Racing has its share of unexpected twists and turns that sometimes turns a fairly predictable outcome into an unanticipated outcome. Such is the case in the division championship chase in South Boston Speedway’s Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division.
Defending division champion Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia, who scored his 30th career win in the division on August 17, has commanded the division this season. He has five wins in seven starts, has won the most poles, led the most laps and has never finished outside of the top five.
The three-time division champion holds an 11-point lead over his closest challenger, B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia, and an 18-point edge over Zach Reaves of Danville heading into the twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division that will be part of the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event on Saturday night, August 31. That event marks the final night of points races for the 2024 season at South Boston Speedway.
While that picture points to a likely fourth division title for Layne, there is a twist – Layne has said he will not compete in the August 31 event.
That turn of events throws the division championship chase into a contest between the Reaves brothers.
“My little girl has a softball tournament in Myrtle Beach the same day as the last race, and I’m not missing her tournament,” Layne noted. “It looks like it’s going to be B.J.’s or Zach’s championship. I’ll take one night short, end up wherever I end up in points, and I’ll be excited for whoever wins it. They will battle it out between them unless something big changes.
“I support both of them,” Layne said of the Reaves brothers. “You can’t ask for anybody better to race against. I’m excited for them.”
B.J. Reaves and Zach Reaves have enjoyed success this season as well. B.J. Reaves, now in his third season competing in the division, has a win, six Top-5 finishes and 7 Top-10 finishes in his seven starts, has led the second-most laps this season and has a win and three second-place finishes in his last four starts.
Zach Reaves, now in his second full season competing in the division, has a win, a pole, six Top-5 finishes and 7 Top-10 finishes in his seven starts. He has a win and three third-place finishes in his last five starts.
While both of the Reaves brothers would be excited and would like nothing better than to win their first career division title, both say it would be better if Layne was competing.
“You want to win with the best guy out there,” B.J. Reaves said, “and this season Johnny has been the best guy. The stats show that, the racing shows that. You hate to see it (the championship) decided because of a missed race.
“Family comes first, and I understand completely,” B.J. Reaves continued. “I’ve got two kids, one nine-years-old and one 10-years-old, the same age as his daughter, and I get that. Johnny and I are not the kind of rivals that you want to see something like this decide it, especially with the points standings the way they are.”
Zach Reaves added, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to have a chance to win the championship, but I would really like to be in the running for the championship with Johnny Layne there. Winning it (the championship) without him there isn’t going to mean quite as much.”
As the division championship now appears to be a contest between the Reaves brothers, both of them say they will race each other with respect and race with a goal of securing a one-two finish in the championship points chase.
“There is no need for either of us to take a wild risk,” B.J. Reaves said. “We just need to race it straight up, and it will play out like it’s supposed to.”
“Of course, I want to win, and he wants to win,” Zach Reaves pointed out, “but at the end of the day, as long as one of us wins the championship, I feel like we’ll be happy.”
Five races are slated for the August 31 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event at South Boston Speedway.
Headlining the night’s racing action is a 150-lap race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division that will pay $5,000 to the winner. A 50-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, the twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division are also on the card.
Fans will be treated to a fireworks display following the night’s final race.
Advance tickets for the Saturday, August 31 Halifax Farm Bureau Championship Night event are priced at $17 each. Advance tickets 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 event schedule for the Saturday, August 31 Halifax Farm Bureau Championship Night event has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. Practice will begin at 3:25 p.m. and run until 5:05 p.m. Frontstretch spectator gates will open at 3:30 p.m. and backstretch and trackside parking gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for 6 p.m., pre-race ceremonies are slated for 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
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