To many, the last week of June doesn’t hold much historical context. It’s just another long, hot week in the summer – perhaps the time for a family vacation or a reminder that the 4th of July is right around the corner.
But to the teams, drivers and race fans in Late Model Stock car country, it’s SoBo week.
Since 2006, the entire Late Model Stock car landscape has turned its attention to South-Central Virginia this time of year, for what has become one of the most prestigious events in short track racing: the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200.
.@SoBoSpeedway57 is kicking off the first leg of the #VATripleCrown this Saturday! You know you don't want to miss it! pic.twitter.com/xr8BTKnsyK
— Martinsville Speedway (@MartinsvilleSwy) June 26, 2025
The race has also served as the opening round of the Virginia Triple Crown every year since 2012. Its prestigious list of winners includes iconic short track names like Lee Pulliam, Peyton Sellers and Philip Morris. A new name will be added to that list this Saturday night, June 28, at South Boston Speedway.
South Boston has announced a stacked entry list of 40 Late Model Stock cars for this weekend’s race, with $10,000 on the line to the winner. The list features four previous winners of the event (Connor Hall, Bobby McCarty, Sellers and Deac McCaskill) and a plethora of CARS Tour regulars.
That sizable entry list highlights a race weekend with added stakes. Thanks to NASCAR, this year’s 200 means more than it ever has before.
Announced back on June 10, NASCAR and FloSports partnered to add an additional $50,000 in purse to the three-race Virginia Triple Crown while also adding FloRacing as the presenting sponsor, extending the payout to the top-10 drivers in the standings rather than the previous three.
More money, more glory.
— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) June 10, 2025
😤 Who's ready for the 2025 Virginia Triple Crown? pic.twitter.com/jR5CikX15n
In prior years, the Triple Crown winner took home $7,000 as the top prize, while second and third received $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. This year’s winner will take home a whopping $20,000 following the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway. Second will receive $10,000, third $7,500 and prize money will continue down through the top 10.
The Triple Crown was previously more of a side story. Now, the three-race championship series will affect every driver for all 600-combined laps. One wrong move at South Boston in June could be the difference between $20k and $1k come late September at Martinsville.
So what about Martinsville? What does winning at South Boston have to do with the Paper Clip’s event in three months? In years past, it wouldn’t mean much of anything. But for the first time ever, a win in both the 200 at South Boston and Langley’s Hampton Heat guarantee a starting spot at Martinsville, a valuable asset for a race that typically draws upwards of 60 entries.
The past three years have seen a plethora of memorable moments under the South Boston lights during the 200. Back in 2022, a chaotic race saw Corey Heim pick up a historic seventh win in the 200 for Lee Pulliam Performance, the most of any team in the event’s history. Heim crashed across the finish line with Jacob Borst to pick up the unforgettable win.
One year later, Carson Kvapil crossed the line first to pick up another crown jewel win in his Late Model Stock resume. But an infraction in post-race inspection disqualified the No. 8, handing the win to Bobby McCarty and R&S Race Cars.
Hall picked up his first win in the 200 last season, starting shotgun on the field before going 32nd-to-first for an impressive victory.
With the financial allure of the revamped Virginia Triple Crown and potential for a guaranteed spot at Martinsville, the prestige of the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 has been bolstered to new heights, making the 2025 edition arguably the biggest in the event’s 19-year history.
It’s a celebration of speed, friends and America’s freedom, with some of the best short track drivers in the country battling at one of Virginia’s finest facilities. You won’t want to miss this South Boston showdown on Saturday night.
2025 Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 Entry List
No. 0: Landon Pembelton
No. 00: Chase Burrow
No. 01: Thomas Beane
No. 01: Camden Gullie
No. 1: Andrew Grady
No. 2: Brandon Pierce
No. 2: Matt Waltz
No. 3: Trey Williams
No. 04: Ronnie Bassett Jr.
No. 4: Kade Brown
No. 05: Mason Bailey
No. 5: Jonathan Shafer
No. 6: Bobby McCarty
No. 7: Jeff Sparks
No. 08: Deac McCaskill
No. 8: Tate Fogleman
No. 11: Buddy Isles Jr.
No. 15: Ryan Millington
No. 17: Daniel Silvestri
No. 17: Jason Myers
No. 19: Jessica Cann
No. 22: Carson Loftin
No. 25: Jacob Borst
No. 26: Peyton Sellers
No. 41: Woody Howard
No. 44: Conner Jones
No. 47: Ryley Music
No. 50: Raymond Pittman III
No. 50: London McKenzie
No. 51: Toby Layne
No. 57: Landon Huffman
No. 61: Justin Hicks
No. 71: Parker Eatmon
No. 75: Coy Beard
No. 77: Trevor Ward
No. 77: Blake Stallings
No. 77: Darren Krantz Jr.
No. 88: Doug Barnes Jr.
No. 88: Connor Hall
No. 91: Justin Carroll
The Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston is set to get underway Saturday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET. All coverage of the event can be found live on FloRacing.
Chase began working with Frontstretch in the spring of 2023 as a news writer, while also helping fill in for other columns as needed. Chase is now the main writer and reporter for Frontstretch.com's CARS Tour coverage, a role which began late in 2023. Aside from racing, some of Chase's other hobbies include time in the outdoors hunting and fishing, and keeping up with all things Philadelphia sports related.