SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — Trevor Ward had plenty to be concerned about in the 100-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division race that headlined Saturday’s Advance Auto Parts Day at the Races presented by Bojangles at South Boston Speedway.
The Winston-Salem, North Carolina resident was leading two-time NASCAR national champion and seven-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers and appeared to be on the way to winning the race – that is until rain stopped the race 15 laps from the end.
After a one hour and 22-minute rain delay, Ward had to prepare himself to not only fend off Sellers, but also hard-charging teenager Darren Krantz Jr.
A good restart allowed Ward to forge ahead, and he managed to stay in front while Sellers and Krantz battled for second place. At the end, Ward crossed the finish line 1.401- seconds ahead of Sellers with Krantz finishing third in his best performance of the young season at South Boston Speedway.
“I was really anxious,” Ward remarked afterward. “I was more nervous right there for a 15-lap shootout than I have been for a 100-lap shootout. I was worried about how I was going to fire off with the track having been dragged with tires and the new rubber being taken off of it.”
The win was Ward’s second of the season at South Boston Speedway, tying him with Sellers who also has two wins at the .4-mile oval this season. It was also Ward’s second career win at South Boston Speedway.
Landon Pembelton finished fourth behind Ward, Sellers and Krantz with Blake Stallings rounding out the top five finishers.
It’s not often that a driver sweeps a twin-race event in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division at South Boston Speedway but Nathan Crews of Long Island, Virginia pulled it off in the twin 30-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division races.
The pair of wins on Saturday gives Crews three wins in his three starts at South Boston Speedway this season.
B.J. Reaves took the lead from pole winner Zach Reaves on the opening lap and drove to a 1.006-second win over Dillon Davis in the 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race.
Cameron Goble fought off a handful of challengers to win the 20-lap Dollar General Hornets race.
Mike Houghtaling won the Modified Division and Donovan Freeman topped the Sportsman division.
