Veteran Late Model competitor Tyler Hughes has been tapped to become the crew chief for Landon Pembelton for Sellers Racing at Dominion Raceway in 2024.
Pembelton, who recently turned 19, will race for the track championship at the Northern Virginia track in 2024, the track where he scored his first career Late Model Stock Car victory. Dominion Raceway is the same track Hughes has enjoyed most of his success as a Late Model racer – amassing 12 wins throughout his career.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Pembelton said. “It’s a pairing of two younger guys and I’m looking forward to it. I know Tyler’s experience. He crew chiefed for another Sellers car at Martinsville. He prepared him a great car and they had a great showing, so I have great confidence that he is going to prepare great cars for me every week.”
While the two drivers have rarely raced against each other, Hughes respects the talent Pembelton has and has set the bar high for the team’s expectations in 2024.
“I’m super excited to work with Landon,” Hughes said. “I think he has a lot of talent and I think he’s ready for a breakout year. I’d love to help him go get a championship and achieve that goal with him. He’s won Martinsville and is very proven so I’m excited to work with him and go win some races.
“I worked with Sellers in 2018 when I was racing,” Hughes continued. “They’re a great group and know how to win races. I feel like, collectively, we can do well together so I’m excited about that partnership.”
Sellers Racing team owner H.C. Sellers is excited about the pairing.
“Tyler is going to be an extension of our team,” Sellers commented. “Landon has raced for us for five years now and will continue to race under our banner, but Tyler will be crew chiefing the car. One of the three cars that Landon has will be kept in Tyler’s shop.”
In September 2021, Pembelton won the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway, the richest and most prestigious race in the Late Model Stock Car discipline, driving for Sellers. The relationship between the Sellers family and the Pembelton family goes back a couple decades prior when Landon’s father, Brian Pembelton, raced Late Model Stock Cars as well.
“Landon is a very talented driver,” Sellers explained. “He’s been able to win a race each year he’s been in Late Model and he keeps getting better and better. His dad and I used to race together. I used to keep Brian’s car up years ago. I’ve known him for 20 years, so we’ve all been able to enjoy a lot of success with Landon and have a good friendship.”
The younger Pembelton has branched out some in recent years, making starts in the ARCA Menards Series, but his focus remains in Late Models with Sellers.
“H.C. and Peyton [Sellers] have helped me out a ton,” Pembelton stated. “My first year in Late Model, right around when I won Martinsville, we ran second or third every week to Peyton. I learned a lot from him. He helped me a lot behind the wheel and outside the racecar too. H.C. is great to work with as well and he’s really coached me since day one.”
Pembelton is excited to remain teammates with Peyton Sellers, a two-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Champion and three-time Dominion Raceway track champion. Sellers’ career highlight came in 2022 when he won the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville after trying for the better part of two decades.
“Peyton is a great guy too,” Pembelton continued. “Inside the car, he’s a bull with horns, he’s racing to win. Outside the car, you wouldn’t think it’s the same guy. He’s outgoing, will help with anything, but likes to win at the same time.”
Pembelton’s goal is to win the championship at Dominion Raceway while also competing in the Virginia Triple Crown, which consists of South Boston’s traditional Fourth of July weekend race, the Hampton Heat 200 summer highlight at Langley Speedway, and the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville. He also plans to make some starts in the zMAX CARS Tour and possibly, if opportunities arise, in the ARCA Menards Series.
The season opener at Dominion Raceway, located just off Interstate 95 exit 118 in Thornburg, Virginia, will take place on Saturday, March 30 with the 200-lap Dickie Boswell Memorial race.
