ValleyStar Credit Union 300 set after chaotic heat races

MARTINSVILLE, VA – The 40 car field that will chase the $32,000 prize and grandfather clock that comes with the glory of winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 has been set.

After setting a blistering lap in qualifying, Dudley drove away from the field in the first heat race to pick up the win and secure the top starting spot in Saturday’s fall classic at Martinsville.  While that first heat race was orderly, the rest were not.

Carson Kvapil picked up the win in a chaotic second heat which saw popular veteran driver Landon Huffman get eliminated from competition.  Landon S. Huffman, who is unrelated, was involved in multiple incidents, drawing the ire of his competitors, including Bruce Anderson who came up just one spot short.

The third heat race started with controversy when defending race winner Trevor Ward was penalized for jumping the start, passing Kade Brown for the lead on the opening lap.  Ward conceded the spot when the black flag came out, but NASCAR ordered him to pit road.  Ward instead stopped on the track, drawing the caution and getting a two-lap penalty from NASCAR.  However, after a series of incidents, he was able to race his way back in to the feature race.

The final heat race saw an epic battle for the win between Connor Hall and Lee Pulliam, with Hall holding on after the two raced side-by-side.  Behind them, Ryan Matthews put the bumper to Davey Callihan on the last lap and muscled his way by in a photofinish for the final transfer spot.

The 200-lap main event will go green at 7:00pm.

Here is the unofficial starting lineup for the 2024 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 feature event:

1. Kyle Dudley
2. Carson Kvapil
3. Peyton Sellers
4. Connor Hall
5. Stuart Crews
6. Buddy Isles, Jr.
7. Mike Looney
8. Lee Pulliam
9. Treyten Lapcevich
10. Daniel Silvestri
11. Kade Brown
12. Stacy Puryear
13. Ryan Millington
14. Matt Waltz
15. Casey Kelley
16. Jake Crum
17. Camden Gullie
18. Timothy Peters
19. Brent Crews
20. Tristan McKee
21. Bobby McCarty
22. Carter Langley
23. Conner Jones
24. Sam Yarbrough
25. Ronnie Bassett, Jr.
26. Mason Diaz
27. Trevor Ward
28. Jared Fryar
29. Jacob Heafner
30. Dillon Harville
31. Dexter Canipe, Jr.
32. Aaron Donnelly
33. Parker Eatmon
34. Blake Stallings
35. Jason York
36. Clay Jones
37. Landon Pembelton
38. Andrew Grady
39. Doug Barnes, Jr.
40. Ryan Matthews