Dalton Sargeant is a contender any time he’s in any racecar and he expects to be a contender in his first ever appearance in the Valley Star Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.
The 17-year-old from Boca Raton, Florida will be heading to Martinsville Speedway for the first time racing a car prepared by Lee Pulliam Performance. He will be one of the most recognizable names in the race not just because of Late Model Stock Car experience, but also because of his second place finish in last year’s Snowball Derby and a victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour earlier this year.
“I’m really excited, being able to come here to Martinsville Speedway for my first time with a guy like Lee Pulliam that has so much experience here,” Sargeant, who won a race driving for Lee Pulliam at Ace Speedway last October, remarked. “He has won last year as well as multiple national championships. To be able to learn from him is going to help out quite a bit and once again, I think this race is going to be tough. It seemed like last year, it was a bit of a wild race but, at the same time, it looks like a lot of fun. Just looking forward to being able to run it.”
This time last year, Sargeant was a relative unknown in racing. He had run some Late Model races but it wasn’t until a strong performance in last October’s Winchester 400 Super Late Model race in Indiana that he really began to get notoriety. He went on to win a Late Model Stock Car race at Ace Speedway and finished second in the Snowball Derby. This season, he has scored a victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour as well as six top-five finishes in the K&N East tour. Sargeant has also started in two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races – scoring top-10 finishes in both.
While he has been good in everything he’s raced throughout his career and has raced against strong competitors, he feels the field he will be competing against on Sunday will be one of the toughest fields he has ever raced against.
“Yeah, just looking at the equipment, you know, running with Lee, some of the best cars out there, I think it’s going to be a tough deal,” Sargeant commented. “You’ve got a lot of good guys like Lee himself as well as guys like Timothy Peters. At the end of the day, it’s going to be a tough race but I think we’re going to be very competitive.”
Despite all his experience, Martinsville Speedway is a new challenge for him. He says the track is very unique compared to many of the track’s he’s raced in the past. Different, he says, but also fun.
“It’s kind of unique,” Sargeant said. “The straightaways are pretty long especially for a Late Model Stock. The biggest track that I’ve been to so far in a Late Model Stock. Definitely a lot of fun. Fast. You’re on the brakes pretty hard down in the corners and getting off of hem rolling a lot of speed. It’s just a really cool place.”
Racing a car prepared by Lee Pulliam itself lends an advantage to Sargeant, but he says he’s also learned a lot from the two-time Valley Star Credit Union 300 winner. He would not elaborate on what he has learned, however.
“He’s definitely been one to help me out as much as he can and I don’t think he’d be too happy if I gave away some of his secrets though so maybe hold those to myself.”
