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Lee Pulliam and Philip Morris Split Season Opening Twin 100’s At South Boston

by Brad Newman March 16, 2019 1 comment

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – Virginia’s Philip Morris and Lee Pulliam were absolutely locked in on Saturday for South Boston Speedway’s season opener, splitting the Twin 100’s.

Although Peyton Sellers won the pole for the afternoon’s first race, he was not quite the car to beat all night. Sellers led the first 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race almost up to the halfway mark. Pulliam got by him on lap 45 and set sail. Right as Pulliam took the lead, contact between Mike Jones and Jason Barnes led to a red flag to fix the tire barrier in Turn 2. After that Pulliam gapped the field by almost a straightaway and cruised to his first win of the year. The rest of the podium consisted of Sellers and Philip Morris, aka “The King”.

Mark Wertz and Thomas Scott headlined the second 100-lapper. Scott passed Wertz early and led a handful of laps before he was passed by Morris. A caution on lap 32 bunched the field back up and the three heavy hitters, Morris, Pulliam and Sellers went at it. Unfortunately for Pulliam, he suffered damage to the right-side and rear-end of his race car, ending his chance at sweeping the afternoon. Once they went back green, Morris paced the field as Scott and Sellers fought for the second position. Morris cruised to Victory Lane, followed by Sellers and Scott.

Pulliam’s developmental driver, Jessica Dana received the pole in the Limited division. Dana led a good portion of laps in the Limited race only to be passed by former track champion Danny Willis, Jr. With that being said, Willis held off Dana and Daniel Moss to win the Limited race.

South Boston Speedway will host the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on Saturday, March 30. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models will compete in a 75-lap feature as well.

Photo Credit: Bard Newman/Brad Newman Photography