The weather is starting to turn which means the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is heating up.

A dozen series tracks will be open by the end of March. Eleven tracks begin their season this month, joining New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway that opened in January. Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C., opened Mar. 1.

Southern National, a .4-mile paved oval, hosted twin 100s for NASCAR Late Models Saturday with Tommy Lemons Jr. and Lee Pulliam, the 2012-13 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion, splitting the wins.

Lemons turned in the most consistent results with finishes of first and second, respectively. Pulliam won the second 100-lapper as he rebounded from an accident resulting in a 19th-place finish in the first.

For 2014, the 25-year-old Pulliam joined Hattori Racing Enterprises to race fulltime with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He’s now driving NASCAR Late Models on a part-time basis for Kiker Motorsports. The scenario creates a toss-up in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state and national points races.

Austin Thaxton, 21, of Cluster Springs, Va., placed second to Pulliam in South Boston (Va.) Speedway’s 2013 point standings, improving from fourth in 2012.

South Boston hosts an open practice and media day on Saturday, March 8. The season opens March 15 with the Danville Toyota Twin 100s for NASCAR Late Models. Limited Sportsman and Pure Stocks share the afternoon event.

“We want to try to win the South Boston Late Model championship and win some races,” Thaxton said. “With a little sponsor help, we might try to travel a little, but our priority is South Boston.”

Thaxton grew up around his grandparents’ well-known race team. Goo and Dolly Fallen owned and sponsored Fallen Trucking NASCAR Late Models for plenty of great drivers over the years including seven-time South Boston champion David Blankenship, 2001 track and regional champion Brandon Butler, current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and 2004 South Boston champion Timothy Peters,  Danny Willis and Owen Butler. In 2013, Peters won a South Boston Late Model race for the first time since 2004. While maintaining his full-time truck series schedule he expects to be a frequent visitor to South Boston this year.

Goo Fallen and Thaxton’s father, Larry, each have passed away, but Dolly Fallen kept the team thriving. Thaxton moved from go-karts into the family’s limited sportsman at South Boston in 2009. He joined the Late Model ranks in 2011. While he’s won in the sportsman division, he’s striving for his first NASCAR Late Model feature win.

Thaxton’s record at South Boston last year was eight top fives and 18 top 10s in 20 starts. His best finish was third on four occasions. He placed 12th in the state point race.

“We race against some great drivers,” Thaxton said. “We haven’t been able to put it all together yet, but we’re working on it.”

In addition to Pulliam, other NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champions South Boston helped produce include Peyton Sellers (2005), Philip Morris (2006, 2008-09, 2011) and Barry Beggarly (1993). Each of them can still show up at South Boston on any race night.

Thaxton works for A&E Chassis and is a student at Danville (Va.) Community College. Allen Rice is his crew chief and team members include Kelvin Ragsdale, Darrell Saunders, Chase Griffin, Brian Creecy, Alec Mitchell and Heather Ragsdale. The Fallen Trucking Toyota is based on and A&E chassis and powered by a Kowalsky racing engine.

South Boston’s ambitious 18-event schedule includes a major special event.

The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown moves to South Boston this year and is set for Apr. 24. Stars of NASCAR’s national series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series square off in NASCAR Late Model competition. Kyle Busch is the event’s only multiple winner with three. He won last year’s edition at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Other winners include Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and C.E. Falk. Falk’s win was at the former Southside Speedway near Richmond. He is the only NASCAR Whelen All-American Series driver to win the Showdown so far.

The event benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation which supports the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The showdown is scheduled in conjunction with the Apr. 26 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond, about 100 miles northeast of South Boston.

Hamlin established his NASCAR racing career on several Virginia NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks where he won races and championships. His most recent appearance at South Boston was in 2003, the same year he won Southern National’s NASCAR Late Model championship.

“Moving the race to South Boston Speedway makes it a new challenge for the drivers and brings back a bit of NASCAR nostalgia for the fans and media,” Hamlin said. “Based on the feedback and interest I’ve heard, I expect the all-star lineup to be better than any we’ve had in our six-year history of the event.”

