Parker Eatmon Proving to Be a Quick Learner in Late Models at South Boston Speedway
SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (April 23, 2022) — Parker Eatmon calls the 2022 racing season a learning year, and he is proving himself to be a quick learner.
After scoring a pair of Top-10 finishes in an early-season twin-race event at Hickory (NC) Motor Speedway, the 15-year-old Sims, North Carolina resident has put together solid early-season performances at South Boston Speedway. Entering the twin 75-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division races that will headline Saturday afternoon’s Viny’s Italian Restaurant & Fruitopia Mini Family Day at the Races event at South Boston Speedway, Eatmon has posted two Top-10 finishes in his three starts, with a best finish of sixth place.
His finishes of 10th, sixth and 15th in his first three races at South Boston Speedway have put him in eighth place in the track point standings, but only four points out of the top five.
“I’m just trying to get out there and learn from the best,” Eatmon remarked. “You’ve got Peyton Sellers, Layne Riggs and other very good drivers out there. I’m just trying to learn from them and run in the top five. I want to stay with the good drivers and try not to get myself in trouble.”
The big task for Eatmon is learning his car.
“It’s a whole different car, and I’m trying to get a feel for it,” Eatmon explained. “We’re trying to get the car better each week and trying to get that first win. I want to go out there and win as much as anybody.”
Eatmon feels he is close to being able to consistently be in the mix for top-five finishes and potentially contend for a win.
“We’re just a couple of adjustments away,” he pointed out. “I’ve got to get a little better behind the wheel. Other than that, I think we’re pretty good.”
Eatmon, who plays football and basketball for his school, Rocky Mount (NC) Academy, is an avid racer.
“I’ve been racing since I was nine-years-old,” Eatmon said. “I raced Bandoleros until I was 11 or 12-years-old, then I moved to Legends Cars for a little bit. Now, I’m 15 and here in Late Models.”
Eatmon wants to climb the racing ladder and make his way up to the top level of the sport. He says that is why he feels some pressure now racing in the Late Model ranks.
“I want to drive something at a professional level,” Eatmon noted. “It is a lot of pressure because I want to make it to the top level in racing. If I don’t perform well, I can’t make it there.”
Eatmon points out he enjoys competing at South Boston Speedway.
“I love South Boston Speedway,” he said with a smile. “It’s different from most tracks, but I think I’ve driven it pretty well. I’ve got to get a little faster, but I feel like we’re right there.”
Saturday will be a family fun day for fans attending the Viny’s Italian Restaurant & Fruitopia Mini Family Day at the Races event at South Boston Speedway. Everyone ages 17 and under will be admitted free to Saturday afternoon’s event courtesy of Viny’s Italian Restaurant and Fruitopia Mini. Some special Easter activities are also being planned.
A six-race card is scheduled for Saturday’s 2 p.m. running of the Viny’s Italian Restaurant & Fruitopia Mini Family Day at the Races event with twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division headlining the action. The Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division competitors will battle it out in a 50-lap race. Twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Hornets Division will round out the afternoon’s action.
Grandstand gates will open at 12:30 p.m., qualifying starts at 1 p.m. and the first race will get the green flag at 2 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets for the event are priced at $10 each plus a $1.50 processing fee and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, through Friday night, April 15.
Adult general admission tickets online and at the gate on race day are priced at $15 each.
Fans are urged to vote for South Boston Speedway in the Advance My Track Challenge. During the Advance My Track Challenge program fans are invited to go to AdvanceMyTrack.com to cast their vote for their favorite NASCAR Home Track. The most popular track will win a $50,000 grand prize. The track with the second-most votes will receive a $15,000 prize and the track with the third-highest vote total will receive a $10,000 prize.
The voting window for the first round of voting is open until May 6. The top six tracks receiving the most votes will move on to the final round of voting which will take place May 9-13.
Fans and competitors looking for the latest news and updates from South Boston Speedway can find it on the speedway’s website, southbostonspeedway.com, and through 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 Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
PHOTO CAPTION
FILE NAME – EATMON 1
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
Parker Eatmon relaxes for a few moments prior to the start of qualifying for one of this season’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car events at South Boston Speedway. The 15-year-old student at Rocky Mount (NC) Academy has a pair of Top-10 finishes at South Boston Speedway to his credit entering the twin 75-lap Late Model races that will headline Saturday afternoon’s Viny’s Italian Restaurant & Fruitopia Mini Family Day at the Races event at South Boston Speedway.
FILE NAME – EATMON 2
Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway
Parker Eatmon (4) works to fend off a challenge from Jacob Borst (25), Thomas Scott (8, partially hidden beside Borst), Stacy Puryear (17) and Mark Wertz (55, partially hidden beside Puryear) during one of this season’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car events at South Boston Speedway. Eatmon has posted two Top-10 finishes in his three starts at South Boston Speedway this season with a best finish of sixth place.
Sources: Joe Chandler, South Boston Speedway PR