Saturday marked the end of a busy and historic week at Pulaski County Motorsports Park.
Following Thursday night’s Superstar Experience Racing debut, the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series returned to the track.
After a brief battle with Mother Nature, the on-track action began just minutes after the scheduled start time. Shively Electric sponsored the evening and welcomed the Super Cup Stock Car Series to the .416-mile short track for the first time this season. Polesitter Brian Harrison lost his transmission just a handful of laps into the race, which gave the lead to Brent Nelson. The Petersburg, W.Va. native led the remainder of the race to earn the first victory of the night.
Harvey Harrison and Bill Ashton battled for the final two podium spots. Harrison completed a mid-race pass of Ashton to secure second while Ashton settled for third.
The second race of the evening belonged to the Price’s Body Shop Late Model Stock Car Series. Kyle Dudley started in the third position, and it took the defending track champion just three laps to get to the top spot. A tight battle with current points leader Mike Looney resulted in contact coming off Turn 2. While Looney was forced to pull his car off the track, Dudley regained a lengthy advantage and earn the checkered flag in the first 50-lap twin of the night.
The duo of Andrew Patterson and Charlie Watson finished in second and third after starting on the front row.
The DCT Towing Super Streets took to the track next. The initial start bunched up the outside line, causing heavy damage to points leader Jimmy Mullins and Brent Bell. The Barnes Family teammates of Tristen Barnes and Ray Sowers stole the show. Sowers led the first half of the race before surrendering the lead to his teammate.
Barnes picked up his second victory within a week while Sowers tallied his second consecutive podium finish. Despite the early mishap, Bell fought his way back up through the field to place third.
A 25-lap sprint for the Blue Ridge Church Pure-4s was the next race of the night. After starting at the back of the pack, Kirby Shipman quickly got to the front and crossed the line first to build on his already sizeable points lead.
William Hale tried to run down Shipman, but ultimately settled for second while Anthony Sheppard Jr. finished third.
The second half of the evening started with the second twin for the Super Cup Stock Car Series. The race was shortened to just 30 laps this time but resulted in the same three podium finishers. Nelson earned the double after another strong outing.
Harrison patiently worked his way around Ashton as those two finished in second and third once again.
The second 50-lapper for the late model stocks went the way of Mike Looney. After failing to complete the first twin, his team pieced his machine back together as the veteran led every lap en route to his seventh win of the season. Derrick Lancaster held on to the second position for the entirety of the race, holding off an oncoming Dudley and Patterson. Dudley bested Patterson for third, giving the Roanoke native two podium finishes on the night.
The Total Car Care Mod-4s competed in the seventh race of the night. Doodle Lang put on a strong display, leading every circuit of the 25-lap race. Defending track champion and current points leader Kevin Canter worked his way into the second spot, and Rocky Yates came across the line third.
The nightcap belonged to the Stock-6 Series. Caleb Sowers jumped past Phillip Miller at the drop of the green flag and led all 20 laps to secure the victory. Houston Miller worked his way into the second spot while Phillip Miller rounded out the podium.
Peyton Williams, Pulaski Motorsports
