Who else would be the first driver to reach two victories at
Philip Morris Victory Lane at South Boston
Speedway than the location’s namesake?
Philip Morris won for the second time in as many weeks to open
the South Boston Late Model Stock season, winning the first half of a twin 75-lap
feature on Saturday afternoon wedged between the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at
America’s Home Town Track.
The five-time NASCAR All-American Series champion started on
the pole but lost out on the restart to Terry Crews. Morris decided to ride
behind Crews and opted to make his move on Lap 25 and led the remaining 50 laps.
Crews had one shot at Morris, following a Lap 35 competition
caution, but could only get to the back bumper of the King of the Late Model
Stocks and could not supplant him off the bottom.
“It was really free and early on I thought I would be
holding on, but 30 laps or so into the race, everyone else was free and I was
faster than they are so ‘what the heck,’ I guess I’m not as bad as they
are.”
Upon taking the lead, it was just a matter of managing the
race.
“I still had to work to stay in front of Terry. He
should have finished second. Every time I drove in deep to get away the back
end would meet me there. I was just trying to hold my own there at the
end.”
The NASCAR Modified Tour rubber presented challenges for the
entire field, thus the free conditions that Morris mentioned.
Peyton Sellers got by Crews over the final five laps and was
satisfied with another bout of consistency. That’s three podiums in as many
races.
“Everyone has their hands full,” Sellers said. “This
Modified Tour rubber is really affecting how we drive into the corner. That’s
what happened to (Lee Pulliam) and me and Trey. There was no side bite getting
in. Philip found more but it’s going to be a handful after this Modified Tour
race.
The complete results can be found below.
- #01 Philip Morris
- #9 Trey Crews
- #5 Lee Pulliam
- #87 Mike Looney
- #26 Peyton Sellers
- #28 Jason Barnes
- #29 Stuart Crews
- #8 Thomas Scott
- #17T Taylor Gray
- #12 Austin Thaxton
- #97 Daniel Silvestri
- #39 Mike Jones
- #54 Drew Butler
- #50 Raymond Pittman
- #73 Bruce Anderson
- #14 Dusty Ellington
- #38 Mark Keesee
- #22
Jordon Pickrel
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