Event Preview: Pembelton Could Be a Spoiler in South Boston Speedway’s Late Model Stock Car Championship Chase

By Joe Chandler

Director, Public Relations

South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, VA (September 4, 2025) – While the spotlight is tightly focused on the tie at the top of the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division point standings between former NASCAR national champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia and Trevor Ward of Winston-Salem, North Carolina heading into the Saturday night, September 6 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event at South Boston Speedway, a spoiler could possibly come into play.

That spoiler could be Landon Pembelton.

Neither Sellers, who is bidding for a record-breaking eighth career South Boston Speedway championship, nor Ward, who is chasing his first championship, can forget about Pembelton.

The Amelia, Virginia resident stands just eight points behind the two leaders and could be the spoiler in the championship chase if he wins Saturday night’s 100-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division race, the final points race of the 2025 season at South Boston Speedway, and Sellers and Ward stumble.

“This last race is going to be a dogfight,” Pembelton remarked. “This thing is going to go down to the wire. I’m looking forward to it.”

There are multiple scenarios in which Pembelton could earn his first career South Boston Speedway Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division title. One of those scenarios is if he wins the race and Sellers and Ward finish ninth or worse. Another scenario is Pembelton can win the championship if he starts at the rear of the field, wins the race, and Sellers and Ward finish eighth or worse. A third scenario is that if none of the three drivers wins the race and Pembelton finishes nine positions ahead of Sellers and Ward, he can win the championship.

Pembelton arguably has the best overall record among the three title contenders over the last three races with a second-place finish, a third-place finish and a win. Ward has a 10th-place finish, a win, and a second-place finish in his last three races. Sellers has a third-place finish, a fourth-place finish, and a fifth-place finish in his last three starts. Ward and Pembelton split wins in the twin-race event on August 23 at South Boston Speedway.

Saturday night’s 100-lap race will be the longest single race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division since the 200-lap race on June 28. Pembelton sees that as a good thing.

“I think it’s going to play into our favor,” Pembelton said. “This car (the car driven to the August 23 win) seems to be better on the longer runs. If we qualify in the top four or top five, it’s going to be okay.”

Pembelton sees the pressure factor in his favor as well.

“I have no pressure on me,” Pembelton pointed out. “I’ve just got to go into it, not tear up the racecar, finish the race, and it all will play out how it should.”

All four of South Boston Speedway’s division championships will be determined in Saturday night’s Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event. Along with the 100-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division race there will be 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 Dollar General Hornets Division.

A special Championship Night Fireworks Show presented by Italian Delight Family Restaurant will follow the final race of the night.

Zach Peregoy of Clarksville, Virginia leads Tristan Brunelli of Powhatan, Virginia by 18 points in the title chase in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division. South Boston, Virginia resident B.J. Reaves, who is seeking a second straight Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division title, has a 25-point advantage over Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia entering Saturday night’s 25-lap Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division race.

Jason DeCarlo of Chase City, Virginia, who is seeking his second career Dollar General Hornets Division championship, leads Landon Milam of Keeling, Virginia by 14 points entering the final race of the season.

Advance adult tickets for the Saturday, September 6 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event are priced at $12. Tickets at the gate on race day will be $15 each. Suite tickets are available for $40 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate only on the day of the event.

Saturday’s tentative race-day schedule has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. and practice going from 3:25 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. Frontstretch grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. and backstretch and Turn 4 trackside parking gates open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying starts at 6 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

The latest news and updates about the September 6 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship 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.