To put it right out there, this was not the original plan. The calendar earlier in the week had the weekend marked for a road trip to Richmond to check out some pavey, dirty, joker-lappy action. As the weekend approached, it became apparent there were some “family” necessities that needed looking after which poached the original plan. With that, a secondary plan of slightly less “action” had been presented by the party of the “better half”. As Richmond was no longer a possibility, and the emergency of family had been notched, there was no real reason to decline.
The short of it was attendance and display at a craft show. (Yes… Really…) Vendors of homey, makey things set up to sell wares to folks who enjoy the art of hand made novelty and display.
To be clear… Some folks work very hard with their talents and skills to create beautiful things of many descriptions. Some simply re-sell the trinkets they have purchased elsewhere as a “middle man”. With that, when you find yourself at a “craft show” (and, at some point, you will…) please take a moment or two to learn the difference.
For the alternate plan, there was a fortunate turn. The crafty display was alongside a car show. Technically, the correct term would be a “cruise in”. This may be best described as a “drive by” car show. Sure, some folks parked and chatted and lifted hoods and pointed at bits and compared specs but mostly just made a circuit or two and drove away. Later, after a cruise about and around, many then reappeared to do the same a little later.
It has become somewhat common for craft shows to mix with car shows. Perhaps, as the wife is a crafter of pottery, it is more noticeable and visible. Either way, it does make for a good mix of interests.
This rolling car show was promoted by “Cruisin’ Rocky Mount” for the first Saturday a month from early Spring into almost Winter. Set against the slightly rural town of Rocky Mount, VA the venue for the turn around or sit and chat changes each month. For this one in early September, the setting was the Lowes on highway 40 on the east edge of town. A good mix of vintage muscle, rat rods, recent rides and streamlined style rolled by or stopped to chill. It was a relaxing Saturday evening for casual shopping, maybe a hot dog and lemonade, and some views of classic cars.
Photos of coming and going and parking – “Cruisin’ Rocky Mount” – Lowes on 9-7-2024
To more or less quote a beer ad… “I don’t always go to South Boston – But when I do it’s a great time”.
SoBo always presents a good show. Loyal fans and racers chasing the checkers always mix well and these folks do strive to keep those fans coming in. For this evening it was a season crowning of track champions that brought them in for front stretch seating or their favorite spot around the perimeter. There was also a sense of “anything can happen” to roll a fan favorite off the running or place a trophy in their hands. That is racing the real South Boston way.
Yes, there was some bent steel and shattered egos. The yellow flag did fly a few times but close racing and pushing for position to win or gain that championship will cause a spin or two… Or a hood to fly off…
Focusing first with the main event, which actually ran last before a nightcap of fireworks, the track championship and a season win were on the table. As it happened, it was indeed split among two drivers. The race win went to 2023 track champion, Carter Langley. Mike Looney gave them all a run for a bit but the stop break at lap 100 set an even re-start and Langley pulled away with Looney in the mirrors.
The pole winner, Blake Stallings, was caught in an early mash up which also collected Kyle Dudley, Stacy Puryear and a visting Jeb Burton. These 4 drivers were unable to catch the leading 3 of Langley, Looney and Peyton Sellers, although a chasing bid for Burton did put him across in the 4th spot. Jacob Borst crossed in the top 5.
Carter Langley (trophy) with Halifax County Farm Bureau reps Dave Ashwell, Steve Bowen, Garland Comer, Holly Covington, Robert Mills
Peyton Sellers crossed the line in 3rd and was enough to claim the 2024 track championship for the Sentara Health Late Models division at South Boston. Sellers is a repeat champion with 2024 being his 7th. He last won the track title in 2021 and now ties David Blankenship who took his 7th back in 1998.
Budweiser Limited Sportsman Champion Jason Myers, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Champion Jordaine Penick, Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Champion Peyton Sellers, Southside Disposal Pure Stock Champion B.J. Reaves
The Budweiser Limited Sportsman saw a repeat of the crown from 2023. Jason Myers needed the win to take the title as he was trailing Eric Winslow by just 1 point coming into the weekend. Nathan Crews also had a shot but an early crash settled his chances.
Jason Myers (race winner / champion) with Halifax County Farm Bureau’s David Ashwell and Holly Covington in Victory Lane
Myers won the pole and raced up front green to checkers with Winslow crossing just over a second behind. The win gave Myers the championship by 1 point over Winslow. Karl Budzevski came over in third with two brothers, Justin and Drew Dawson, filling the top five at the line.
