Aggression, Intensity Highlight Boone Tractor Race Night Saturday at South Boston Speedway

Brunelli, Rundstrom tighten Limited Sportsman Title Fight with Victories

By Joe Chandler

Director, Public Relations

South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON VA (August 1, 2026) – The intensity and aggression of the racing was ramped up another notch Saturday night with Landon Pembelton of Amelia, Virginia crossing the finish line first in both of the twin 75-lap Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined the Boone Tractor Race Night presented by New Holland and Gravely event Saturday night at South Boston Speedway.

However, South Boston Speedway officials ruled late Saturday night that the results of both Late Model Stock Car races are unofficial.

Much of the first of the two races was a battle between eight-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia and division points leader Trevor Ward of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The battle turned suddenly as the pair were involved in an incident right after Ward had taken the lead from Sellers on the 54th circuit.

The incident resulted in a caution flag, with Andrew Grady of Youngsville, North Carolina inheriting the lead. Grady held the top spot for two laps before Pembelton surged into the lead. Once in front, Pembelton led the rest of the way, crossing the finish line 1.525-seconds ahead of Bobby McCarty of Kernersville, North Carolina. Conner “C-Weed” Weddell of Centerville, Maryland crossed the finish line third followed by Grady and Dillon Harville of Kernersville, North Carolina.

Blake Stallings of Danville, Virginia and Ward started on the front row for the second race which had an inverted start among the top eight finishers of the first race. Stallings held Ward at bay for the first six laps before Ward surged into the lead.

A caution on lap 25 closed up the field. Pembelton grabbed the lead on the restart and led the final 50 laps of the race. He crossed the finish line 2.507 seconds ahead of Ward with Weddell, Stallings, and Sellers following in order.

Brunelli, Rundstrom Split Wins In Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division Twinbill

The chase for South Boston Speedway’s Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division championship has turned into a real barnburner as title contenders Tristan Brunelli of Powhatan, Virginia and Brian Rundstrom Jr. of Green Bay, Virginia split wins in Saturday night’s twin 30-lap races.

The twinbill was the last twin-race event of the season for the division.

Brunelli edged Rundstrom by 1.692 seconds in the first race to earn his fourth win of the season. Chris Elliott of Bullock, North Carolina, pole winner Dennis Holdren of Roanoke, Virginia and Justin Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers in the 14-car field.

With the top five finishers of the first race being inverted for the start of the second race, Dawson started on the pole. He led the first lap only to see Rundstrom grab the lead on the second circuit. Dawson battled back to lead two laps only to have Rundstrom surge into the lead for the second time on the fifth lap.

Once in front, Rundstrom led the rest of the way, finishing 6.853 seconds ahead of Brunelli to capture his third win of the season. Dawson finished third with Stuart Crews of Long Island, Virginia and Elliott completing the top five.

Drew Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia, the division points leader entering the event, finished eighth in the first race and seventh in the second race.

Johnny Layne Earns Win In 25-Lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Race

Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division points leader Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia earned his seventh win of the season Saturday night in the 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race that was part of Saturday night’s Boone Tractor Race Night presented by New Holland and Gravely event at South Boston Speedway.

Layne won the pole and led the entire race in taking the win over runner-up Jay Hemenway of Wake Forest, North Carolina. Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia finished third with B.J. Reaves and Zach Reaves, both of South Boston, Virginia, rounding out the top five finishers.

Chris Penick Prevails In The 20-Lap Dollar General Hornets Division Race

The victory may not have come exactly the way Chris Penick wanted, but the Evington, Virginia resident emerged with the victory in the Dollar General Hornets Division race nonetheless.

Penick took the checkered flag and yellow caution flag simultaneously, crossing the finish line .203-second ahead of division points leader Landon Milam of Keeling, Virginia as the crash-filled race was stopped after 12 of the scheduled 20 laps. The win was his second win of the season.

Kendall Milam of Keeling, Virginia finished third, Andrea Ruotolo of South Boston, Virginia finished fourth and Kristian Armstead of Martinsville, Virginia finished fifth in the 13-car field.

