Drew Dawson Leaps to Best Season Start at South Boston Speedway

Race Win, Trio Of Top-2 Finishes Gives Dawson Points Lead Entering May 2 Event

By Joe Chandler

Director, Public Relations

South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, VA (April 28, 2026) – A lot can change from one season to another. For Drew Dawson, his fortunes have changed overwhelmingly for the better.

The Nathalie, Virginia driver has put together a notable record over the past five years while competing in South Boston Speedway’s Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division. He has logged four wins, 31 Top-5 finishes and 45 Top-10 finishes in a total of 56 starts and has finished third in the division point standings in three of the five years.

This season things are different – much different.

The start of the 2026 season has seen Dawson leap out to the best start of his career. He earned a win and a second-place finish in the twin-race event on April 18, earned his first pole award in qualifying for the division’s season-opener on April 4, has finished no worse than second in the season’s first three races, and, for the first time, leads the division point standings-albeit by a narrow one-point margin.

“It feels amazing to finally be able to compete for wins,” Dawson said with a smile. “Last year we were probably a Top-5 car. Even though we got a win, I felt like I was a Top-5 car in practice and sometimes in the race.”

Dawson is grateful for the win and runner-up finish in the twin 30-lap races on April 18.

“I can’t thank the Good Lord above enough for blessing me with great runs,” Dawson said. “It’s very hard to do when you have to start the second race ninth and miss about five wrecks. Every wreck was right there in front of my face. I was lucky to miss them.”

Winning his first career Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division pole at the division’s season opener on April 4 was also a big accomplishment for Dawson.

“I was very surprised,” he noted. “I knew I had a very fast racecar, but I knew there were a couple of others like Nathan Crews that are really good in qualifying. I just knew he (Crews) was going to beat me by a little bit, but, thankfully, I got to bring home my first pole.”

Drew’s father, Bobby Dawson, and everyone on the Dawson Motorsports team is every bit as excited about his early-season success.

“All of us are excited about Drew,” he remarked. “I’m proud of him. This is why we do it. This is the strongest he has ever started a season. Drew is really after the division championship this year, and I can tell it. He is more focused on what he’s doing. If nothing goes wrong, this could be his year.”

Both Drew Dawson and his father credit a better-handling racecar for the surge in results.

“Toward the end of last year, we got Trey Crews to help us with the car,” Bobby Dawson explained. “He made a few adjustments, and we’ve come out fast this season. Drew really likes the car. He likes the way the car is handling. Every time he gets out of the car, he says it feels good. We really don’t know what to do to it to make it faster.”

“I’m not really sure where we found it (the source of the improvement),” Drew added. “We just know the car is turning pretty well. I can’t thank Stephen Trickey and my dad and my crew enough. They work on the car so much at the shop and at the track trying to make sure everything is right. Everything is just working really well for me right now.”

While Dawson is enjoying the position he finds himself in, he is hoping the Dawson Motorsports team can elevate the performance of his brothers, Justin and Jared, who also compete in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division. Both have had their struggles early this season.

Drew Dawson (right) hugs brother Justin Dawson after Drew's Limited Sportsman victory on April 18.

“I wish my brothers were doing better,” he said. “My dad is taking measurements off of my car trying to get the other two cars right. I’d love to have my brothers up front racing with me. Hopefully we can get a 1-2-3 finish among ourselves before the season is over with. That would be the goal.”

Bobby Dawson concurred.

“I wish I could get the other two up there,” he remarked. “We try hard and we work on one car just as much as we do the others. Right now, we’re working more on Justin and Jared’s cars trying to get them better. I would love to see all three of them racing for the win. That would be a story.”

Next up for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division is a 50-lap race that will be part of the six-race Viny’s Italian Restaurant & Italian Delight Family Restaurant Race Night event on Saturday night, May 2 South Boston Speedway.

Twin 75-lap races for the Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car Division will headline the action for the first night race of the 2026 season. Fans will also see a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and twin 15-lap races for the Dollar General Hornets Division.

The Saturday, May 2 event schedule has 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 military 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.