Jason DeCarlo (Race winner – VA State Police HEAT Hornets) with Halifax County Farm Bureau’s David Ashwell and Holly Covington
Racing was hot with the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets and this one showed that consistency pays off. Sixteen-year-old Jordaine Penick may not have won the checkers but she won the title. Her 5th place at the line was enough to carry the season. Her title marked the 2nd female to win a division championship. Terri Marks won the Grand Stock title in 2004 and was at the track to greet Penick. Jason DeCarlo won the the race as his 2nd victory in a row at SoBo. Cameron Goble came over in the 2nd spot. Cameron Moss, Dustin Davis and Penick filled the top five. Davis, also of note, had won the pole to start.
2024 Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets champion Jordaine Penick with 2004 Grand Stock champion Terri Marks
There were two Southside Disposal Pure Stock races. One to start the evening and another before the main late model show. It was a bit of a gift but a win is a win. Defending division champ Johnny Layne had the season on a string with 5 wins, the most laps and the most poles. A favorite in all aspects, Layne took a family “time out” for the finale leaving nothing but good words for whoever took over the lead.
Southside Disposal Pure Stock Winners Left: Scott Phillips (Race 1 winner) with Halifax County Farm Bureau’s Holly Covington Right: B.J. Reaves (Race 2 winner) celebrating the win and division championship
A 2nd place and a win in the two evening events gave that lead to South Boston local driver B.J. Reaves. Scott Phillips won the first race with B.J. just behind. Zach Reaves, Kendall Milam and Bruce Mayo sealed the top five in the first of the two races. The latter was taken by B.J., with Dillon Davis in at 2nd. Scott Phillips came across in 3rd with Milam and Colby Pool in the top 5.
The CARS Tour is coming up and it looks like the SMART Modifieds are coming in October.
Photos are compiled with personalities from the evening and mixed with contributions from DOS Images. Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night at South Boston Speedway (August 31, 2024)
Late season racing raised the tempo and pressure on the racing and the points at Virginia International Raceway. The IMSA WeatherTech weekend featured good weather and plenty of variety on the track for the fans but turned the tables a bit on the standings.
The main event on Sunday, the Michelin GT Challenge, put some “firsts” across the checkers and pulled the reigns a bit on the championship runners. GTD Pro and GTD had season firsts with Paul Miller Racing and their BMW M4 GT3 and the Korthoff/Preston Motorsports team with their Mercedes-AMG GT3. These wins added points as AO Racing kept their lead but a challenging day allowed the Miller BMW to gain some GTD Pro ground with two races remaining. The GTD win may not ding too hard at the overall lead of Winward Racing but the Mercedes adds to the manufacturer lead.
The day before it was Porsche vs Porsche with the RS1 #38 running early and the BGB Motorsport #28 taking the late half to the win in the GS class. It was close quarters wheel to wheel as the laps ran down for the TCR class with the Montreal Motorsport Group Honda running with the Victor Gonzalez Racing Hyundai. The Honda won out with turns to spare.
The VP Sports Car Challenge ran a pair over the weekend combining the P3 Prototypes and GSX class sports cars. The P3 was first and second for both with FastMD Racing and MLT Motorsports. KOHR Motorsports took both in the GSX class. Auto Technic Racing came in 2nd on day 1 but luck was off on day 2 with a DNF.
The Mazda MX-5 Cup put 25 cars on the track and also ran races Saturday and Sunday. Late season racing had placed the talent in a block up front with the top 6 trading positions behind the duel winner, Jeremy Fletcher of McCumbee McAleer Racing. It’s a comparison of talent with the running order for those 6 spots in each race: Jeremy Fletcher, Westin Workman(R), Gresham Wagner, Jared Thomas, Jonathan Neudorf, Nate Cicero Jeremy Fletcher, Jared Thomas, Gresham Wagner, Westin Workman(R), Nate Cicero, Jonathan Neudorf
*As a side note, Monday following the weekend of racing the Mazdas were down the road at Martinsville Speedway testing for an upcoming race on the famous short track oval.*
Filling the weekend at VIR was a touch of NASCAR irony as the Mazdas look ahead to Martinsville. Private owners and history cars of NASCAR past were out for an exhibition of hot laps on the road course. A Jimmie Johnson “Car Of Tomorrow” was out. Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliot cars were out. A Wood Brothers #21 was turning laps as the current #21 was taking a win at Daytona. A Richard Petty car was out which was fitting as “Petty’s Garage” was the presenting sponsor, complete with a Friday appearance by the “King” himself.
