With wonderful spring like weather along and a sighting of the Easter Bunny, wouldn’t you just know it that 17 NASCAR Whelen All American Late Models would come to life for the Easter Bunny 150 at South Boston Speedway. Lee Pulliam, who already had victories at South Boston entering the race and holds the track points lead, was looking to keep the high wave of success flowing. Certainly, a win would do just that, but not if some other well-known racers like Phillip Morris, CE Falk and last year’s track champion Matt Bowling had a say in it. For some others, Fridays practice yielded results that could possibly carry over into the race that could get things rolling for them also.

After showing as one of the fastest in practice, Lee Pulliam qualified on pole for the 150 lap feature with a hot lap at 15.641 sec. Also qualifying well were Bobby McCarty, Austin Thaxton and Dustin Storm. Other notables and scratching their heads a bit were Phillip Morris in seventh, Peyton Sellers in 13th and CE Falk in 14th. Both Sellers and Falk led practice sessions prior to qualifying.  Quickly, the talk of the track’s grip had the teams very concerned going into this 150 feature. Could this be the day to see a new first time winner at South Boston Speedway?

The green flag would wave and Lee Pulliam wasted no time in securing the top spot. McCarty, Thaxton, Anderson and Morris would make up the top-five as the leaders began to check out away from the rest of the field. The man on the move and coming through the field was Phillip Morris picking off the leaders one by one. Bobby McCarty later would catch the leader Lee Pulliam and sneak underneath for a corner but backed off as if to see he could pass Pulliam. But continuing his march to the front was Morris and making moves into the top-five was Dustin Storm. Morris would eventually get around McCarty and sets his sights on the leader as lap 46 goes up on the board.

The caution would wave for the first time in the event for an oil leak from the machine of Josh Oakley that eventually brought out a red flag so track officials could get things cleaned up. Assumedly, the 12 car length lead that Pulliam was enjoying was all gone and that would set up a potential side-by-side battle for the lead. Pulliam wanted the low side, Morris wanted the high side and then the green flag would wave. Phillip Morris makes quick work of Pulliam and took the lead but just as things settled, Austin Thaxton went around for the second caution of the day.

Back under the green and Morris beats Pulliam once again on the restart. Making moves now is Matt McCall and CE Falk but all eyes were on the leaders as Morris and Pulliam battle for the lead. Several laps would pass by battling for the lead as both drivers were digging hard but never made contact. As the lap count clicks the century mark, Lee Pulliam would finally clear Morris who just may have used up his right rear on his machine. In fact, that was also the last time that Morris would see the bumper of Pulliam as the leader checked on out for good.

In the closing stages, Pulliam went unchallenged but CE Falk, after starting 14th in the field, had worked his way to the fourth spot. Lap 150 and the first to the line was race winner Lee Pulliam, Phillip Morris would finish second Bruce Anderson would have a strong run finishing third. CE Falk crosses the stripe in fourth and rounding out the top-five was Dustin Storm.

Results

1. #1 Lee Pulliam
2 .#26 Phillip Morris
3 .#73 Bruce Anderson
4 .#10 CE Falk
5 .#01 Dustin Storm
6. #6 Bobby McCarty
7. #74 Ronald Hill
8.  #5 Matt McCall
9. #02 Austin Thaxton
10. #83 Matt Bowling
11. #2 Dennis Holdren
12. #27 Tommy Lemons Jr
13. #99 Peyton Sellers
14. #16 Jeff Oakley
15. #51 Kyle Dudley
16. #21 Myatt Snider
17. #8 Josh Oakley