Local car dealer Barry Nelson has quietly built his passion for auto racing into one of the most powerful Late Model teams along the east coast during the 2010s. Founded in 2013 alongside NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Timothy Peters, Nelson Motorsports won in their debut race at South Boston Speedway, and have since gone on to win several other Late Model events, including the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown in 2014.
In the four years since its inception, Nelson has expanded his team from one to four teams, and he will be bringing all four of his Late Model drivers to the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 in search of his first Martinsville victory as an owner. Among them will be Oak Ridge, North Carolina native Brandon Pierce, who joined Nelson’s team back in 2016 and will be making his second trip to the historic short track.
“Racing has always been in my family, and I’ve loved it since I was little,” Pierce said. “It’s only my second year in Late Models, but I’ve had a really good year at South Boston, and have come close to a win several times, so I’m looking for a good run here.”
A current motorsports engineering major at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Pierce raced at dirt go-kart tracks across the country for over 13 years, before being discovered by Timothy Peters. In his first season for Nelson Motorsports at South Boston, Pierce recorded five Top 5’s and eight Top 10’s in his 16 starts, finishing 261st in the Whelen All-American Series national standings.
The early success at South Boston gave Pierce confidence heading into his first ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville. After starting 12th in Heat Race #3, Pierce faded to the back before being caught up in a major accident halfway through the race, ending his chances of competing in the main event. Pierce hopes that the extra year of experience will make him more prepared for the challenges that the track presents.
“This track is definitely fast,” Pierce said. “You have to be incredibly grounded getting around here, because this place will humble you pretty quick. I’ve learned more than anything that you have to be perfect, especially with saving brakes as the race goes on.”
Pierce was among the 93 drivers who took to Martinsville for the first time in an organized test session under the lights on Thursday. One of the observations that Pierce made behind the wheel was that the concrete sections of the track carried more grip in the evening, and that the cars seemed to go faster on the straightaways. Despite the faster speeds in the evening, Pierce still plans to implement a conservative strategy in order to have a chance at victory.
“My strategy is going to be the same as everyone else’s, which is to just stay out of trouble,” Pierce said. “I’ve been coming to Martinsville for years just watching this race, and you can’t win anything in the first 100 laps. The goal is to hang around until lap 175, and be in a position to win at the end.”
Although Pierce is still a relative newcomer in Late Model Stock Car racing, he will have a strong group of drivers to share data with in the days leading up to the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Pierce’s teammates include Blake Stallings, who recorded a Top 5 finish at Martinsville in 2013, and Bobby McCarty, who picked up a win in the Hampton Heat at Langley earlier in the season.
Pierce will also have Timothy Peters as a teammate for the 2017 ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Peters is one of the most experienced Late Model Stock Car drivers entered at Martinsville, with wins in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, Myrtle Beach 400 and ValleyStar Credit Union 300 all on his resume. All four Nelson Motorsports drivers hope to have strong performances in order to give Barry Nelson his first Martinsville trophy as an owner.
The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious Late Model Stock Car race. The day starts with three 25-lap heat races to set the field, followed by a 25-lap “last chance” heat. Tickets for the September 23 event are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-877-RACE-TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