South Boston Speedway officials are excited to host the event as one of Hamlin’s NASCAR Home Tracks.

“We at South Boston Speedway are honored to be the 2014 host of the Denny Hamlin charity race,” said general manager Cathy Rice.

South Boston operates on Saturdays. In addition to NASCAR Late Models, regular divisions include Limited Sportsman, Pure Stocks and MAD Modifieds. The track’s website is www.southbostonspeedway.com.

Additional March Track Openings

March 8
• Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, a .363-mile paved oval, opens with the Spring Classic featuring a 100-lap Challenge Series race for NASCAR Late Models.  Other divisions appearing in rotation: Limiteds, Super Trucks, Street Stocks, Renegades, Four Cylinders, Ford Focus Midgets, Vintage Sportsman.www.hickorymotorspeedway.com

• Houston Motorsports Park, a .375-mile asphalt and concrete oval, opens with the Fiesta Mart 75 for NASCAR Modifieds. Other divisions: BWFS Coke Trucks, American Muscle Cars, EcoStocks, Legends, Bandoleros. www.houstonmotorsportspark.com

March 9
• Caraway Speedway, a .455-mile paved oval in Sophia, N.C., kicks off the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour’s 10th season with a 150-lap event. NASCAR Late Models will compete in a 100-lap feature. Other divisions: Limited Late Models, Mini Stocks, Legends, U-Cars, Hornets. www.carawayspeedway.com

March 14
• Anderson (S.C.) Motor Speedway, a .375-mile paved oval opens its new NASCAR era with the six-division Season Kickoff. NASCAR Late Models headline the event. Other divisions: Minis, BM-Mods, Legends, Renegades, Front Wheel Drives. www.andersonmotorspeedway.com

March 15
• Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway, a half-mile paved oval, opens with twin 40s for NASCAR Late Models. Other divisions: Trucks, Chargers, Renegades, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders.www.greenvillepickens.com

March 21
• East Carolina Motor Speedway, a .375-mile high-banked paved tri-oval hosts its inaugural NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event featuring NASCAR Late Models. Other divisions: Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, U-Cars. www.ecspeedway.com

March 29
• Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway, a third-mile banked concrete oval opens with a new leadership in Keith Stiltner who also operates Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Va. Stiltner was Kingsport’s 1998-99 Late Model champion. Karen Tunnell is general manager and promoter of both tracks. NASCAR Late Models are NASCAR Division I. Other divisions: Street Stocks, Pure Four, Rookie Pure Four, Modified Four, Iron Warriors, Pure Street. www.newkingsportspeedway.com

• Salina (Okla.) Highbanks Speedway, a .375-mile clay oval where dirt Modifieds are NASCAR Division I. Other divisions: Cruisers, Grand Nationals, Factory Stocks, Pure Stocks.www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com

• The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a .375-mile paved oval where Super Late Models are NASCAR Division I. Other divisions: Super Stocks, Bombers, Thunder Cars, Legends, Bandoleros.www.lvms.com/bullring

New Smyrna Speedway hosted its 48th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing Feb. 14-22. Steven Wallace won the overall NASCAR Super Late Model division championship. Posting NASCAR Whelen All-American Series point event wins were Stephen Nasse (3), Ryan Moore (2), Kyle Benjamin (1) and Wallace (1). New Smyrna opened the season with 100-lap NASCAR Super Late Model features on Jan. 4 and Jan. 18. Both were won by Travis Cope. Cope finished second to Benjamin in the 100-lap World Series finale to win the Florida Triple Crown series title for the second straight year.

New Smyrna’s season resumes March 22 headlined by a 50-lap Pro Late Model feature. E-Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Strictly Stocks are also on the night’s schedule. Visitwww.newsmyrnaspeedway.org for more information.

Southern National’s season continues Mar. 15 with the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour in a 150-lap main event. Limited Late Models and Street Stocks will also compete. www.snmpark.com

Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 57 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate.

Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North America are among the many showcases for Whelen products.