A New Champion, More Cars, Great Competition Expected for Pure Stock Division at South Boston Speedway
SOUTH BOSTON, VA…..A new champion will likely rise in 2024 in what is anticipated to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent years in South Boston Speedway’s Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division.
The drivers and teams competing in the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division will see their first action of the 2024 season in a 25-lap race that will be part of the Danville Toyota Weekly Series Opening Night on Saturday night, April 13 at South Boston Speedway. The first race of the five-race event gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia, the 2023 division champion, has indicated he plans to race only a few times in 2024. With Layne, who has won 12 of the division’s 24 races over the past two seasons, not competing for the championship this season, the door to the championship is wide open.
While there likely will be a change in the championship picture in 2024, the real news is the excitement the competitors are showing heading into the season and their expectation that there will be more cars on the track and plenty of good competition.
“I’m very excited about the season,” remarked 2022 division champion Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia.
“I hear we’re going to have several new cars and drivers coming in, so there should be a lot of good competition and more cars on the track.”
Phillips is optimistic about his chances to win the 2024 division title.
“I feel strong,” Phillips said. “I won the championship at Orange County Speedway and finished second at South Boston Speedway last year, and the year before that I won the championship at South Boston Speedway. If I can keep up the performance, my hope is this year will be a good one for me.”
Zach Reaves of Danville, Virginia, the third-place finisher in the 2023 division point standings, will return looking to earn his way to Victory Lane. He had a strong 2023 season with 11 Top-5 finishes in 12 starts.
“I’m super excited about the season,” Reaves said. “I don’t want to jinx myself, but I feel really good about it. I’ve got a lot better equipment than I had last year. I’ve been working on the car every week. Last year I was working with a lot of used and borrowed equipment just trying to get by. This year I didn’t have to spend as much money on the engine, so I was able to put money where I needed it.”
Like Phillips, Reaves is expecting to see a bigger field of cars this season.
“I know of several people that have been getting cars,” he pointed out. “I’ve heard some guys that haven’t raced in a few years are supposed to be racing. Hopefully, we can get a good car count.”
His brother, B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia, is also very excited about the upcoming season.
“Excited is not the right word,” Reaves remarked. “Being honest, racing is about all that’s on my mind. We’ve been going at it all winter, and we’ve made some pretty big swings at both my car and Zach’s car. The only thing I knew to do was take some big swings and make some changes, so we won’t still run in the middle of the pack.”
A young driver fans will be keeping an eye on this season is 2023 South Boston Speedway Hornets Division champion Kendall Milam of Keeling, Virginia. Milam is moving up to compete in the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division this season.
“I’m very excited about it,” Milam remarked. “With the guys that are running Pure Stock right now, it’s going to be competitive, but with my family’s knowledge of the Pure Stocks, I think we’re going to have a good piece. We’ve just got to see how things play out having a new car.”
Phillips pointed out that he and B.J. Reaves are assisting Milam in his move up to the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division.
“B.J. and I are giving a car to Kendall,” Phillips explained. “We’re providing him with the car itself. We’ll be more like car owners, and they will supply their own engine and keep up the car. We will work together as a team.”
A number of other drivers are expected to be on hand to challenge these drivers including Caleb Sanford of South Boston, Virginia who had a win, two poles, and eight Top-5 finishes in 10 starts last season, and Colby Pool of South Boston, Virginia who joined the ranks late last season and scored Top-10 finishes in all four of his starts.
The Danville Toyota Weekly Series Opening Night event on Saturday night, April 13 at 7 p.m. will be the first night race of the season at the .4-mile oval and there will be plenty of action.
The Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will battle it out in double 75-lap races. In addition, Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division competitors will be competing in a 75-lap race that will be the longest and richest race of the season for the division.A $1,500 prize will go to the winner, and there are purse increases throughout the field.
Anderson Turf Management of South Boston, Virginia will post a $500 Hard Charger Award for the race. The Anderson Turf Management Hard Charger Award will reward the driver who gains the most positions from their starting position. Sellers Racing has posted a $500 pole award for the race. The $500 Sellers Racing Pole Award will go to the driver who is the fastest in qualifying for the race.
Along with double 75-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division, the 75-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, and the 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, fans will see the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division competitors in action in a 20-lap race.
The April 13 event schedule has gates opening at 3:30 p.m., practice going from 3:30 p.m. to 5:05 p.m., and qualifying starting at 6 p.m. The first race of the night is set to start at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets for the Danville Toyota Weekly Series Opening Night event are priced at $12 each. Advance tickets for that event and all of the track’s 2024 season events 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 about the Danville Toyota Weekly Series Opening Night event and all of the track’s 2024 season events 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.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
FILE NAME – PURE STOCK 1
Photo Courtesy Victor Newman/South Boston Speedway
Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia (9) leads the field of Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division competitors into the first turn during one of last season’s events at South Boston Speedway. One of the most competitive seasons in recent years is expected in South Boston Speedway’s Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division this season.
FILE NAME – PURE STOCK 2 – PHILLIPS
Photo Courtesy Victor Newman/South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway’s 2022 Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division champion Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia (right) discusses adjustments to his car with a team member during one of last season’s events at South Boston Speedway. Phillips hopes to be among the top contenders for the 2024 division championship.
FILE NAME – PURE STOCK 3 – REAVES
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia (left) and his brother, Zach Reaves of Danville, Virginia (right) are looking to be among the championship contenders this season in South Boston Speedway’s Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division. The first race of the season for the division will be a 25-lap race that is set as part of the Danville Toyota Weekly Series Opening Night event on Saturday night, April 13 at South Boston Speedway. The first race of the five-race event gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
FILE NAME – PURE STOCK 4 – MILAM
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
Kendall Milam keeps a close eye on the action on the track while taking a break in practice during one of last season’s events at South Boston Speedway. After having won the 2023 Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division championship, the Keeling, Virginia resident is moving up to compete in South Boston Speedway’s Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division this season.
Sources: Joe Chandler, South Boston Speedway PR