordan Pickrel of Keeling, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Shelton started third in the second race, took the lead on the fourth lap, and finished almost one second ahead of Layne in earning his second victory of the season. Milam, Pickrel and Mayo completed the top five finishers.
Jarrell Continues Domination Of Hornets Division
Cameron Jarrell of Amelia, Virginia continued his domination of South Boston Speedway’s Budweiser Hornets Division, starting on the back row of the field and driving to victory in Saturday night’s 15-lap race.
Jarrell got a good jump on the final restart of the race with three laps to go and edged defending division champion Tyler Crute of Alton, Virginia for the win. Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia finished third.
Holdren Remains Perfect In Mod-4 Division
Dennis Holdren of Roanoke, Virginia got a solid start on the race’s final start with three laps to go and edged Jesse Yopp of Moneta, Virginia by .589second to win Saturday night’s 30-lap Mod-4 Division race.
Holdren has won all three of the Mod-4 Division races held at South Boston Speedway this season.
Cory Dunn of Salem, Virginia, Haley Holdren and Chad Asberry rounded out the top five finishers.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
One of South Boston Speedway’s bigger events of the season is coming up as racing returns to “America’s Hometown Track” on Saturday, August 11 with the running of the Davenport Energy PASS Super Late Model 150 racing program.
The stars and cars of the PASS South Super Late Model series will make their only visit of the season to South Boston Speedway to compete in a 150-lap race. Twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will share the spotlight with the PASS South Super Late Model competitors.
Rounding out the night’s action are a 15-lap race for South Boston Speedway’s Hornets Division competitors, and a 25-lap race for the regional touring Southern Ground Pounders series.
Registration and pit gates open at 12:30 p.m., practice runs from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and qualifying starts at 5 p.m. A Fan Appreciation event will be held at trackside at 6 p.m. The first race gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Advance general admission tickets priced at $10 each will be available for purchase until 5 p.m. Friday, August 10. Tickets on race day will be $15 each. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
For additional information about the Davenport Energy 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.
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