Bobby McCarty of Summerfield, North Carolina fended off a challenge from Danny Willis Jr. of South Boston, Virginia in a six-lap dash to the finish following the race’s final caution period to win Saturday night’s 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division race at South Boston Speedway.

The win was the first of the season for McCarty, who became the third different driver to visit Victory Lane at South Boston Speedway in the track’s first six Late Model Stock Car Division races of the season.

For Willis, the pole winner, the runner-up finish to McCarty was his best career finish in the NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division ranks. But, it didn’t come without its challenges, as he had to fight off several bids by eventual third-place finisher Mark Wertz of Chesapeake, Virginia, including one over the closing laps, to earn the spot.

Defending South Boston Speedway NASCAR Whelen All American Series Champion Matt Bowling of Ridgeway, Virginia raced from his eighth starting spot to finish fourth and John Moore rounded out the top five finishers.

Justin Carroll of Lanexa, Virginia, former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia, Landon Huffman of Claremont, North Carolina, Nathan Crews of Long Island, Virginia and Dusty Ellington of Burkeville, Virginia rounded out the top 10 finishers.

McCarty, who led all but the first lap, averaged 54.359 mph in winning the race that was slowed by three caution periods.

Twenty-one cars took the green flag for the race.

NASCAR Whelen Late Model – 100 Laps
FINISH POS CAR# DRIVER LAPS COMPL.
1 6 Bobby McCarty 100
2 23 Danny Willis, Jr. 100
3 55 Mark Wertz 100
4 83 Matt Bowling 100
5 4 John Moore 100
6 91 Justin Carroll 100
7 26 Peyton Sellers 100
8 75 Landon Huffman 100
9 3 Nathan Crews 100
10 14 Dusty Ellington 99
11 9A Alex Brock 98
12 33 Macy Causey 98
13 64 Charles Barnes 98
14 28 Jason Barnes 97
15 10 Maddy Ryan Mulligan 93
16 22 Eric Winslow 89
17 38 Mark Keesee, Jr 87
18 34 Matt Waltz 70
19 12 Austin Thaxton 66
20 42 Chuck Lawson 1
21 29 Stuart Crews 1