RIDGEWAY, VA :: Late Model Stock Car racing’s biggest race is upon us and with that, RACE22.com’s staff members have a list of drivers to watch in Sunday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300. Each of our staff members have made predictions for which five drivers will be racing for the win as well as a darkhorse pick.
Mark Rogers, Jr’s List
1. Phillip Morris
Morris is a three time winner who has led more laps than any other competitor. The only person that can straight up beat Phillip Morris, is Phillip Morris.
2. Lee Pulliam
He has won and also led laps at Martinsville, proven he’ll win no matter what it takes or who gets in his way. Not to mention he can wheel like the best can too!
3. Deac McCaskill
Deac is not short on equipment or power this year and everyone knows he’s not short on desire. Good guys sometimes do finish first.
4. Garrett Campbell
Campbell continues to impress me as he works the outside lines like everyone else works down low. The way his blue oval powered Late Model screams down the straights is giving fits to everyone especially the way he worked Pulliam recently at South Boston. With wins this year in the UARA series watch for Garrett Campbell this weekend.
5. Dillion Bassett
A young racer with high expectations and sports the results to prove it. Three straight wins in his last three starts in the UARA and will be tough at Martinsville.
Underdog: Matt Waltz
With three recorded wins in 2013 at Langley Speedway, the young driver could have easily accrued six or seven wins if not for some misfortunes. But this guy just doesn’t go fast, he knows why he’s going fast and doing it with older equipment. Waltz Racing is bringing the season’s best piece this weekend and the confidence of an army into this race. With Matt Waltz also set to have a birthday, what a wish come true if this race team sports this year’s Martinsville Grandfather Clock as a gift, along with 25 grand.
Mike Neff’s List
1. Lee Pulliam
Pulliam has been on a roll this season. He not only had a ‘perfect’ season in the Whelen All-American series, but he was running very strong over the final couple weeks of the season. As a former winner, he looks to win the race as the National Champ.
2. Phillip Morris
He won the race last year, the year before he had the most dominant car that has ever come to the track. Look for him to be at the front all day once the green flag flies.
3. Timothy Peters
Many drivers call Martinsville their home track but Peters grew up right down the road. He’s proven over and over that he’s a true stud on short tracks and Martinsville is the epitome. Expect to see Peters at the front when the money is one the line.
4. Dennis Setzer
Every driver started out on Short Tracks and had to be pretty good in order to make it to the next level. For a few drivers they are known as Short Track masters and receive all sorts of phone calls when races head to the short tracks in any series. One of the first drivers to receive calls is Setzer. With Charlie Long power under the hood, he’ll be a threat to win as he is every year.
5. Ben Rhodes
Rhodes has taken to Late Models like a duck to water. Coming out of Legends he wasn’t exceptionally impressive but any time he’s been in a Late Model when it is a big race, Rhodes has been near the front. It won’t be surprising if Rhodes scores another top five at Martinsville this year.
Underdog: Max Gresham
Truck drivers routinely run in the race since the series is generally off on this weekend. This year is no exception and Max Gresham very well could sneak in and steal the show. Gresham doesn’t have a lot of experience at the track but he has run it in a Truck. It would definitely be a surprise but you very well could see Gresham hugging the clock at the end of the day.
Corey Latham’s List
1. Dennis Setzer
I know everyone on earth and probably a few aliens would either pick Pulliam or Morris but I’m going to break the mold. Setzer has won this race before and the Long Bros car has always been a force whenever it has hit the track. They got behind the last few years as the days of just “showing up” and kicking tail has went by the wayside but after being at the test all day last week and running some quick times I look for the #2 to be contending for the win.
2. Lee Pulliam
Okay, getting back to the obvious, the kid has won everything there is to win the last two years including a win and a second last year at Martinsville. After testing we saw what was going to be the norm through this weekend also, Pulliam was the quickest car in Henry County. BUT, we all know that anything can happen and that’s why love Martinsville … the race is never “typical”.
3. Philip Morris
The reigning king of Martinsville. With three Martinsville victories already under his belt, there is no reason Morris won’t be a challenger to get his fourth. While his racing has slowed down the past two years, this is Martinsville, the setups don’t change drastically on the concrete and asphalt track and we only race there once a year so everyone is in the same boat. If Morris can keep his nose clean and avoid mechanical problems people will be talking about him in some form with ten laps to go.
4. BJ Mackey
BJ is a part-time racer now, but the Barber Ford is one bad hot rod when it’s at the track in its limited appearances. At Martinsville it seems this car and driver excel better than any other place and Mackey want’s to capitalize on the combination. Mackey already has a win at Martinsville as a crew chief with Jake Crum in 2009, now he wants to be behind the wheel going across the line first.
