SOUTH BOSTON, VA – Lee Pulliam extended his win streak in South Boston Speedway’s annual summer highlight to six with a late race pass on Timothy Peters for the lead and the win on Friday night.
Pulliam made the pass on Peters with 11 laps to go and set sail, putting himself in the win column. The victory was Pulliam’s sixth win of the year, but his first at South Boston Speedway where several races have gotten away from him.
“We just kept clawing and fighting,” Pulliam told Short Track Scene in victory lane. “We couldn’t get going on restarts. We made some changes at halfway. We got shuffled back to 11th on the outside. It just would not run. We finally got a couple green flag runs and I just started driving the hell out of it and getting what I could get. Pretty amazing, everything worked out perfect. Gave it all I had. Put it all on the line and this win’s for everyone who supported me along the way.”
Prior to Peters and Pulliam battling for the lead, the second half of the race had been dominated by Bobby McCarty. Matt Bowling took the lead from McCarty on lap 155. In the next corner, Bowling spun off McCarty’s front bumper, giving way for Peters and eventually Pulliam.
“As much bad luck as we’ve had, it’s time to have a little good luck,” Pulliam remarked. “I don’t think that’s what won the race for us. We drove from 11th to first. I think we had a dominant car there, just needed some green flag runs.”
Pulliam’s win allowed him to continue a streak of winning races at South Boston Speedway – a track he’s never gone a season winless at.
“It’s pretty awesome. I’ve never went winless at South Boston. I’ve won a race every year I’ve ever run here so we kept that streak going. Pretty proud of everybody. We’ve been fast every week, just haven’t had the luck.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and 2004 track champion Timothy Peters finished in second.
“He was a little faster,” Peters said. “We lost our forward drive. At the end of the day, with no practice and not qualifying and starting at the rear due to my little girl’s first birthday. We had a little fun. At halfway, we were a little tight and got a little too free.”
Being turned while leading left a sour taste for points leader, and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship points leader Matt Bowling.
“He just dumped me,” Bowling said. “That’s part of it. That’s racing. Shoe’s always on the other foot. That’s okay because we had a good car and know we did our jobs. Tonight ain’t good but we were there. Congratulations to Lee, I sure am glad to see him win.”
McCarty, who ended up finishing third, said he is frustrated with the way Bowling and other South Boston competitors have raced him this year. That frustration, along with a previous incident with Bowling, provoked the lap 156 bump-and-run on Bowling.
“[Bowling] divebombed me getting into three,” McCarty explained. “Last weekend, he hit me twice in one race and I’ve been wrecked by a lot of cars this year for whatever reason. I race everybody with respect down here. When it comes down to it, I’m tired of getting wrecked by silver spoons. If they want to race me that way because daddy’s got all the money in the world, can fix it and it not bother him, that’s fine. If you send me up the track, you best be able to hold on to it.
“I hate to race that way but we don’t have anything to lose. We’re here to win. If they send me up the track, they better be ready because I’m done with it.”
Pulliam’s victory could be a baby shower present of sorts for his wife, LeAnne, who is expected to give birth to the couple’s first baby daughter any day. Despite that, LeAnne is still at the track each week alongside her husband. Lee spoke about the support he gets from LeAnne after the race.
“This win is for her,” Pulliam said. “She’s my rock. She’s awesome. I couldn’t ask for a better wife who supports what I do and doesn’t complain. I work all day and night most of the time and gone every weekend. Our life is racing and she’s supporting me. That means the world to me.”
Danny Willis, Jr. led the first 100 laps of the race but was involved in a multi-car accident on lap 103. The lap 103 wreck occurred right after a nine car invert during the halfway break. Peyton Sellers also struggled after starting at the rear of the field. He raced his way up to 11th by halfway but the handling went away in the second half due to tire degradation.
Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton won the 100 lap Limited Sportsman feature, making a pass on Joey Throckmorton with three laps to go and holding off David Latour for the victory.
Race Results
- Lee Pulliam
- Timothy Peters
- Bobby McCarty
- Greg Edwards
- Brandon Pierce
- Mark Wertz
- Matt Waltz
- Matt Bowling
- Justin Carroll
- Peyton Sellers
- Austin Thaxton
- Brendeon Queen
- Alex Brock
- Eric WInslow
- Nathan Crews
- Jeff Oakley
- Madyson Ryan Mulligan
- Cameron Bowen
- Danny Willis, Jr.
- Trey Crews
- Jason Barnes
- Charles Barnes
- Dusty Ellington
- Stuart Crews
- Danny Edwards, Jr.
- CE Falk, III
Marquis comes from St. Charles, Maryland and has a widespread background in journalism, having covered politics in Washington and Maryland as well as nearly every form of auto racing, including NASCAR, IndyCar, AMA Motocross and IHRA Drag Racing. Now living near Emerald Isle, North Carolina, Marquis covers Late Model Stock Cars and Super Late Models in the Carolinas and Virginia.
