My first race as a reporter is in the books. Sunday was a great day thanks to HardcoreRaceFans.com, Ray Everett and the great Martinsville Speedway. Also, special thanks go out to Chuck Gardner for getting me this gig. Now on to the race!

The event was the Virginia Is For Racing Lover’s 300 Late Model Stock event at Martinsville Speedway. Sunday was what you’d expect from Martinsville, great close racing, some carnage, and a little chaos thrown in for good measure!

Early in the race there wasn’t much passing up front, but there was a lot of side by side dueling going on towards the back 1/3 of the pack. Polesitter and new track record holder, Phillip Morris looked strong out of the gate leading the first 30 laps. Lap 31 saw Matt McCall, who started second, take the lead and looking very strong all the way to the halfway break (lap 100). Morris backslid and ended up at the tail end of the field due to a fuel line problem.

At the start of the second half, the top five were inverted, putting McCall to fifth and Brandon Butler to the point. Butler would lead laps 101-136. On lap 137 Lee Pulliam would take the lead, holding it until lap 165. McCall passed Pulliam for the lead on lap 166, definitely looking like the car to beat.

Throughout the race, caution flags were plentiful as by my count, there were a total of 16 caution periods and one red flag late in the race. Again by my count almost ½ of the 200 laps were under caution. On a lap 198 restart there was a big wreck in turn two with the #7 of Brennan Poole going up over the hood of #59 Coleman Pressley. This results in the first attempt at a green-white-checker finish. Lap 207 sees another restart, Pulliam appears to jump the start slightly, McCall stays even into turn one. They run the whole lap side by side, taking the white flag. McCall clears Pulliam off of turn two and going into turn 3 is where the mass chaos (and controversy) started.

Pulliam runs into McCall’s left rear quarter panel entering turn 3, sending McCall up the track and a big wreck ensues on the front stretch just before the start/finish line. Pulliam motors on to a $25,000 payday, McCall ends up fifth; with two demolished cars not making the finish line!

Chaos continued to victory lane, with half the large crowd jeering the winner, and the other half cheering. McCall came to victory lane to say his peace to the winner as well, his crew intercepting him and keeping them apart. This is the reason you just have to love short track racing! This finish was absolutely amazing, and will be talked about for a long time!

Results for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway

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