5. Ben Rhodes
We kept waiting for this kid to bust out some wins but it seemed it wasn’t going to happen. Then he won he got used to it……a lot. Rhodes has been on a tear since the beginning of summer and at the test last week he looked to be the only car that was in the same zone with Pulliam. Rhodes has come into his own all at once it seems, and seems very comfortable doing it. With Lee McCall calling the shots and the connection with his spotter Lloyd Garner, Rhodes is going to be the “new” contender at Martinsville to run with the usual suspects.
Underdog: Jason York
How can a former Martinsville winner be an underdog? Well York is for sure this year. While he hasn’t been racing much the past two seasons at all, York still has the itch. And he’ll scratch it this year in a storybook ride, the #14 usually piloted by Rodney Cook. Rodney is one of the toughest drivers to ever strap into a car and while not having the mainstream success that a Pulliam or Morris has had, he has the biggest following of fans in Late Model racing. But Rodney is in his own battle now as he is beating cancer and can’t make it this year … but his car will. York will be behind the wheel with Cooks crew led by Rodney’s brother as they try to become the “little team that could” and take the Martinsville win. Sound far-fetched? While he wasn’t the fastest car at the test last week he was one of the most consistent and his times didn’t fall off nearly as most of the field after a few laps.
Langley Austin’s List
1. Ben Rhodes
I know he’s likely to be on everyone’s list and I hate to be like everyone else but I think Ben Rhodes is an easy pick for the win. Once you learn how to win, winning comes much easier as he’s already found out, now time to see if he can win BIG.
2. Philip Morris
The King of Late Model Stock Car racing needs not to spend all year at the weekly tracks practicing as his victory last year proved. Enough said…
3. Matt Bowling
The kid seemingly fell off the face of the Late Model Stock Car racing earth this year after becoming a force all over last year. Sometimes a drought will make a driver hungrier like lion who misses a meal and that might be scary for Matt Bowling’s competition.
4. Ronnie Bassett, Jr.
Dillon Bassett has been on a lot of people’s tongue’s when it comes to Martinsville but they’re overlooking his biggest competition … his brother. Ronnie Bassett, Jr. is easily one of the best in the Late Model Stock Car business right now and he could easily pull a “Jake Crum” and put youth back in victory lane.
5. Bobby McCarty
I know people are tired of me telling you how good this kid is but the fact remains, he is. Bobby McCarty had a bittersweet rookie Late Model season but he did sit on a pole and was in contention to win some races at South Boston. He has surprised before and he could very well surprise again.
Underdog: Jake Keaton
It’s never easy to pick an underdog, there are so many that could show up and show off. However, I had to narrow it down to one and that one is (drumroll please) … Jake Keaton. He’s fresh off a win last week at Franklin County Speedway but more importantly he’s got a fresh Ford Crate under the hood and I think that could be one of the key elements in the battle for speed at Martinsville.
Andy Marquis’ List
1. Ben Rhodes
For the longest time, it seemed like Ben Rhodes could lose a race if he was the only car in the field. He was robbed out of a big money victory, either at Daytona or Myrtle Beach, earlier this season. Rhodes clicked off good runs and unloaded with fast cars but couldn’t get to victory lane – until he scored his first win at Kingsport Speedway earlier this season. Since then, Rhodes has turned in to a lean, mean, winning machine. All he does anymore is win. And I think Martinsville will be the sixth win for Rhodes.
2. Dillon Bassett
Dillon Bassett is fast, real fast. But don’t expect him to be making any friends and why should he? This is a $25,000-to-win race, not Camp Happyface. Bassett drove in practice like it’s the last lap of the race. That’s exactly what his driving style is though – nothing held back. Bassett will be a contender all weekend.
3. CE Falk
CE Falk runs well just about everywhere he goes but has never quite been able to get Martinsville figured out. Falk almost won at Daytona earlier this year and runs at another flat track, Langley Speedway. I’d expect Falk to be up towards the front on race day and challenging all race long for a top-five finish.
4. Ryan Wilson
Ryan Wilson leads the points at Caraway Speedway, a track that’s similar in design to Martinsville – so much so that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams test out there. Martinsville was good to Ryan Wilson last year. He surprised everyone with a top five finish after starting deep in the pack. Wilson will be a threat again this year. Wilson isn’t afraid to get aggressive to get after it. If the stars align, Wilson could pull off a big upset come Sunday.
5. Chad Finchum
Finchum had a fast car in testing and certainly knows how to race hard. The King of the Concrete Jungle has had to race his way from the back of the field to the front of the field several times at Kingsport Speedway this season. He also had a strong run going in the Barnburner at Motor Mile Speedway before being taken out in an accident not of his causing. Finchum is one driver that will turn heads and be a factor.
Underdog: Annabeth Barnes
Annabeth Barnes has been one of the more exciting rookies to come in to Late Model Stock Car racing. This girl loves to race, anything anywhere. Her car was fast in testing last week. If she can get a little bit of luck on her side for the first time this season, she should be able to make the race and may surprise a lot of people with a strong run.
RACE22.com will have Five Star RaceCar Bodies Live Coverage of Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Race Weekend presented by JRi Shocks beginning Saturday morning.
