CHARLOTTE, NC :: Lee Pulliam capped off a perfect season Friday evening at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards where he was crowned as the 2013 national champion.
Pulliam, 25, from Semora, N.C., won the title for the second straight season to join NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Larry Phillips, with five, and Philip Morris, with four, as multi-time champions in the series.
He also collected his second Virginia state championship along the way while competing at South Boston Speedway, Radford’’s Motor Mile Speedway.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would have the honor of receiving (this) coveted trophy, much less a second one,” said Pulliam, who supplemented his season by competing at a pair of North Carolina tracks – Caraway Speedway in Asheboro and Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly. “Being mentioned in the same sentence with Larry and Philip sends chills down my spine.”
En route to the title, he scored the maximum number of points – a feat accomplished just three times prior. David Rogers (1994), Phillips (1995) and Keith Rocco (2010) also amassed perfect seasons. Pulliam earned 27 wins along with 40 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes in 47 starts this season.
Pulliam, who has been racing just six years, burst onto the scene in 2011 with a third-place finish in the national standings and followed that up with his first title a season ago.
The driver of the No. 1 H.R. Ramsey Construction Chevrolet credits his parents, Harold and Debra, for instilling in him the truly important things in life.
“It takes a never-give-up attitude, hard work, big dreams, passion and dedication,” he said. “Thank you for teaching me those traits.”
Pulliam led the national standings from start to finish this season to become the 22nd driver to win the national championship in the 32-year history of the series.
CHARLOTTE, NC :: Other members of the championship team to be honored were Harold Pulliam, who received the Lincoln Electric Car Owner Award and crew chief, Winston Brooks, who picked up the Lunati Crew Chief Award.
Deac McCaskill, of Raleigh, N.C., finished second in the national standings while earning the North Carolina state championship for the second straight season and his third consecutive late model track title at Southern National. For the year McCaskill equaled his career-best in wins with 18 – first accomplished in 2012 – and recorded 31 top fives and 38 top 10s in 42 outings spanning three tracks – Southern National, South Boston and Motor Mile.
Rocco, the 2010 national champion out of Wallingford, Conn., finished third in the national standings while earning his sixth consecutive Connecticut state championship with 14 wins, 30 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes in 48 starts. He competed at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, Thompson (Conn.) Speedway and Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl. Over the past seven seasons, Rocco has finished no lower than fourth in the national rankings and has accumulated 105 wins in 293 starts over the span.
Highlighting the evening’s special awards was the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Rookie of the Year Award presented by Jostens. Todd Stone, of Middlebury, Vt., claimed the honor after garnering 10 wins, 14 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 17 starts at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt.
Jay Beasley, of Las Vegas, was presented the prestigious Wendell Scott Trail Blazer Award. Patrick “Dinky” Torbett, crew chief for Chad Finchum at Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway, earned the UNOH Ultimate Mechanic Challenge Award.
Additionally, the top three from each division – asphalt and dirt – of the Finalist Program were recognized. This program consists of competitors outside the Division I at each NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track.
The Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet, held in the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center within the NASCAR Hall of Fame complex, was streamed live online in English and Spanish at NASCARHomeTracks.com.
Saturday night’s NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards will also be streamed live from the same location, in English, Spanish and French, starting with the pre-event Red Carpet Special at 5 p.m. ET with the awards ceremony getting underway at 6 p.m.
