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ValleyStar Credit Union 300: Five Things You Need To Know

Corey Latham

The biggest race of the season for Late Model Stock Car racing has arrived once again.

Saturday night, weather permitting, 40 of the best short track racers in the country will compete for a $32,000 check and a grandfather clock in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway.  It’s the most prestigious and anticipated event of the year in the discipline.

Throughout the years, the format, the cars and the drivers have changed, but the principle has remained the same, to beat the best on Late Model Stock Car racing’s biggest stage.

For the third straight year, weather could force changes to the schedule, but as of Thursday afternoon, the event schedule is unchanged.

The Format

Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday, with single car qualifying determining the starting lineup for four (4) 25-lap heat races which will be run on Saturday afternoon.  The top-10 finishers from each of the four heat races will transfer into the 200-lap feature event.

The four fastest qualifiers will start on the pole in their respective heat races.  The top 10 finishers in the four heat races will advance into the 200-lap main event, which does not have a last chance qualifier for those who do not make it in.

After the field is set, pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions will be held on the frontstretch leading into the 7:00pm green flag for the 200-lap feature race.

The 200 lap main event will be split into three stages: 100 laps, 75 laps, and then a 25 lap sprint to the finish.  The field will be frozen during the stage breaks and teams will be allowed to make approved adjustments and change up to four tires during the five minute stage breaks.

Teams are limited to four sets of tires for the entire weekend – two sets on Friday for practice and qualifying, and two sets on race day.

Event Schedule & Ticket Information

Friday, September 26, 2025

  • 6:00am – Registration opens
  • 7:30am – Garage opens
  • 8:30am – Technical inspection begins
  • 3:00pm – First Practice (until 4:15pm)
  • 4:30pm – Final Practice (until 6:00pm)
  • 6:00pm – Pre-qualifying work session (until 7:00pm)
  • 8:00pm – Qualifying (Single Car Qualifying; 2 timed laps)

Saturday, September 27, 2025

  • 8:30am – Garage and registration opens
  • 9:45am – Pre-Race Work Session on pit road (until 11:45am)
  • 12:00pm – Mandatory driver/crew chief/spotter meeting.
  • 12:45pm – Autograph session on frontstretch (until 2:30pm)
  • 3:00pm – Heat Races (Four 25-lap races)
  • 5:00pm – Pre-Race Work Session (until 5:45pm)
  • 6:35pm – Driver Introductions
  • 7:00pm – Start of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 feature race (200 laps)

Qualifying, heat races, and the feature race will all be broadcast live on FloRacing. The feature race will also be broadcast (for free) on The NASCAR Channel which is available on both Amazon and Tubi.

Tickets are available for $25. Fans can also purchase pit passes for the event. Tickets and pit passes are available same day.

Entry List

77 drivers will attempt to make the field, including previous winners Lee Pulliam, Peyton Sellers, Landon Pembelton, and Trevor Ward.

