Story by: Corey Latham ~ [email protected]

Halifax, VA(October 27, 2011) — As the “Big Race” season winds down, only three more are on the charts for the Late Model division and after this past Saturday another one has been put behind us.

The historic South Boston Speedway was the venue and the annual Danville Toyota 300 was the race to be, and what a race it was. It was intense to say the least, all the things you would expect with the top drivers in the region going for $10,000, beating, bangin and some of the best racing of the year. But what happened after the race is what people are talking about, it may just be the biggest story in the Late Model division for the entire season as the two top dogs went it at………but at a price.

38 cars were on hand and the controversy started before any cars even hit the track. CE Falk had timed his #40 machine in the top five but had to start from the rear of a heat race for unapproved fuel. Falk explained that he had fuel that he ran all season at Langley Speedway and the track said if it was compatible he could run it at South Boston. But after a test the track deemed the fuel not acceptable although Falk questioned their methods saying they did not check it right to begin with. He would be fine though coming from the rear and finishing second in his heat and rolling off in 19th spot for the big 300 lapper.

All eyes were on the front row of course, as you had the NASCAR National and SoBo track champion Philip Morris on the pole and Martinsville and Motor Mile Speedway champ Lee Pulliam to the outside. After a quick caution on lap two we finally do some racing on lap 16 as Pulliam jumps to the front with Morris and Bruce Anderson in tow. Anderson wouldn’t be able to show how good his car was as he retired a lap later with a busted radiator, problems longering from Martinsville a few weeks ago. The story of the first half would not be the front two for a change, it was the guy they have talked about for years, Frank Deiny Jr.

Frank has always been the shy type, well, we know that’s a lie, he let’s it be known that when the money is on the table he gets the job done. The proof had started at Martinsville when he had a midfield car in the practices and started in the top ten running there till a accident ended his day. He started off in the sixth spot and quickly made waste of Matt Bowling, Taylor Doggett and set his sights on Morris and Pulliam. Deiny would reel the front two in rather easily, pulling up on Morris’ bumper on lap 40 and when Morris tries to block him on lap 43 Deiny shows him the bumper and rumbles by for second as the crowd comes to their feet. People still remember just as Deiny does, Deiny still “owes” Morris one from two years ago at Motor Mile that affected his championship hopes.

After a caution for Darrel Gilchrist getting into Scott Marshall, the field goes green only to have the caution come out again, this time Pulliam had slid up high and gotten into Deiny, just one of the reasons Deiny was upset with Pulliam. The next restart would see Deiny make a power move to take over the top spot as Doggett slips by Pulliam for second. these two would be the show for the rest of the first half as Pulliam and Morris would sit back and ride for a while.

After a quick caution the field goes back to green on lap 138 and Doggett would assert himself at the front past Deiny. Doggett was making only his third start of the year at SoBo and the youngster has been impressive each time, driving the Clareances Steakhouse backup car for Morris didn’t hurt either. But make no bones about it, Dogget is a wheeleman as he led the field to the halfway break……….but not out of it, that’s where it got strange.

As the field was picked up by the pace car at halfway, the teams readied themsleves on pit road for the mandatory 15 minute break. The pace car was still on track with the field behind when Doggett dove to pit road to make his stop, only problem was that the pace car did not lead the field down pit road, he did it on his own. His mistake to not keep in line resulted in him getting the halfway trophy and bonus, but had to start at the rear for the second half, ultimately killing his chances at winning. It was too bad, he had a car that could of contended for the win.

The halfway break would see an invert of the top seven putting Brandon Butler and Bowling on the front row for the last 150 laps. After a few quick cautions it is quickly known, Morris and Pulliam want to go to the front. After some great racing between Butler and Bowling for the top spot Morris muscles his way past Bowling for second on lap 178 bringing Pulliam with him. It all comes to halt on lap 183 as we have our biggest incedent of the day (during the race that is).

Doggett was mired back in the field and trying to get to the front in a hurry, in doing so he turns Kris Bowen off turn two at the tighest part of the track collecting the cars of Tim George Jr., Natalie Sather, Eddie Johnson, Terry Carrol and few others getting minor damage. The race would be red flagged as the track is blocked, under the red a female from one of the teams involved gets into a heated exchange with Sather thinking the wreck was her fault. Growing tired of the verbal abuse Sather has had enough and goes after her only to be restrained by the SoBo officials, this was only the beginning of the tempers flaring for the day.

On the green Butler would hang tight with Morris as the two ran side by side for nearly eight laps when Morris finally takes the top spot with Pulliam stalking right behind. Doggett would bring out the caution on lap 208 with a flat tire, this would be the chance for Pulliam to grab the lead back as he does when they go green on lap 211 with CE Falk right behind them now. Falk had started bear the rear, got into an early incident, went to the rear and made his way back to the front, he was the driver on the wheel for this race. His great drive would overshadowed unfairly by the incidents later in the day, truth be known, Falk had one of the best drives to the front ever seen at South Boston.

