Carter Langley found himself facing what many people viewed as a “must win” situation at the start of the 150-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division race that highlighted Saturday night’s Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night Race at South Boston Speedway.
He responded in a big way, winning the race that paid $5,000 to the winner and capturing the South Boston Speedway Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division championship.
Langley entered South Boston Speedway’s final points race of the season leading two-time NASCAR national champion and six-time South Boston Speedway track champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia by three points in what was one of the closest championship points battles in the speedway’s history.
When the 18-year-old Zebulon, North Carolina resident won the pole in qualifying Sellers, who was going to have to start the race mid-pack in seventh place under the track’s handicapping system due to his having won the previous two races, elected to start the race at the rear of the field.
If Sellers had won the race from the rear of the field, he would have received two bonus points. In that scenario, if Sellers had won the race and Langley had finished second, Sellers would have won the title by one point.
At the end of the night, Langley took the win and earned his first career Late Model Stock Car Division championship. Sellers finished third in the race behind Langley and runner-up Kyle Dudley of Roanoke, Virginia. The win was Langley’s eighth win of the season at the .4-mile oval.
“I was calm, cool, and collected,” Langley said when asked about being put into a “must win” situation. “I looked at it as another day at the racetrack. Anytime we go to the racetrack we try to win. Having fun and winning has helped me a lot. It helps keep my mind cool and helps me to keep hitting my marks. I’m glad it worked out the way it did.”
Winning the division championship is a special accomplishment. The emotions of winning the race and the division championship spilled over in Victory Lane.
“This means a lot to me and my team,” Langley remarked with a huge smile. “I started tearing up in Victory Lane. I can’t tell you whether it was tears of joy or if I started crying because everyone else was crying. I don’t know what it was.”
Sellers said attempting to win the race from the rear of the field was his only option.
“That was the only card I could play,” Sellers explained. “His car was so good today. When he qualified on the pole, I knew that was my play because if I beat him by one spot, I couldn’t beat him (for the championship). I had to beat him by points.
“I was going to have to start seventh anyway,” he continued. “I decided to go back a little further. I knew I had a little more time this week to get back up to the front. That’s the card we had, we had to play it, and we just came up a little short.”
Langley led twice in the race for a total of 126 laps, including the last 98 circuits. He crossed the finish line just over a second ahead of Dudley. Sellers finished third, North Carolinian Bobby McCarty, who had won a race at South Boston Speedway earlier this season, finished fourth and Aaron Donnelly of Stafford, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers. McCarty led 24 laps in the race that had two lead changes among two drivers.
Jason Myers Wins Budweiser Limited Sportsman Title
Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia won his first career South Boston Speedway Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division title Saturday night with a win in the division’s 50-lap race.
In winning the championship Myers joins his father, three-time South Boston Speedway title winner Billy Myers of Hurt, Virginia, as a South Boston Speedway champion.
Jason Myers entered Saturday night’s 50-lap race leading teenager Carter Russo of Rougemont, North Carolina by 21 points.
The race featured a see-saw battle for the win between Myers and Russo. The pair swapped the lead four times with Myers leading three times for a total of 44 laps. His margin of victory over Russo was 0.928-second.
Jared Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia finished third, with Nathan Crews of Long Island, Virginia and Ross Mountcasel of Crewe, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Johnny Layne Captures Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division Title
It was six years ago that Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia won his most recent Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division championship.
Layne won Saturday night’s 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race and secured his third career division championship. He won eight of the division’s 12 races this season.
Caleb Sanford of South Boston, Virginia finished second, 1.090-seconds behind Layne. B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia, Zach Reaves of Danville, Virginia and 2022 division champion Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia completed the top five finishers.
Kendall Milam EarnsVirginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division Championship
Jared Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia won Saturday night’s 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division at South Boston Speedway.
Kendall Milam of Keeling, Virginia won his first career division championship with a ninth-place finish in the race. Milam won two races at South Boston Speedway this season.
Saturday night’s race was the first time this season Dawson had competed in the division. He made the most of the opportunity, winning the pole in qualifying and leading the entire caution-free race.
Jason DeCarlo of Chase City, Virginia finished second, 1.245-seconds behind Dawson. Landon Milam of Keeling, Virginia, Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia and Andrea Ruotolo of South Boston, Virginia completed the top five finishers in the 17-car field.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
Racing returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, October 7 when the stars and cars of the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour visit South Boston Speedway for the Autos By Nelson 250 Presented By Virginia Is For Lovers.
The event will be highlighted by a 125-lap race for the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. Also set are a 100-lap race for the CARS Tour Pro Late Models and a 25-lap race for the competitors of the Virginia Mini Cup Racing Association.
The first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $17 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $20 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $17 each at the gate on race day.
The latest news and updates for fans and competitors can be found on the speedway’s website and the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
South Boston Speedway PR