Car No.DriverHometownCar Owner
0Landon PembeltonAmelia, VABrian Pembelton
1Andrew GradyYoungsville, NCTony Grady
1Jamie YorkReidsville, NCJames Jason York, Sr.
1Lee PulliamAlton, VALee Pulliam
1Thomas BeaneHudson, NCJody Chandler
1Camden GullieDurham, NCJason Gullie
2Matt WaltzSmithfield, VAWaltz Racing LLC
2Brandon PierceKernersville, NCJustin Carroll
2Ryan WilsonRandleman, NCRyan Wilson
3Trey WilliamsPowhatan, VARay Williams Jr.
4Kyle DudleyRoanoke, VAKyle Dudley
4Kade BrownLincolnton, NCMarcus Richmond
5Dexter Canipe IIIConover, NCDexter Canipe Jr.
6Bobby McCartyMadison, NCBobby McCarty
7Dylan WardWalkertown, NCDylan Ward
7Connor BranchLewisville, NCConnor Branch Racing
7Tristan McKeeKannapolis, NCMatt Piercy
7Corey PackRidgeway, VACotton Rigney
7Blayne HarrisonBastian, VAHarrison Motorsports
8Caden KvapilMooresville, NCDale Earnhardt Jr.
8Tate FoglemanDurham, NCJFG Motorsports
8Conner WeddellCenterville, MDWeddell Motorsports
8Thomas ScottBurlington, NCThomas Scott
9Darrick CoomerWeaverville, NCDarrick Coomer
12Tyler KigerRougemont, NCChappell Resources
13Chase MurphyWalkertown, NCDylan Ward
14Jared FryarTrinity, NCJimmy Mooring
15Ryan MillingtonStatesville, NCBob Saville
15Adam MurrayAbingdon, VAVanDyke Racing
16Cody KelleyHartsville, SCKendall Sellers
17Jason MyersHurt, VAJason Myers
17Stacy PuryearSouth Boston, VAStacy Puryear
17Bryan ReedyDaleville, VABryan Reedy
18Chandler ShermanCrownsville, MDRobert Sherman
19Jessica CannKernersville, NCBill Petroff
22Carson LoftinClemmons, NCBarry Nelson
24Chase RatliffBristol, VAChase/ Randy Ratliff
25Jacob BorstElon, NCJustin Borst
25Derrick LancasterChristiansburg, VADerrick Lancaster
26Peyton SellersDanville, VABert Sellers
28Landon S. HuffmanConnelly Springs, NCPinnacle Racing Group, Inc.
29Stuart CrewsLong Island, VAStuart Crews
31Cole BruceFredericksburg, VASylvia Bruce
33Dillon HarvilleKernersville, NCZane Anthony
41Woody HowardChesapeake, VAWoody Howard
41Mason DiazManassas, VAHedgecock Racing
42Chris Horton Jr.South Mills, NCChris Horton
44Conner JonesFredericksburg, VAMike Darne
44Dylan NewsomeGoldsboro, NCJack Newsome
50Jamey CaudillFour Oaks, NCBobby Hall Motorsports
50Daryn CockramRiner, VARoss Dalton
50Jayson AlexanderApex, NCRoss Dalton
50Chuck WallLexington, NCRoss Dalton
51Ryan MatthewsTopping, VAMichael Matthews
57Landon HuffmanClaremont, NCCarroll Speedshop
57Chase JohnsonMidlothian, VARichard Johnson
62Ronnie Bassett Jr.Lexington, NCShane Wilson
71Parker EatmonMooresville, NCHettinger Racing
73Jimmy MullinsBassett, VAPatrick & Henry Community College
74Steve ZachariasMyrtle Beach, SCMitchell Mote
75Cory DunnSalem, VALarry Dunn
77Trevor WardWinston-Salem, NCTrevor Ward
77Darren Krantz Jr.Huntington, NYChad Bryant Racing
77Blake StallingsDanville, VASteve Stallings
81Zack CliftonWalkertown, NCZack Clifton
87Mike LooneyCatawba, VABilly Martin
88Connor HallHampton, VADale Earnhardt Jr.
88Doug Barnes Jr.Wellington, FLLee Pulliam
88Brad HousewrightKingsport, TNBrad Houseright
95Jacob HeafnerKannapolis, NCKendall Sellers
95Sam YarbroughMyrtle Beach, SCCumberland-Elliott Racing
97Michael BumgarnerTaylorsville, NCKeith Bumgarner
98Ty MajeskiKaukauna, WIChad Bryant Racing
98Donovan StraussMooresville, NCKendall Sellers
00Chase BurrowKing William, VAChase Burrow Motorsports
08Deac McCaskillRaleigh, NCBoyce McCaskill
TBDDaniel SilvestriBlacksburg, VAKenneth Packer

NOTE: Jamey Caudill has withdrawn from the event, citing weather concerns.

Event Purse

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is one of the richest races of the year, with $125,095 in posted awards.  The winner of the race will take home $32,000 on top of $25 for each lap led.

