Three drivers locked into a tight battle will decide the outcome of one of the closest division championship points battles in South Boston Speedway’s history on Saturday night, August 31 when the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division competitors take the track for a 50-lap race that will be part of the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event at South Boston Speedway.
“I feel like it’s going to come down to the last lap,” remarked Pelham, North Carolina resident Eric Winslow who enters the race with a narrow one-point lead over defending division champion Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia and a nine-point edge over Nathan Crews of Long Island, Virginia. “It’s going to be a barnburner, for sure. Fans need to get their tickets, and they need to be here because it (the championship) is going to go either way.”
“It should be a good race for the fans,” noted Myers. “It’s pretty cool when you can come down to the wire like this,” Crews added.
Winslow likes racing for wins but said he may need to alter his approach in Saturday night’s final points race of the 2024 season.
“I don’t show up to the racetrack counting points and points race,” Winslow explained. “I like to go for wins and go home with a trophy. But, since this is the last race and we’re one point ahead, I’ve just got to focus on beating one car (Jason Myers) this week and put the ego aside of trying to win the race. If Nathan’s good or somebody else is really good, and we’ve got a good enough car to beat Jason that’s what I need to focus on.”
Winslow says he is calm about the upcoming race and what is at stake.
“I’m not real nervous,” Winslow said. “If it’s meant to be, it will be fine. If it’s not, that’s fine too. We know Jason is going to qualify well. It seems like he has won every pole this season. He’s going to start up front, and we’re going to have to beat him. That’s how it should be.”
Myers has the most experience in close championship point battles at South Boston Speedway. He lost the championship to Daniel Moss by two points in 2021 and lost the 2022 title battle to Kyle Barnes by 29 points. Last season Myers bounced back to edge Carter Russo by 23 points to win his first career South Boston Speedway NASCAR Limited Sportsman Division title and join his father, Billy Myers, as a South Boston Speedway Limited Sportsman Division champion.
Myers has put together solid performances over the years in South Boston Speedway’s final points race of the season. He finished third in the season finale in 2021, finished second in the last race of the 2022 season, and won the final points race of the 2023 season.
“I probably have the least amount of pressure going into it,” Myers noted. “We’re going into it with a must-win mentality. I think it (being a point behind) makes me have to go there and win the race. If I win, I’ll definitely make up the point. I can’t count on just finishing one position in front of him (Winslow). I’ve got to concentrate on having a really strong performance on Saturday and let the points fall where they may.”
Crews leads the division win column with four victories but is the driver that is surely in a must-win situation as he trails Winslow by nine points and trails Myers by eight points.
“I’ve got a long shot, but at least I’ve still got a shot at it,” Crews said. “I’m going to try to win the race. I’m not even going to think about points. Whoever does well enough is going to wind up winning the championship. I’ve just got to try to put myself in the best position I can. If it (winning the championship) is meant to be, it will be.”
Headlining the Saturday, August 31 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event is a 150-lap race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division that will pay $5,000 to the winner.
Two-time NASCAR national champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia, who is seeking a record-tying seventh South Boston Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division title, leads fellow Danville, Virginia resident Blake Stallings by 26 points entering Saturday night’s race.
NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor Jeb Burton of Halifax, Virginia will return to his hometown track to compete in the 150-lap race. Burton, who drives for Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington, South Carolina and fly back to South Boston to compete in Saturday night’s race.
Saturday’s five-race card also includes twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division.
Fans attending Saturday night’s event will be treated to a special Labor Day fireworks show that will light up the night sky following the last race of the night.
Advance tickets for the Saturday, August 31 Halifax County 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 County 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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