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BY JOE CHANDLER

South Boston Speedway

With the first four races of the season at South Boston Speedway in the books, Peyton Sellers realized he needed something more out of his car.

Carter Langley had won three of the season’s first four races with Sellers claiming the other victory. Langley finished third in the one race he did not win. The three wins had allowed Langley to secure a five-point lead over Sellers entering the twin 75-lap Sentara Healthcare Late Model Stock Car Division races that were the featured races of the God’s Pit Crew Night Race event Saturday night at South Boston Speedway.

Sellers and his brother and crew chief, H.C. Sellers, brought two cars to South Boston Speedway Friday for the track’s open practice, the car he had driven and won with at South Boston Speedway and the car he races at Dominion Raceway.

By mid-afternoon Sellers and his team found what they had been looking for.

“We knew we were lacking a little bit here,” Sellers pointed out. “It was just through the corners. We just didn’t quite have what we needed to roll the center like we needed to and like Carter has been. I knew we needed something extra.

“We had it yesterday (Friday). We loaded up early with this car. I said ‘this thing’s ready to go H.C.’ It played out in our favor.”

That it did.

Sellers swept the 75-lap races, starting on the pole and scoring a flag-to-flag win in the opening race and leading all but 11 laps of the second race despite having to start the race from ninth place as a result of an invert.

The sweep by Sellers Saturday night gives Sellers and Langley three wins each at South Boston Speedway and puts Sellers back in the hunt in the chase for the 2023 South Boston Speedway Sentara Healthcare Late Model Stock Car Division championship.

“It’s mighty early to be looking at points right now,” Sellers noted. “We’re focused on these checkered flags. To pick up two wins here tonight is something to dream of. It’s amazing to win races here at home in front of your home crowd. All of my sponsors were here tonight.”

Sellers edged Langley, from Zebulon, North Carolina, by 1.271 seconds in winning the first 75-lap race. Craig Moore of Rougemont, North Carolina finished third with Sam Yarbrough taking fourth place and Jacob Borst of Elon, North Carolina rounding out the top five finishers.

It did not take Sellers long to get to the lead in the second 75-lap race. As a result of an invert, Sellers started the race in ninth place. He passed Slagle, the pole starter and early-race leader, on the 12th lap to grab the lead. Once in front, Sellers never relinquished the lead. He edged Borst by .677-second.

Langley finished third with Moore finishing fourth and Slagle completing the top five finishers.

Two caution flags punctuated the first race. The second race was caution free.

RUSSO SCORES FIRST SBS WIN

Sixteen-year-old Carter Russo will never forget Saturday night’s 50-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division race.

The Rougemont, North Carolina resident won Saturday’s 50-lap race, earning his first career win in Limited Sportsman Division racing.

Russo started the race on the outside pole, led every lap and edged runner-up Jason Myers of Hurt, by a slim margin of .376-second.

Bob Davis of Thaxton, Ronnie Jones of Kenly, North Carolina and Jared Dawson of completed the top five finishers.

LAYNE EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY

Johnny Layne is a perfect two-for-two thus far in the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division at South Boston Speedway.

Layne won Saturday night’s 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race, speeding across the finish line .832-second ahead of runner-up Bruce Mayo of Halifax.

Zach Reaves of Danville, finished third, Jeb Redman of LaCrosse, finished fourth and Jason Turner rounded out the top five finishers in the 12-car field.

ANDREA RUOTOLO SCORES FIRST CAREER WIN

Saturday night was a special night for South Boston, resident Andrea Ruotolo. In his fourth season competing in the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division at South Boston Speedway Ruotolo has finally secured a win.

He won Saturday night’s abbreviated race, a race that went for 15 laps before being halted by a time limit. D.J. Moser of Ringgold, took the runner-up spot in the race that ended under caution.

Cameron Goble of Ringgold, Jason DeCarlo of Chase City, and Steven Layne of Halifax, rounded out the top five finishers.

KENNY MILLS JR. WINS

Kenny Daniel of Sutherlin, won Saturday night’s 20-lap Mills Family Practice Champ Karts Race at South Boston Speedway.

GOD’S PIT CREW FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION

God’s Pit Crew held its first-ever food box distribution in Halifax County, Saturday morning at South Boston Speedway and served over 1,000 families with a food box packed with healthy staple food items and a case of beverage.

Approximately 50 volunteers participated in the event.

The God’s Pit Crew food box distribution was held in partnership with South Boston Speedway as part of the God’s Pit Crew Night Race.

NEXT RACE

NASCAR racing will return to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, May 13 with the ABC 13 WSET Night Race.

The six-race ABC 13 WSET Night Race event will feature twin 60-lap races for the Sentara Healthcare Late Model Stock Car Division. In addition, fans will see a 50-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division. The regional touring Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club will be on hand as well for a 25-lap race.