Pulliam Bookends With Twin LMSC Wins, Weller Wins PASS at SoBo

Story by: Chris Romano/Contributor
PASS Photo by: Pro Photo Productions
 
South Boston, VA(August 30, 2010) -- Lee Pulliam dominated Late Model action at South Boston on Saturday night, dominating both 75-lap features while Jimmy Weller took his fist PASS South victory of his career in the Super Late Model 150-lap event.

Twenty-one Late Models took the green, with Pulliam starting from pole and edging out a lead over Peyton Sellars and David Latour. The yellow flew early on lap three for debris in turn one and on the restart Philip Morris took over third spot.

That was pretty much the race for the top three. On lap fifteen Natalie Sather spun in turn two brining out the second caution of the evening. The green lasted only another nine laps when six cars wadded up in turn one, with Austin Thaxton getting the worst of it, shortening up the front of his car against the wall.

There was no change in the top three but Jeb Burton moved to fourth, followed by Nick Smith and Justin Johnson. On lap thirty-seven the back of the field piled into each other on the front stretch, with six cars blocking the track and Michael Hardin's machine erupting in flames. The fire was quickly contained and there were no injuries.

While Pulliam continued in the lead the best race of the evening was between Smith and Johnson, but that ended in tears on lap forty-eight when they got together. Johnson was able to resume in tenth.
 

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With the herd sufficiently thinned the race remained green until the end, with Morris and Sellars swapping positions in the closing laps. Pulliam took an easy win, followed by Morris and Sellars, Burton, Dustin Storm and Matt Waltz. Matt Bowling, Justin Johnson end Eddie Johnson rounded out the top ten.

Twenty PASS Super Late Models took the green for their 150 lap feature, with Steven Legendre pulling into the lead from pole, followed by Jay Fogelman and Trey Mitchell. Fogelman quickly faded to seventh as Mitchell, Jimmy Weller, Ryan Blaney and Heath Hindman moved up to challenge the leader.

On lap twenty-two William Hoose and Scott Patton got together in turn three, bringing out the first caution.

Andy Loden came out of nowhere on the restart and passed everyone on the outside to take the lead. It was brief but brilliant. Fifteen laps later Loden came around with a very sick sounding motor and Legendre resumed the top spot. Mitchell was running in second but the fastest car on the track was Blaney.

The caution flew again on lap sixty-two when John Stancill and Grant Davidson wrecked in turn three. On the restart Blaney moved to second and three laps later took the lead. Legendre dropped back to fourth as Mitchell and Weller rounded out the top three.

Another yellow flew on lap ninety-three when David Quackenbush, Alex Fleming and points leader Preston Peltier crashed in turn one. Weller moved to second on the restart. Ten laps later Justin Wakefield and Legendre came together in turn three.

The restart was a good one for Hindman as he moved to third and was challenging Weller for second. That prompted Weller to get up on the wheel and with thirty laps to go he was on hit teammate Blaney's bumper. On lap one hundred twenty-seven Weller took the lead. After laying back for the entire race Fogelman began a late charge and took third from Hindman with eighteen to go.

A final caution flew for a minor spin in turn two, and from there Weller hung on for his first PASS South win. Blaney followed in second while Fogelman settled for third. Mitchell came on strong in the end to take fourth from Hindman, bringing Clay Jones along for fifth. Hindman, Devin Jones, Legendre, Ryan Moore and Peltier rounded out the top ten.

Sixteen Late Models queued up for their second 75-lap feature and Sellars made a good start to take the lead from Pulliam and Morris. Pulliam wasn't about to let opportunity pass by and fought hard to take the lead, succeeding on lap fourteen.

And that was it. The green stayed on until two to go when Justin Johnson, trying to clinch his second Sobo championship, slid into the wall in turn four when a tire cut down while holding onto fifth. Sellars got one more chance on the green-white-checker restart but this was Pulliam's night and he took his fifth win of the season.

Sellars and Morris once again rounded out the top three with Nick Smith in fourth. The drama in the last lap was for fifth as Leigh Caruthers boinked Jeb Burton in turn two, moving him up the track, and that was good enough to take the spot.

Results:
LMSC Race #1:
1 - Lee Pulliam #3
2 - Philip Morris #26
3 - Peyton Sellars #83
4 - Jeb Burton #27
5 - Dustin Storm #16
6 - Matt Waltz #2
7 - Matt Bowling #88
8 - Justin Johnson #44
9 - Eddie Johnson #57
10 - Stacy Puryear #17
11 - Natalie Sather #94
12 - Nick Smith #12
13 - Ronald Hill #74
14 - Michael Hardin #77
15 - Lawrence Boan #50
16 - Richard Storm #07
17 - Chris Comstock #28
18 - David Latour #89
19 - Leigh Caruthers #11
20 Austin Thaxton #22
21 - Bruce Anderson #9

LMSC Race #2:
1 - Lee Pulliam #3
2 - Peyton Sellars #82
3 - Philip Morris #26
4 - Nick Smith #12
5 - Lee Caruthers #11
6 - Jeb Burton #27
7 - Justin Johnson #44
8 - Eddie Johnson #57
9 - Matt Waltz #2
10 - Natlie Sather #94
11 - Ronald Hill #74
12 - Stacy Puryear #17
13 - Matt Bowling #88
14 - Lawrence Boan #50
15 - Dustin Storm #16
16 - Richard Storm #07

PASS South:
1 - Jimmy Weller #23
2 - Ryan Blaney #10
3 - Jay Fogleman #4
4 - Trey Mitchell #47
5 - Clay Jones #15
6 - Heath Hindman #91
7 - Devin Jones #35
8 - Steve Legendre #20
9 - Ryan Moore #74
10 - Preston Peltier #26
11 - Tim Pinion #42
12 - Alex Flemming #05
13 - John Stancil #20
14 - Justin Wakefield #98
15 - David Quackenbush #91
16 - John Batten #48
17 - Andy Loden #29
18 - Grant Davidson #00
19 - Scott Patton #02
20 - William Hoose #79