SOUTH BOSTON, Va. - When you are racing for $10,000 and bragging rights anything can happen, and it did Thursday night during the final lap of the eighth annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Challenge at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Va.
Danville, Va. native, Timothy Peters avoided a spinning Lee Pulliam on the final lap of the green-white-checkered finish to claim his first win in the charity race at his home track.
Peters started second to Pulliam on lap 208 and the two raced side-by-side for the lead at the white flag.
Josh Berry, who was third at the time, made contact with Pulliam going in to the final turn sending Pulliam around. Peters was able to stay high and finish just ahead of runner-up William Byron.
Mark Wertz, who started on the final row, finished third with Tommy Lemons, Jr. and Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top five.
Austin Thaxton, Dalton Sargeant, Kaz Grala, Brenden Queen and Pulliam completed the top 10.
Berry was penalized for aggressive driving and finished 17 and was the last car running on the final lap.
Denny Hamlin started in the top 10 but had his night end early, after suffering a valve train problem that sent him to the garage on lap 69.
Last year’s winner Matt Bowling, was running second before electrical problems forced him to the back of the field where he finished 12.
Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Chase Elliott ran in the top-10 most of the night, but motor issues ended his night on lap 192.
The race was slowed by 10 cautions and two red flags.
Denny Hamlin Short Track Challenge
South Boston Speedway – South Boston, VA
Race Results – April 23, 2015
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 17 | Timothy Peters | AutosbyNelson.com/Thunder Rd. Harley-Davidson | 210 | Running |
| 2 | 9 | 91 | William Byron | Liberty University Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 3 | 36 | 56 | Mark Wertz | Dunkin Donuts Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 4 | 19 | 27 | Tommy Lemons | Jumpstart Motorsports Ford | 210 | Running |
| 5 | 18 | 58 | Tyler Ankrum | Lucas Oil Ford | 210 | Running |
| 6 | 3 | 12 | Austin Thaxton | Fallon Trucking/Italian Delight Toyota | 210 | Running |
| 7 | 16 | 61 | Dalton Sargeant | Galt Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 8 | 21 | 51 | Kaz Grala | ToyotaCare.com Toyota | 210 | Running |
| 9 | 27 | 3 | Brenden Queen | Nelson Equipment Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 10 | 4 | 5 | Lee Pulliam | Kiker Tree Service/ Mincey’s Graphics Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 11 | 29 | 18 | Quinn Houff | Beatin’ Cancer Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 12 | 8 | 83 | Matt Bowling | AutosByNelson.com Ford | 210 | Running |
| 13 | 31 | 25 | Hermie Sadler | Maxxis Toyota | 210 | Running |
| 14 | 32 | 55 | Curtis Markham | RSD Hope.org Toyota | 210 | Running |
| 15 | 6 | 23 | Payton Ryan | Fat Head Racing Ford | 208 | Running |
| 16 | 13 | 77 | David Ragan | CSX/Skuttle Tight Toyota | 207 | Accident |
| 17 | 33 | 88 | Josh Berry | Speedco Chevrolet | 210 | Running |
| 18 | 10 | 10 | Nick Smith | Creative Surfaces Chevrolet | 202 | Accident |
| 19 | 12 | 40 | C.E. Falk | Avalon Fishing Pier Ford | 201 | Accident |
| 20 | 2 | 99 | Peyton Sellers | Danville Toyota Toyota | 193 | Mechanical |
| 21 | 14 | 6 | Bobby McCarty | Champion Automotive Chevrolet | 192 | Mechanical |
| 22 | 7 | 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA/Great Clips Chevrolet | 192 | Mechanical |
| 23 | 35 | 57 | Eddie Johnson | Esentra porous tech/RJ Roberts Painting Ford | 124 | Accident |
| 24 | 17 | 73 | Bruce Anderson | The Racing College of Virginia Ford | 124 | Accident |
| 25 | 30 | 7 | Dude Gibbs | All State Materials Chevrolet | 124 | Accident |
| 26 | 25 | 42 | Kyle Plott | Cat Recovery Services Chevrolet | 120 | Accident |
| 27 | 26 | 71 | Juan Garcia | Sellers Racing Toyota | 119 | Accident |
| 28 | 28 | 4 | Jeb Burton | Rocky Ridge Custom Trucks/State Water Heaters | 117 | Accident |
| 29 | 20 | 2 | Myatt Snider | NASCAR America on NBC Chevrolet | 99 | Mechanical |
| 30 | 11 | 0 | Matt Waltz | Waltz Engineered Sales Chevrolet | 81 | Mechanical |
| 31 | 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | FedEx Express Toyota | 69 | Mechanical |
| 32 | 34 | 6 | Davin Scites | Wayne Lumber Chevrolet | 63 | Mechanical |
| 33 | 23 | 19 | Chad Finchum | Texas Roadhouse / Finchum Paint & Body Ford | 45 | Accident |
| 34 | 15 | 72 | Garrett Campbell | Clapp Cattle Chevrolet | 9 | Accident |
| 35 | 22 | 21 | Travis Swaim | United Sewing Machine Sales Ford | 3 | Accident |
| 36 | 24 | 41 | Brayton Haws | Rheem Ford | 3 | Accident |
RACE STATISTICS
Time of Race: 2 hrs., 5 mins, 27 secs Average Speed: 40.175 mph Margin of Victory: .728 Seconds
Caution Flags: 10 for 59 laps.
Lap Leaders: Timothy Peters 1-109, Lee Pulliam 110-122, Timothy Peters 123-183, Matt Bowling 184-189, Lee Pulliam 190-209, Timothy Peters 210.
Total Laps Led: Timothy Peters 171, Lee Pulliam 33, Matt Bowling 6. 5 changes involving 3 drivers.
