Labor Day Weekend Stat Sheet
– Here is a number sandwich for you as Erik Jones wins the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (SC). With the win, Jones takes the Richard Petty owned GMS team back to victory lane at Darlington for the first time since 1967, when Richard Petty won the Southern 500 55 years ago to the day. Jones also gets the 200th win for the car number 43 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Eight of Richard Petty’s wins came in the 42 car. Jones is the 17th different winner this year, as he wins the Southern 500 for the second time. Jones is the only driver to win the Southern 500 twice and the Snowball Derby twice.
READ MORE: Erik Jones Never Lost Confidence in Himself or the Petty 43
– Denny Hamlin finished second at Darlington for the fourth time in his career to match his four career wins. Denny Hamlin also has an impressive completion percentage at Darlington. In 21 starts now, he’s completed all but 11 laps with 19 finishes on the lead lap.
– For the sixth time this season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series race was settled with a last lap pass when Noah Gragson got by Sheldon Creed and Kyle Larson who were battling hard for the top spot off turn two. Creed regained the lead in return three, but he rode the wall to the finish and it was not enough as Gragson got back by for the win. Chalk up top-five number 13 for Gragson and top-10 number 21 for AJ Allmendinger, who leads the standings.
– William Sawalich got back to his winning ways at the Winchester Speedway (IN) in the ARCA/CRA Super Series World Stock Car Festival. Sawalich will be back at Winchester for the 400 and this looked like a solid tune up. By our count he has eight wins this season.
– Continuing his run of strong finishes, Mike Hopkins won the Boss Hogg 150 for the second time in his career at Wiscasset Raceway (ME). Hopkins has now been on the podium in the last five runnings of the race having added two seconds and a third in-between his wins.
– Ryan Millington became the first driver to win back-to-back Bobby Isaac Memorials since Shane Huffman did it in 1998 and 1999. Millington is not running for points this season, but he has gone to victory lane at Hickory Motor Speedway (NC) in each of the last two weeks.
– The mid-week Late Model show at North Wilkesboro was the talk of the week, and it may be the talk of the year. From the pole, Carson Kvapil won the 125-lap contest after leading 88 laps. Mason Diaz charged from 20th to finish second and some guy named Dale Earnhardt, Jr. got to race at North Wilkesboro and he came home in third.
READ MORE: Mission Accomplished at North Wilkesboro for Dale Jr
– Justin Bonsignore went to victory lane at Oswego Speedway (NY) on Saturday night. Oswego has been an amazing track for Bonsignore as he has finished sixth or better in all seven of his tour races there. This is also his second win and he’s run every single lap possible at the venue.
– Peyton Sellers won both Late Model Stock Car features at South Boston Speedway (VA) on Saturday night. The second was the 45th win of Sellers career at South Boston. Layne Riggs finished strong enough t0 claim the 2022 South Boston track championship. During the season Riggs won 10 times at South Boston. Both are contending for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series title. Both have 14 wins.
– Mobile International Speedway (AL) saw the return of the Super Late Models with the SRL 125-lap event. When the dust settled it was the same story that fans had seen at Mobile in the past. Bubba Pollard scored the win over Donnie Wilson. Pollard picked up his 25th career Late Model win at Mobile while Wilson returned to the driver seat and finished a strong second.
READ MORE: Bubba Pollard Defeats Donnie Wilson in Overdue Mobile Rematch
