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The numbers don’t lie. When it comes to racers in the HEAT Hornets Division, Jordaine Penick and Max Sangillo are at the top of the list. That’s being literal, as the cousins and teammates with Michael’s Powersports Racing are first and second, respectively, in the points standings heading into Saturday’s race.

Jordaine said she never saw herself reaching the top of the division like this. 

However, that is where the 16-year-old racer from Meherrin stands entering the 20-lap Hornets Division race that will be part of the Saturday, July 13 Boone Tractor Race Night at South Boston Speedway. In reaching the top of the division standings, the Farmville native and Randolph-Henry student is one of the extremely few, perhaps the first, female racer to lead the division point standings.

“It’s really awesome,” Penick remarked of reaching the lofty status. “I couldn’t imagine ever being up there (in the lead) and now I’m actually there. I’m really thankful for my parents because they have made this dream come true for me. I also thank my sponsors because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Her father, Michael Penick, doesn’t take credit for providing a lot of advice, saying he leaves everything in his daughter’s hands when it comes to driving the racecar.

“I tell her to go out there, be safe, and bring the car home in one piece if she can,” he said. “She’s driving the car. It’s all her. She’s good at it. She loves what she’s doing.”

Jordaine has excelled as a young athlete. She was an accomplished softball player, having played for Central Middle School and having played in the county recreation leagues before putting her glove and bat aside to go racing.

“I was good at it (softball),” she noted, “but when racing started it was hard to practice softball every day and then come home and help work on the cars. A lot of the county softball games were on Saturdays, and I wouldn’t be able to make them. I hated to give up softball, but I’m not complaining because racing is more fun. This is the most fun thing I’ve ever done in my life. I love racing.”

Jordaine Penick, Max Sangillo rising up

The 2024 season has been Penick’s best and most consistent season competing in the division. She enters the July 13 Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service event at South Boston Speedway coming off of three straight third-place finishes. She has six Top-5 finishes in her seven starts and has not finished outside of the Top-10 in any race this season.

As her record indicates, consistency and racing her competitors cleanly have been the hallmark of her season.

“I’ve finished third the last few races, which is really good,” Penick remarked. “I’ve just been pushing my car hard. I feel like I’m competitive now. One big thing I have been able to do is stay out of wrecks. A lot of wrecks have helped me move toward the top of the standings. I like racing people clean, and I like to be raced that way. I’ve never had any problems with anybody out on the track. I have a lot of respect for everybody.”

With four races remaining for the division in the 2024 season, Jordaine Penick leads her teammate and cousin, 15-year-old Max Sangillo of Farmville, who has reeled off four straight fourth-place finishes, by three points. Landon Milam of Keeling, who has two wins in his last three starts, is in third place, 13 points out of the lead and Cameron Moss of Danville and Daniel Byrd of Midlothian are tied for fourth place 17 points out of the lead.

While she has competitors nipping at her heels in the championship points chase, Penick isn’t planning to make any major changes to the approach that has brought her this far.

“I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” she pointed out, “just going out there and racing like I have been racing. I don’t want to lose my position, so I will try a little harder than I have been and try to be more competitive.” 

Aiming for the title 

Penick says winning the division championship would be “awesome” and would mean a great deal to the Michael’s Powersports Racing Team. While she would be disappointed if the championship eludes her, Penick says she would see finishing in the top three of the standings as a great accomplishment.

“Being number one would be really, really awesome,” Penick said smiling, “but top three is still very good.”

Six races are slated as part of the Saturday, July 13 Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service event at South Boston Speedway. Twin 65-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division will headline the night’s racing action. The competitors in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division will compete in twin 30-lap races. A 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division will round out the night’s racing action.

The race day schedule for the Saturday, July 13 Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service event at South Boston Speedway has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. Practice will start 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 scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night is set for a 7 p.m. start.

 

Ticket information 

Advance tickets for the Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service event are priced at $12 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 $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day.