Lap 222 is when the controversy starts, the field gets the green after Dennis Holdren turns Scott Marshall and Pulliam and Falk begin their battle. Pulliam to the inside, Morris outside, they would run neck and neck lap after lap, never making contact. That is until Pulliam finally pulls ahead on lap 226 off turn two only to have Morris try to dive back underneath him in turn three and getting into Pulliam spinning him out. These two had many run-ins before, usually with Pulliam on the losing side of things. Now he was hot, and he would put on a show getting back to the front, it looked like he was on a mission to win but in reality it was a misson to get to Morris, just so happened he had to get to the lead to get to him.

The rest of the race would see Morris do what he has done all year at SoBo, lead, and lead convincingly. Falk, Deiny and Butler were able to keep pace but it was evident they had nothing for the #26 machine. the car coming was Pulliam, he had started shoptgun on the field at lap 222 and just 44 laps later he gets by Greg Edwards for the sixth spot. It was just not going to be enough, eeven if he had the best car he was not going to have enough time to catch Morris for his payback……….unless…….

Pulliam would get by Brandon Butler for fourth and then with eight laps to go he does something desperate, he spins the lapped car of Dennis Holdren to bring out the caution to get closer to Morris. Was it wrong? Yes. Was it in the heat of the moment? Yes. Pulliam did do a stand up thing after the race as he went to Holdren and apologized and offered to fix any damage he may have caused if any.

As we ride around under caution it becomes evident this is going to finish with a green-white-checkered. With the field doubled up Falk will jump to the lead into turn one only to slip off turn two giving the lead back to Morris. Morris was now gone, that was all he need but the fireworks behind him weren’t over. Pulliam still wanted more and he dives under Deiny off turn four coming to the checkereds and gets into him hard cutting down his right front tire as he limps across the finish line. Or should I say the finish line on paper as the flagman never threw the flag to end the race. Then it got wild.

As Morris was cruising around on his victory lap you could hear a car coming, grabbing gears as it got closer. It was Pulliam and he was on a mission. He had said he was going to settle the score so he hits Morris at a high rate of speed in the rear down the backstretch lifting him in the air and spinning both car wildly as Pulliam goes hard into the inside wall. Now facing Morris Pulliam starts changing gears and hits Morris head-on totally destoying both cars. The crowd is going insane and as the cars get to pit road the fists started flying.

Former National Champion Peyton Sellers who’s family keeps up the Morris machine comes to Pulliams window and verbally jabs with him as some real jabs get reported also. Officials and tema members from both sides go flying everywhere and it gets out of hand then back under control rather quickly. The authorities are called in and order is restored in the pits as the stands are still rowdy from the Morris and Pulliam fans, it was one of the wildest scenes in the Late Model division in many years.

It didn’t matter though, Morris may have had a junked car but he was still standing in victory lane with a trophy and $10,000 check. Pulliam let his emotions get the best of him, it was understandable after all the incidents beforehand but ultimately not the best way to handle it. He did get his message across and while winning over the fans, the drivers may have a different perception after this display. It is an emotional sport and sometimes those emotions get the best of people, if this had been between drivers who run 8th and 9th each week we wouldn’t be talking much about it.

But It’s not, It’s the two hottest drivers in the Southeast right now, one fresh off a National Championship and one fresh off a victory in the biggest Late Model race in the country so it is going to be magnified to the highest level. Obviously NASCAR thinks so also as Pulliam has been suspended indefinately, hopefully it won’t linger into next season. A rivalry is always great, between the two best drivers around is the greatest gift to the fans, maybe this incident got eveyone’s message served and they can handle future altercations on the track…………….during green flag racing.

Results:
1. 26 Philip Morris 300
2. 40 C.E. Falk 300
3. 1 Lee Pulliam 300
4. 5 Frank Deiny, Jr. 300
5. 29 Brandon Butler 300
6. 83 Matt Bowling 300
7. 34 Greg Edwards 300
8. 7 Michael Hardin 300
9. 20 Taylor Doggett 300
10. 08 Deac McCaskill 300
11. 12 Austin Thaxton 300
12. 27 Tommy Lemons 300
13. 31 Tim George, Jr. 299
14. 2 Tommy Peregoy 299
15. 72 Dennis Holdren 298
16. 49 Jonathan Smith 297
17. 6 Barry Cash 290
18. 17 Darrell Gilchrist 278
19. 77 Dude Gibbs 265
20. 88 Richard Boswell. II 259
21. 11 Scott Marshall 233
22. 90 Terry Carroll 229
23. 13 Danny Willis, Jr. 223
24. 99 Austin Self 206
25. 01 Dustin Storm 191
26. 80 Kris Bowen 182
27. 94 Natalie Sather 182
28. 57 Eddie Johnson 182
29. 55 Mark Wertz 156
30. 33 Leigh Caruthers 102
31. 98 J.D. Eversole 75
32. 4 Rodney Cook 66
33. 00 Brian Pembelton 51
34. 74 Ronald Hill 32
35. 41 Wesley Falk 29
36. 9 Bruce Anderson 16
37. 71 Paul Green 8
38. 02 Greg Fernandez 1