The points across the series are a little shaken and closer together with the season closing fast. (Full results / current standings online at IMSA.com) The IMSA event at VIR is always full of color and car variety against a beautiful, countryside backdrop. It is also a draw for excitement on the track as the points are on crunch time as the haulers roll into VIR. Mark your calendars ahead for August 22-24 of 2025 for their return with a similar rush on late season points.
IMSA Photo Gallery – Friday to Sunday (August 23-25, 2024) – Virginia International Raceway
The season is deep into August and the car shows roll on. From fund raisers to enthusiast gatherings there can usually be a show within a half hour of driving on any given weekend from April to October.
Racing schedules roll out at tracks with events, local and national, that also draw in often enough. However, the saying is quite true that you can’t do everything. A weekend away from racing and, as it may, cars still make a pull on the time. For car fans, the track may be a draw for any number of reasons and the “car show” is often overlooked. That leaves a lot on the table, or the parking lot, that could be time well spent with fellow “car folk”.
On a Saturday between NASCAR at Richmond and IMSA at Virginia International Raceway, the Star City Cruisers held one of their bigger events at the Salem Civic Center. Cars, trucks, bikes… All were represented. Race cars, daily drivers, trailer queens and garage keepers were on display with stories of color and chrome. It is beyond amazing the sheer variety of style and personality that automobiles present. Two cars that rolled off the assembly line nose to tail could be parked side by side and the years of travel, handling and owners now show two completely different stories. It doesn’t matter if they are stone stock or modified well into a showcase of speed and spectacle, they heart of the car can be the heart of a dream.
Photos – Star City Cruisers 33rd Annual Car Show – Salem Civic Center – August 17, 2024
Now… Skip ahead 24 hours. The same lot and the same time of day on this particular weekend presented a totally different bit of “car show”. This one was more involved with the car being showcased for what it was designed for. Driving!
The SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) holds dedicated track events with big money and organization and rules and drivers who take racing to a semi-pro, or even all-pro, level of dedication. They also sanction events such as this one on a Sunday in a parking lot. Autocross allows practically anyone to test their driving on a set course against any number of other enthusiasts. It’s racing without the “racing”. There is no side by side, nudging a nose in to take the spot with a little paint as the trade. Autocross is the car and driver against the clock and those times are the challenge to beat. Marshalls are stationed along the course and trade off volunteer time as part of the cost of driving against friends and other club members.
The “track” is marked with traffic cones. Some are down pointing like arrows as to direction for turns or course boundaries. Divisions are set for “novice” and up to more experienced drivers with cars of different levels of performance.
It is all taken very seriously for fairness and safety and is, quite honestly, a fun way to enjoy “racing” on a budget. Spectators are welcome but this is a “common sense” type of show. Stay outside the perimeter and enjoy with a cool beverage and a Popsicle (or whatever). It’s a parking lot so the view is good from all around the edges. Bonus if you can find a tree to relax under…
Check around for car shows. Look up SCCA “Autocross” for your area. Race tracks need your support but, sometimes, you don’t need a big ticket to enjoy the car culture.
Blue Ridge SCCA Autocross – Salem Civic Center – August 18, 2024
Where to start…? Like everyone else, the place to start, apparently, is at the end…
Ricky Stenhouse Jr pulled along the quarter of Ryan Preece which sent the #41 into a 360 spin as the #47 of Stenhouse went up with a nose in the wall. This set an overtime scene at Richmond Raceway and a restart that became a finish by the bumper.
Austin Dillon held a comfortable lead in the Cook Out 400 when the caution was thrown. A pit road dash cycled for the restart which placed Dillon, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick on the front rows. The race was on for a green – white – checkers finish with hot sauce and vinegar.
Logano jumped forward on the start. Dillon fell back. The final turns on the final lap had Dillon in the #3 pushing momentum and into Logano. Logano spun as Dillon drove on and into Hamlin who had come up on the high side. The #11 went into into the upper wall. Dillon came through with the #22 and #11 in tangles and took the checkers in a very hot finish.
Hamlin was less than content. Logano was a bit less than that…
Dillon took the win and an *apparent berth in the post-season playoffs. Coming into Richmond the Richard Childress Racing #3 was scratching the bottom in 32nd place for season points and had not taken a win in two seasons. Hamlin in the #11 crossed the line in the 2nd spot as Logano managed to get the #22 moving and crossed over in 19th.