The following bonuses are also up for grabs:

  • $5,000 Martinsville Speedway Fastest Qualifier Award.
  • $5,000 Doughton’s Racing Products Lap Leader Award paying $25 to the leader of each lap in the 200-Lap Feature.
  • $2,000 Clarence’s Steakhouse Award paying $1,000 to the leader of Stage 1 and $1,000 to the leader of Stage 2 of the 200-Lap Feature.
  • $1,000 Sunoco/Sparks Oil Most Improved Position Award.
  • $3,300 (value) Grandfather Clock to the winner of the 200-Lap Feature.

The Virginia Triple Crown, paying $20,000 to its champion, will also be decided on Saturday night.

Virginia Triple Crown breakdown

1st – $20,000; 2nd – $10,000; 3rd – $7,500; 4th – $5,000; 5th – $2,500; 6th – $1,000; 7th – $1,000; 8th – $1,000; 9th – $1,000; 10th – $1,000

Determined by best avg. finishes from Thunder Road Harley Davidson 200 (South Boston), Hampton Heat (Langley Speedway), and ValleyStar Credit Union 300 (Martinsville Speedway).

Previous winners

Martinsville’s history with Late Model Stock Car racing dates back to the 1980s when two races a year were held at the track affectionately called “the paperclip.”

In 1995, the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 became a standalone event, and in 1998, it became the only Late Model Stock Car race held at Martinsville Speedway and has been held every year since, with the exception of 2020, when the race was canceled due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.

This year’s race marks the 30th running of the fall classic.

The Early Years
1985 – Curtis Markham (100-lap race)
1985 – Barry Beggarly (100-lap race)
1986 – Elton Sawyer (100-lap race)
1987 – Curtis Markham (100-lap race)
1987 – Mark Martin (100-lap race)
1988 – Wayne Patterson (100-lap race)
1988 – Phil Warren (100-lap race)
1989 – Ronnie Thomas (100-lap race)
1989 – Curtis Markham (100-lap race)
1990 – David Blankenship (100-lap race)
1990 – Wayne Patterson (100-lap race)
1991 – Jay Fogleman (100-lap race)
1991 – Mike Buffkin (150-lap race)
1991 – Curtis Markham (100-lap race)
1992 – Dennis Setzer (100-lap race)
1992 – Jay Fogleman (150-lap race)
1992 – Joe Gaita (100-lap race)
1993 – Eddie Johnson (150-lap race)

200-lap race format era
1993 – Mike Skinner (fall)
1994 – Bugs Hairfield (spring)
1994 – Barry Beggarly (spring)
1994 – Barry Beggarly (fall)
1995 – Shayne Lockhart (spring)

Taco Bell 300
1995 – Tony McGuire (fall)
1996 – Donnie Apple (spring)
1996 – BA Wilson (fall)
1997 – David Hyder (spring)
1997 – Billy Hogan (fall)

Fall Only Races
1998 – Dexter Canipe, Sr.
1999 – Robert Powell
2000 – Philip Morris
2001 – Phil Warren
2002 – Frank Deiny, Jr.

Bailey’s 300
2003 – Jamey Caudill
2004 – Tony McGuire
2005 – Timothy Peters
2006 – Alex Yontz
2007 – Dennis Setzer
2008 – Jason York
2009 – Jake Crum

Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300
2010 – Philip Morris
2011 – Lee Pulliam
2012 – Philip Morris
2013 – Tommy Lemons, Jr.

ValleyStar Credit Union 300
2014 – Lee Pulliam (then called the MDCU 300)
2015 – Tommy Lemons, Jr.
2016 – Mike Looney

Night Race Era
2017 – Timothy Peters
2018 – C.E. Falk, III
2019 – Josh Berry
(Race not held in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 – Landon Pembelton
2022 – Peyton Sellers
2023 – Trevor Ward (Postponed to Sunday due to Tropical Storm Ophelia)
2024 – Carson Kvapil

Short Track Scene will be on hand all weekend to provide up to the minute coverage online and through social media channels.

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.

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