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Pulliam picks up points with 7th win at SNMP



Lee Pulliam, the defending two-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car national champion, picked up win No. 7 in the first half of Saturday’s twin-75 lap LMSC races at Southern National Motorsports Park.

With the win and a runner-up finish in the second 75-lap event, Pulliam moved to within 18 points of leader Tommy Lemons Jr.



Pulliam, who hails from Semora, set the early pace by posting the fastest time in qualifying by one-tenth of a second over Mike Darne.

Yet when the green flag dropped for the first 75-lap race, Pulliam jumped in front and never looked back, leading every lap on the way to the win. Lemons overtook Darne for second, while Darne settled for third. Dalton Sargeant and Josh Berry finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

With a seven-car invert for the second race, Craig Stallard ascended to the pole for the first time this season as Tyler Ankrum sat on the outside. Looking to attain needed points in the national championship points chase, Pulliam opted to start in the 13th position. Ankrum
led the opening lap before Stallard took the point on lap 2. A scheduled competition caution bunched up the field again on lap 43, allowing Lemons Jr. to take the lead off the high groove. Three laps later, Berry, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports entry, took over and would hold off a charging Pulliam to claim the checkered flag for the first time in 2014. Pulliam was runner-up as Lemons Jr. settled for third. Jonathan Findley and Myatt Snider rounded out the top five.

In the Limited Late Models Division, points leader Haley Moody struggled. Early issues brought out a caution for her No. 50 machine, and Moody ultimately finished the 50-lap event in 11th. Pole sitter Rusty Daniels wasn’t seriously challenged in the event, even after the caution for Moody bunched the field back up for a restart.

Daniels blazed to the win, with Andrew Grady overtaking Daryn Cochran for the runner-up spot. Michael Fose was third, while Dillon Spain finished fourth. Cochran slid back to fifth.

Spain moved to within eight points of Moody for the points lead. Travis Greene’s ninth-place showing brings him to within 22 points of the division lead in third.

The Chargers Division featured Bill Barber and Gerald Benton dueling for the duration of 30 laps. Benton led every lap as Barber never strayed more than five car lengths from Benton and the No. 55. But in post-race inspection, Benton’s car was deemed illegal, which disqualified him and awarded the win to Barber.

Another beneficiary was Wayne Goss, who moved into second place and took over the division points lead in the process. Jeremy Bohne finished third.

Brandon Maready parlayed his first 2014 pole in the Street Stocks Division into a wire-to-wire victory. Mack Parker tried to keep pace, but a lack of caution flags proved to be his downfall in
finishing second. Kyle Smith was third.

Tyler Horne turned back pushes from Travis Miller and Brian Obiedzenski to win his fourth UCARs race of the year. The Legends race saw Billy Hall win back-to-back races after holding off Will Bristle and pole sitter Justin Mitchell.

Justin Mitchell proved to be the class of the Bandoleros Division yet again, cruising to his sixth consecutive win.

On Saturday, the Pro All-Star Series Super Late Models return to SNMP for 150 laps. Also in attendance will be the PASS Pro Late Models and USAC HPD Midgets. For information on the Pro All-Star Series, log onto www.proallstarseries.com.

SNMP resumes its weekly action on Saturday, July 19, with 100 laps from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks. Twin 35-lap events will be in Limited Late Models as the Chargers, Legends, Bandoleros and the Southern Ground Pounders also in action.

Tickets will be $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and active-duty military personnel and students ages 13-15 with a valid ID.

Children ages 6-12 are $6, while ages 5 and under are free.

For more information, contact the track office at 919-284-1114 or visit its website at www.snmpark.com.

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