The race was punctuated by four caution flags. It was stopped twice for a total time of more than nine minutes.

UNOFFICIAL Results

Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car - Feature 1

1 0 Pembelton, Landon

2 6M McCarty, Bobby

3 8W Weddell, Conner

4 1 Grady, Andrew

5 33 Harville, Dillon

6 77W Ward, Trevor

7 77 Stallings, Blake

8 26 Sellers, Peyton

9 08 McCaskill, Deac

10 2 Pierce, Brandon

11 05 Bailey, Mason

12 12 Peregoy, Zach

13 50 Pittman, Raymond

14 8F Fogleman, Tate

15 22 Reaves, BJ

Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car - Feature 2

1 0 Pembelton, Landon

2 77W Ward, Trevor

3 8W Weddell, Conner

4 77 Stallings, Blake

5 26 Sellers, Peyton

6 1 Grady, Andrew

7 8F Fogleman, Tate

8 08 McCaskill, Deac

9 2 Pierce, Brandon

10 05 Bailey, Mason

11 12 Peregoy, Zach

12 6M McCarty, Bobby

13 50 Pittman, Raymond

14 22 Reaves, BJ

Budweiser Limited Sportsman - Feature 1

1 18 Brunelli, Tristan

2 88R Rundstrom, Brian

3 91 Elliott, Chris

4 1 Holdren, Dennis

5 88 Dawson, Justin

6 2 Daniel, Trace III

7 45 Crews, Stuart

8 8 Dawson, Drew

9 5 Peregoy, Beverly

10 33 Rogers, Dan

11 62 Mountcasel, Ross

12 01 Dawson, Jared

13 22S Penick, Jordaine

14 08 Dettor, Austin

Budweiser Limited Sportsman - Feature 2

1 88R Rundstrom, Brian

2 18 Brunelli, Tristan

3 88 Dawson, Justin

4 45 Crews, Stuart

5 91 Elliott, Chris

6 2 Daniel, Trace III

7 8 Dawson, Drew

8 1 Holdren, Dennis

9 33 Rogers, Dan

10 5 Peregoy, Beverly

11 01 Dawson, Jared

12 62 Mountcasel, Ross

13 22S Penick, Jordaine

Southside Disposal Pure Stocks

1 9 Layne, Johnny

2 12 Hemenway, Jay

3 63 Davis, Dillon

4 11 Reaves, Barry

5 77 Reaves, Zach

6 17 Allred, Joe III

7 97 Haley, Aaron

8 10 Mayo, Anna

9 28 Milam, Kendall

Dollar General Hornets

1 24 Penick, Chris

2 83 Milam, Landon

3 83C Milam, Kendall

4 12 Ruotolo, Andrea

5 76 Armstead, Kristian

6 4 Barrett, Nick

7 0 Tatum, Mack

8 28 Mullins, Cliff

9 33 Sangillo, Christian

10 29 Moss, Cameron

11 18 Goble, Cameron

12 54 DeCarlo, Jason

13 27 Sykes, Nicholas

Next Event At South Boston Speedway

NASCAR Local Racing Series powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts action returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, August 22 with the Davenport Energy Race Night event featuring a 100-lap race for the Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car Division.

The six-race Davenport Energy Race Night event will also feature a 50-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and twin 15-lap races for the Dollar General Hornets Division.

In addition, the Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club will make its third and final visit of the season to South Boston Speedway. A 35-lap race is set for the club’s racers and teams.

The Saturday, August 22 event schedule has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m., practice starting at 3:25 p.m., frontstretch grandstand gates opening at 3:30 p.m., trackside parking gates opening at 5:30 p.m., qualifying at 6 p.m., pre-race ceremonies starting at 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night starting at 7 p.m.

Adult advance tickets are priced at $12 each. Adult admission at the gate on race day is $15. Suite passes are $40 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, veterans and miliary personnel, first responders, healthcare workers and students with ID may purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free.