SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — Landon Pembelton and Trevor Ward split the twin 75-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined Saturday night’s Oak River Realty Race Night event at South Boston Speedway.
Pembelton’s win in the opening race was his first win at South Boston Speedway since August 5, 2023. The Amelia, Virginia resident finished second in the second 75-lap race after starting seventh as a result of an inverted start among the top finishers of the opening race, with the runner-up finish equaling his results on that August night in 2023.
He edged two-time NASCAR national champion and seven-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers by 3.348 seconds in earning his third career Late Model Stock Car Division win at South Boston Speedway.
“It’s huge,” Pembelton said of the win, “definitely a monkey off of our back. We’ve been working really hard at this thing trying to get the car better and better. We hit the nail on the head tonight.”
Sellers had to start mid-field in the first race under the track’s handicapping system after having the twin-race event on May 10 and started eighth. He worked his way up to second place by lap 25 but was unable to challenge Pembelton for the win in the closing stages of the race.
Craig Moore finished third after leading twice for a total of 14 laps with Jacob Borst of Elon, North Carolina and Ward rounding out the top five finishers.
There were four lead changes among three drivers with Pembelton leading twice for a total of 55 laps. Darren Krantz Jr. led the first six laps until the front suspension on car broke, causing him to lose a wheel.
Mike Looney was in contention only to see his night end prematurely due to a crash on the 12th lap that heavily damaged his car.
The second race was just as exciting as it had four lead changes among two drivers. It was Ward and Deac McCaskill trading the lead early with Ward taking the lead on the ninth lap and leading the final 67 circuits to secure his third win of the season at South Boston Speedway.
Ward, who entered Saturday night’s event as the division points leader, called his win in the second race and his fifth-place finish in the opener “an all-in-all great night.”
“We struggled the first race,” he added, “made some rebound changes, and was able to come back and capitalize on a win. It was an awesome opportunity to do that.”
After Ward sped past McCaskill on the ninth lap he was able to gradually extend his lead. Pembelton moved into second place on lap 48 but was not able to challenge Ward as Ward had pulled away to a sizeable lead over his fellow competitors. Ward crossed the finish line 7.7 seconds ahead of Pembelton with Borst finishing third, Blake Stallings taking fourth place and McCaskill rounding out the top five finishers. McCaskill led twice in the race for a total of seven laps.
Sellers started sixth in the race but was sidelined in a crash on the second lap, leaving him with an 11th-place finish.
South Boston Speedway track NASCAR officials declared the results of the twin 30-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division races that were part of Saturday’s Oak River Realty Race Night at South Boston Speedway unofficial following the event.
Fourteen-year-old Lane Woods crossed the finish line first in the first 30-lap race with veteran racer Nathan Crews doing likewise in the second 30-lap race.
B.J. Reaves took the lead from pole winner Scott Philips on the opening lap and drove to a .952-second win over Dillon Davis n the 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race.
Landon Milam sped past defending division champion Jordaine Penick on the sixth lap and led the rest of the way to win the 20-lap Dollar General Hornets Division race.
