Nathan Crews has quickly risen to the top of the Budweiser Limited Sportsman division at South Boston Speedway.
Now in his second season in the division, Crews has won the last three consecutive races to move into third place in the division points standings, six points behind division leader Jason Myers and three points behind second-place driver Eric Winslow, heading into the two 30-lap races on Saturday evening, July 13th, as part of Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service at South Boston Speedway.
Prior to his most recent win on June 29, Cruz’s best finish in the first four races of the season was sixth place twice.
“This is not where we want to be,” Cruz said, “but we seem to have some pretty good momentum and we feel like we can get better.”
“We’re just starting to make sure we’re on top of everything now,” he continued. “We had some mistakes earlier in the year that cost us wins. We feel like we have the car to win every race this season, we just weren’t in the right place at the right time sometimes. We’re trying to improve on that.”
A two-time Southside Disposal Pure Stock champion, he and his team are putting all their effort into winning the Budweiser Limited Sportsman division.
“We’re a little behind where we want to be in that respect,” Cruz noted. “We’re just going to take it one race at a time, bring our best effort to each race every night and try to do the best we can in that race that night, whatever the outcome may be.”
Riding the momentum of three straight wins, Cruz feels he has a good chance to win the division.
“I think we have a chance to win,” Cruz said. “Jason (points leader Jason Myers) is really strong. Anything can happen. If I keep doing what I’m supposed to do and I tick all the boxes for myself, everything will work out and I’ll be up there at the end of the season, maybe sooner.”
Cruz knows winning the championship will be a big challenge and that he will need to win many more races to reach the top of the division.
“I think I need a couple more wins to take over as the points leader,” Cruz said, “but it also depends on how Jason does. Either way, we’ll keep fighting for wins. My biggest goal is to win every race, and if I don’t win, I’ll just finish as best I can to get the points.”
The Long Island, Virginia, resident said winning the Budweiser Limited Sportsman division championship means a lot.
“I want to win because that’s what my dad did when he was racing,” Crews said, referring to his father, Bruce Crews, winning the Street Stock (predecessor to the Limited Sportsman) title at South Boston Speedway in 1995. “It would be amazing to win like my dad did. It would be special for my team, my family and my sponsors. The biggest reason I want to win is for my team. This is the best team I’ve ever had, and every member of it gives 110 percent every week. Without them, I wouldn’t be racing.”
The six-race event at Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service on Saturday evening, July 13, will be headlined by two 65-lap races in the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car division, along with two 30-lap races in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman division, a 25-lap race in the Southside Disposal Pure Stock division and a 20-lap race in the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets division.
The schedule of events for Boone Tractor Race Night presented by Billy’s A/C Service includes registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m., practice beginning at 3:30 p.m. and running until 5:15 p.m. The frontstretch spectator gates will open at 3:30 p.m. and trackside parking gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying is scheduled for 6 p.m., the pre-race ceremony is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets for the Boone Tractor Race Night event presented by Billy’s A/C Service are priced at $12 each. Advance tickets may be purchased online at the South Boston Speedway website at www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway office during business hours at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540.
Tickets at the gate on race day are $15 each. Seniors 65 and older, military, healthcare workers and students (with ID) may purchase tickets at the gate on race day for $12 each.
The latest news and updates about the Boone Tractor Race Night event presented by Billy’s A/C Service and all other events taking place at South Boston Speedway can be obtained through the Speedway’s website at www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the Speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during business hours, or through the track’s social media channels.
SBS Public Relations
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