SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (August 31, 2022) -- One of the most dramatic nights of racing in recent years at South Boston Speedway is on the horizon as the battles for the South Boston Speedway NASCAR track title and the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship between Layne Riggs and Peyton Sellers intensify Saturday night, Sept. 3 when the speedway hosts the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event.
Riggs’ lead over Sellers in the NASCAR national point standings has dwindled to eight points, the smallest margin of the season. Sellers was 16 points down to Sellers a week ago but gained ground by winning twin races at Dominion Raceway last weekend while Riggs had finishes of eighth and second.
In the battle for the South Boston Speedway NASCAR track championship, Riggs holds a 20-point lead over Sellers. Jacob Borst, who trails Sellers by two points and stands 22 points behind Riggs, also has a shot at the South Boston Speedway title and could be a spoiler if either or both Riggs and Sellers encounter misfortune Saturday night.
Multiple scenarios could play out in the twin 65-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division races headlining the final points event of the season at South Boston Speedway, all impacting the national and track points chases.
While the battle for the South Boston Speedway NASCAR track championship is a three-way affair, the battle between Riggs and Sellers is the one that most eyes are focusing on.
“It’s going to be a dogfight to the end,” the Danville, Virginia resident remarked of the NASCAR national title chase. “We’ve just got to go win races and run well. We’ve just got to keep winning, and it will play out.”
The solid night and improvement in performance Sellers and his team saw in South Boston Speedway’s Aug. 20 twinbill has given the six-time South Boston Speedway NASCAR track champion a boost.
“We got very close and had a good night,” Sellers said following the event. “These 99 guys (Riggs and his team) are on their game this year. We’ve just been off a little bit. I feel like we’re inching up.”
Sellers says he and his team will maintain the same approach they have had all season entering Saturday night’s twin 65-lap races and the remainder of the national championship points season which ends Sept. 17.
“We can’t change what we’re doing,” the defending NASCAR national champion pointed out. “We’re just going to try to win races, try to get our car the best we can, and the pieces will have to fall in place.”
Riggs, like Sellers, is focused on the NASCAR national points chase. He also wants to capture the South Boston Speedway NASCAR track title.
“The NASCAR national title is the big picture and is my main focus,” the Bahama, North Carolina resident said. “Winning the South Boston championship is an extra bonus to add on to it. Great people and legends have come out of South Boston Speedway to go on and do great things.”
Riggs has no plans to change anything he and his team are doing as they look toward Saturday’s season finale at South Boston Speedway and the remainder of the NASCAR national points season.
“Being smart behind the wheel and keeping the nose on the car week-in and week-out is what has kept me up front in these races, having consistent wins and leading this championship (chase),” Riggs explained. “We’re going to keep going for wins. South Boston Speedway and Dominion Raceway are the two tracks we’re going to race at every weekend until Sept. 17. I’ve got to keep beating the 26 car (Sellers) if we’re going to win the championship.”
Riggs noted it has been good to compete with Sellers and his team for the South Boston Speedway and NASCAR national championships.
“It’s a privilege to race against them,” he pointed out. “Peyton and I, the way we can race hard, rub and come out with just a couple of donuts on the cars and can shake hands at the end of the race, that’s what true champions do.”
Borst is sitting in the wings right on the heels of Riggs and Sellers. The Elon, North Carolina resident sits in third place in the South Boston Speedway point standings and has a shot at the track championship, and a shot at grabbing second place in the track point standings.
“We’ll go in there like we do every weekend and just worry about ourselves and run our race,” Borst explained. “We’ll run as quick as we can and try to get a win or a top-three finish. Our goal this season was three wins. We’ve got two right now. I’d like to get one more win.”
The Sept. 3 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event will be action-packed with seven races scheduled for the evening. All four of South Boston Speedway’s NASCAR-sanctioned racing division championships are up for grabs in Saturday night’s event.
Along with the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races there will be twin 30-lap races for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division and a 20-lap race for the Mills Family Practice Champ Karts.
Saturday’s Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night race-day schedule has practice starting at 3:30 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m., qualifying begins at 6 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $10 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, through Friday night, Sept. 2. Advance tickets may also be purchased 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 night will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $10 each at the gate on race night.
The latest news and updates for fans competitors can be found on the speedway’s website, southbostonspeedway.com, and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.