CARS Tour Preview: Trevor Ward Looking To Take Momentum From Successful Season Into Saturday’s Late Model Event

Harrison Burton, Keelan Harvick Headline Stout Pro Late Model Field

By Joe Chandler

Director, Public Relations

South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, VA (September 10, 2025) – Trevor Ward is looking to take the experience and momentum he gained in this season’s historic chase for the South Boston Speedway track championship and spur it into a successful outing when the zMAX CARS Tour makes its annual stop at South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, September 13 for the zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Race Night event.

Ward will be driving the No. 12 car out of the Nelson Motorsports stable in Saturday’s 125-lap zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Tour race.

“I’m going to run the next three with these guys,” Ward said, “and I want to put on strong performances. I’m super thrilled to be able to race for those guys and have them believing in me and supporting me to drive one of their cars. I’d love to get them a win before the end of the season and build some momentum with them.”

Team owner Barry Nelson is looking forward to having Ward on board to race with the Nelson Motorsports team for Saturday’s race.

“Trevor has experience at South Boston,” Nelson remarked. “He’s been driving for Nelson Motorsports, and helping us out this year, too. He absolutely could win it. Our cars usually do well there and he gives us a great chance. Along with Carson (Carson Loftin, driver of the Nelson Motorsports No. 22), they’re going to put on a show and I’m hoping for a 1-2 finish.”

Ward, the runner-up in the South Boston Speedway title chase, finished his season with six wins, 15 Top-5 finishes and 16 Top-10 finishes in his 18 starts. That level of success and his experience at the .4-mile oval could give the Winston-Salem, North Carolina resident an advantage in Saturday’s 125-lap race.

“Racing here at South Boston Speedway should give me a little advantage,” Ward said. “All of the guys on the CARS Tour are super competitive. It’s a hard race to win. It’s just as easy to finish tenth as it is to finish first. Everybody is going to be so close.

“I might know which way the track transitions,” Ward continued, “but there will be more cars that we’re used to seeing on a weekly show. The track will be a little bit different, but I think learning that curveball is just one thing we’ve got to learn to be competitive. I pretty much know what I need to feel to be competitive.”

Nelson has sponsored South Boston Speedway’s zMAX CARS Tour events for multiple years through his business, AutosByNelson.com.

“It’s our hometown track,” Nelson explained. “I want to support South Boston Speedway and the CARS Tour, too. We enjoy this great track and it’s always a great race. I love when the CARS Tour comes to our area. It’s one of the most competitive racing series in the United States. Folks need to come on out, enjoy the atmosphere and, of course, a world-famous bologna burger.”

Another of South Boston Speedway’s regular competitors, Kyle Dudley of Roanoke, Virginia has entered Saturday’s 125-lap zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Tour race.

“I’m super excited to be getting back to race at SoBo,” said Dudley who posted three Top-10 finishes in his six starts at South Boston Speedway this season. “This will be our first CARS Tour race in a couple seasons, and I know the competition is going to be tough, but we’re going to bring a good car and try and build some momentum for Martinsville and maybe a couple other big races coming up this fall.”

Connor Hall of Hampton, Virginia, who drives for JR Motorsports, heads into Saturday’s race looking for his third straight South Boston Speedway win and his first zMAX CARS Tour win at South Boston Speedway. Hall won the track’s prestigious “200” in both 2024 and 2025.

“I love coming to South Boston,” Hall said. “It’s a world-class facility in the world of short tracks, has great racing, and I’m excited to come back after our back-to-back Triple Crown wins there.”

Landon Huffman, who heads into Saturday’s race in fifth place in the series points and has four Top-5 finishes in his 12 starts on the zMAX CARS Tour, is looking forward to Saturday’s event.

“I’m excited to come back to SoBo after the speed we had during the 200 weekend,” Huffman remarked.

“South Boston has been a good track for me over the last few years, and our Carroll Speedshop racecars are really fast here as of late. Knocking on the door of our first win, I think it’s in the cards this weekend if we execute and do what we do.”

In addition to the 125-lap zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Tour race fans will see a 100-lap zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model Tour race. The entry list for both races is stout with 28 Late Model Stock Cars and 13 Pro Late Model cars entered.

NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Harrison Burton, son of South Boston, Virginia native and former NASCAR Cup Series standout Jeff Burton, will compete in Saturday’s 100-lap ZMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model Tour race driving a car out of the Rick Ware Racing stable.

Saturday’s race will be Burton’s first zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model Tour race. He made 10 starts in the former CARS Tour Super Late Model division, with his one victory coming in 2017 at Concord Speedway. Ware’s team has three wins on the tour this season.

Also entered in the zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour race is Keelan Harvick, the son of former NASCAR Cup Series standout Kevin Harvick. Harvick has two wins, four Top-5 finishes, and 6 Top-10 finishes in his eight starts in the series this season.

In addition to the two ZMAX CARS Tour races fans attending Saturday night’s event will be treated to a drifting demonstration staged by professional drift drivers. The drifting demonstration will take place between the two races. It will serve as a preview for the SoBo Drifts event to be held at South Boston Speedway on Saturday afternoon, October 4.

After the final race of the night there will be a special fireworks display presented by Italian Delight Family Restaurant.

South Boston Speedway and Hitachi Energy are giving fans attending Saturday’s event at South Boston Speedway the chance to wave the green flag at the beginning of the night’s two feature races.

Fans attending Saturday’s event are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to the event to be donated to the Feed Halifax organization. Feed Halifax will have a trailer set up to accept donations during the event. Each non-perishable item donated will earn a fan one chance at being chosen to wave the green flag at one of two late model features on the night.

Fans will be given a numbered ticket for each item donated. Winners will be chosen and announced during the on-track autograph session at approximately 6 p.m. One winner will be given the opportunity to wave the green flag for the zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model feature and the second winner will be given the opportunity to wave the green flag for the Late Model Stock Car feature Saturday night.

Advance adult tickets for the zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Race Night event are priced at $20. Tickets at the gate on race day will be $25 each. Suite tickets are available for $45 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $20 each at the gate only on the day of the event.

The tentative Saturday race day schedule has the garage opening at 11 a.m. with rotating practice from 12:25 p.m. to 2 p.m. Fronstretch grandstand gates will open at 12:30 p.m. The Turn 4 and backstretch gates are slated to open at 4:30 p.m. Single-car qualifying starts at 4:40 p.m. A driver autograph session will be held from 5:45 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. Pre-race ceremonies are set for 6:30 p.m. and the first race will start at 7 p.m.

The latest news and updates about the September 13 zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Race Night event and all South Boston Speedway events can be found on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours, and through the track’s social media channels.