Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

South Boston, VA(February 2, 2011) — The Limited Late Model class at South Boston Speedway had a few people wondering who would be returning this season and who, if any would be the newcomers to the division to keep it healthy and thriving.

Not too long ago we reported to you that Mark Simpson would be moving over from Southside Speedway’s Grand Stock division to compete in the tracks second tier division. While he will be a newcomer to the track, theres another new driver in Limiteds that’s not new to the track, but new to the division. Former Pure Stock division champion, Chris Crosby made the step up to Limited Late Models last year at nearby Orange County Speedway and this season he’s coming home to South Boston for his first season in Limiteds.

In 2009, Crosby won his first pole, first race and championship as well as being voted the Most popular Driver in the Pure Stock divison. His longtime and close friend, Clark Daniel was impressed and ready to give the young driver a chance in his Limited Late Model.

“He called me up saying how much he wanted to help me more,” said Crosby in a recent interview. He wanted to give me a chance to drive his Limited car that his wife Melissa Daniel had previously drove.”

Crosby was certainly excited, but at the same time he knew that previous drivers, Danny Willis, Jr. and Joey Throckmorton had set the bar high and that he’d have a lot of pressure getting behind the wheel of this car.

“Right then knowing what shoes had been in the seat, I was nervous,” continued Crosby. “Both Danny and Joey had wins all around in it. So the pressure was there, but Clark(Daniel) made me feel comfortable enough to give it a shot.”

Last season, they set out to find the sponsorship to compete at Orange County Speedway with their goals set low for his first season in a Limited Late Model. Crosby says their goals were low, and simply to start and finish each race, completing all the laps and trying to bring it home in one piece with a top ten points finish. With drivers like Brian Cole and Jerry Hinesley just to name a few, Orange County was going to be a hard place to compete at even in the Limited Late Model division.

Crosby was able to run in and finish every race with the support of some great sponsors and landed in fourth in the points, a very respectable effort for a rookie driver. He had a best finish of second and despite not winning, he feels he’s ready to make the jump over to South Boston Speedway, which is one of the toughest Limited Late Model tracks in the region.

“We know battling Danny Willis, Jr., Tommy Peregoy and Justin Snow will be tough because those guys are the best in the Limited Late Model division. Clark(Daniel) has given me another chance and with our sights set on South Boston, I think we can compete and exceed all of our goals, which is simply to finish all the laps in all the races, get a top ten in points and win the Rookie of the Year.”

Crosby thinks that his experience last season at Orange County and getting used to the bigger, heavier cars will help him in his move to South Boston. Crosby is hoping that his second season in the Limited Late Model car will be his best yet and he’s hoping to break through for his first win and if his Pure Stock career was any indication it’s only a matter of time before he’s not only qualifying and finishing first and dominating the division. With Crosby having added his name along with the previously announced, Mark Simpson, the Limited Late Model divison should be alive and thriving into the 2011 season.