The early race began with Denny Hamlin on the pole and running in the top five with a 2nd place stage 1 behind Christopher Bell and a 3rd place at stage 3. Logano was also top 5 at the stages crossing in 4th for both.
The big talk is on the #3 and the sudden *boost into a playoff spot. Drivers like Martin Truex Jr and Daniel Suarez also made some moves. Suarez has a season win but added to his points with a stage 2 win and a top 10 finish at Richmond. Truex fell back with engine trouble forcing the #19 to park and a last place score. Truex has run well but still has no win this season and took a points hit for playoff positions.
For the finish at Richmond, fans and the team of the #3 are throwing the “short track bumping and rubbing is racing” flag while fans and teams of the #22 and #11 are throwing the questions and accusations. We’ve all seen forced moves to pass and bumper retaliations involving Logano and Hamlin (and many others…). The scales are being tested between fan excitement and the cost and payoff of racing.
*Later decision by NASCAR using rules applying to incident racing stripped the #3 team of the playoff spot. They keep the win but it does not apply to playoff positions. The #3, essentially, is just a nudge above their points coming in. Joey Logano was fined $50k for dangerous post race maneuvers in the #3 pit box.
Three more NASCAR Cup races remain for playoff points or a win to get in. The #3 made a big move to make it in and these next races will see if that sets the stage for more “at any cost” actions to claim the checkered flag. It will also be interesting to see how the teams of the #22 and the #11 race with the #3 into the late season. Be patient… Things might not get really interesting until that first round of eliminations.
Photos from the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway – Sunday, August 11, 2024
The major NASCAR series took a break for two weeks as broadcast partner NBC filled their schedules with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and the Craftsman Trucks essentially had a bit of a vacation that came back to the track at Richmond Raceway with Cup and Craftsman. Xfinity is set to return coming up at Michigan.
The trucks had quite a bit on the line for their return to racing as the season points were set for the playoffs with the checkers at Richmond. Drivers with wins were locked with a handful that had untouchable points leads coming into the Clean Harbors 250.
Corey Heim had a definite playoff lead with five season wins. Christian Eckes came to Richmond with three wins. Nicholas Sanchez carried two as Ty Majeski and Rajah Caruth brought one each. The challenge put more stress on points drivers coming in with no wins yet.
For Richmond, Christian Eckes started on the pole spot with Ty Majeski in the second. The 250 laps presented challenging racing with 12 lead changes and 9 cautions. Stage one was taken by Eckes and Grant Enfinger took the second. It was Ty Majeski, after coming back from an early pit road penalty, who was in position for a late race restart to take the lead and run up front to the win.
This put a second season win on the books for Majeski. With finishes and points totaled, the top 10 moving into the Craftsman Truck Playoffs was set.
Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, Nicholas Sanchez, Raja Caruth are in with wins and Grant Enfinger, Tyler Ankrum, Taylor Gray, Ben Rhodes and Daniel Dye are advancing with points.
The next race is up in two weeks at the Milwaukee Mile.
The Saturday track events for Clean Harbors 250 race day also ran the practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Cook Out 400 for Sunday evening. Denny Hamlin will be taking the field to the green flag.
Photos from Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Richmond Raceway are below
Motorcycles have again taken the track at Virginia International Raceway. The bikes had taken a season break from VIR with other event conflicts on the books for 2023. For 2024, The ASRA series brought the speed of two wheels back the weekend of August 3-4. The VIR weekend seems to have been a late addition as little fanfare was available up to about a month before.
The American Superbike Racing Association brought a good showing of racers from across the spectrum. There are several classes based on bike size and rider skill levels. The physics of motorcycles at speed aside, it is a bit of an amazing thing to see in person. Gravity and down force and tire contact size make the speed on track even more amazing. Across all classes, the riders brought their best skill and speed to the track.
Practices ran Saturday morning with the first series of racing in the afternoon. Sunday ran the second round of racing. The track at VIR was set standard for motorcycle racing running the “north course” which turns off the uphill esses just after the track bridge. The bikes go up the hill and rejoin the main course at the top of “roller coaster”.
Essentially, I made a day of it on Saturday and checked the view from several points along the circuit. Watching the bikes is an exercise of both awe and fascination as I’ve ridden before but never at this level. The photo set from Saturday is as close as I get these days. Results from the VIR event are online with the ASRA website.
ASRA Photos – Saturday August 3, 2024 – Virginia International Raceway
