Nathan Crews Proves Himself as a Winner While Moving Up to the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division at South Boston Speedway
SOUTH BOSTON, VA…..Over the past three seasons, Nathan Crews dominated the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division at South Boston Speedway. During that span, he earned two division championships and won 27 races in 36 starts.
Crews moved up to the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division this season and he is proving himself to be a winner in that division as well.
The Long Island, Virginia resident dominated the field in winning the 50-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division race on June 3 at South Boston Speedway. It was a Crews’ first win in Limited Sportsman Division competition, and it came in just his third start of the season.
“My goal this season was to do well and win,” Crews explained. “Coming from being the top guy in Pure Stock, I knew I had a whole lot to live up to. I didn’t want to come out here and run mid-pack.”
Not only was the win special for being his first win it was also special because his car carried the number 75, the number his father, Bruce Crews, carried when he raced in the division, and the car had his father’s name above the door.
“This means the world to me, especially since I’m running my dad’s number and have his name on the door, which is my name too,” Crews remarked after the victory. “I’m tickled to death to just win that one Limited race. It wouldn’t matter to me if I didn’t win anymore. I’m as happy as I can be.”
Racing in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division is special to the two-time former Pure Stock champion. His father competed in the division and won a division championship, as did Billy Myers of Hurt, Virginia, who won three division championships and still competes in the division on an occasional basis.
Today, Crews competes in the division as a second-generation racer as does Myers’ son, Jason Myers. “Just to be out here racing against Billy’s son, Jason, and Billy means a lot,” Crews remarked. “Billy and my dad used to race a whole lot back in the day and are good friends. It’s cool to be racing against Jason. Both of us are up front.”
Crews missed the season’s first two races and, for practical purposes, is not in contention for the division championship. With finishes of eighth, second, and a win Crews stands in 11th-place in the division point standings 49 points out of the lead.
“We originally wanted to run for the championship but didn’t quite have the car ready,” Crews explained. “Now we’re just looking for wins. I feel like if we can win four or five races that would be great. That is what I am kind of shooting for. I want to do well, and I want to win. That constantly drives us to do better, try to find some more speed, and try to be the best we can be all the time in practice, qualifying and the race.”
The competition in South Boston Speedway’s Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division is intense as the difference between division points leader Jason Myers and fifth-place driver Drew Dawson is only nine points. There have also been five different winners in the season’s first five races.
“You’ve got to have everything on the car the best you can have it and make sure you’re on your game before you can be starting up front and doing well,” Crews pointed out. “Everybody is so competitive in this class that it doesn’t take much to be “off” and find yourself near the back in the field.”
While Crews has gotten off to a solid start in his first three Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division races, he is looking ahead to better things.
“Things can only get better in time,” he said. “Hopefully a couple of races from now everybody will be trying to catch up with me instead of me trying to catch up with them.”
Crews and his fellow competitors in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division will battle it out in twin 30-lap races that will be part of the six-race Sentara Health Prelude to the 200 on Saturday night, June 17, at South Boston Speedway. The twin races will mark the second twin-race event of the season for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division.
Twin 60-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division races will highlight the night’s racing action. A 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division will round out the night’s racing action.
First Responders Night presented by Viny’s Italian Restaurant will be held as part of the event. All first responders will be admitted free with a valid department ID/badge or a department roster signed by the chief with accompanying government-issued ID.
Registration and pit gates will open at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Frontstretch spectator gates will open at 3:20 p.m. and practice will start at 3:30 p.m. Backstretch spectator and tailgate section gates will open at 5:30 P.M. Qualifying starts at 6 p.m. and the first race will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $12 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or 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 day will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day.
Fans and competitors can find the latest news and updates from South Boston Speedway on the speedway’s website and 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.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
FILE NAME – CREWS 1
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
Nathan Crews smiles as he relaxes beside his car before climbing behind the wheel to start a practice session during a recent NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event at South Boston Speedway. Note his father’s name at the top of the door. Crews scored his first career win in Limited Sportsman Division competition in the 50-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division race on June 3 at South Boston Speedway.
FILE NAME – CREWS 2
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
Nathan Crews (75) speeds across the finish line and takes the checkered flag to win the 50-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division race on June 3 at South Boston Speedway. Crews earned his first career win in Limited Sportsman Division competition.
Sources: Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway PR