LARGER THAN LIFE – 2026 SMART Modified Tour King Of The Modifieds At South Boston Speedway

Larger than life. I’ve heard the term for the entirety of my existence, but it never really hit home for me until this past Saturday night. Coined in the 20th century, the term means something more extra ordinary than ordinary. Mike Caro, nicknamed ‘The Mad Genius Of Poker’ was once quoted as saying, “Aces are larger than life and greater than mountains.” He was talking of course about cards, but for me, at one very special moment, that quote hit me like a ton of bricks.

Coming into the SMART Modified Tour’s third annual King Of The Modifieds event at South Boston Speedway, a couple of announcements were made regarding the return of 2 South Boston Speedway greats, adding a ton of fan excitement for this event. Those announcements confirmed that 3 of the 5 drivers that have grandstands named after them at the showcase track would not only be attending the event, they would be competing. One of South Boston’s most beloved sons, Elliott Sadler, was returning to the speedway to race in the #16 Hermie Sadler/Bill Stanley SS Racing Modified, while South Boston Speedway Late Model Stock standout Lee Pulliam returned to try his luck against a stout field that included South Boston Speedway’s all time championship leader Peyton Sellers. That guaranteed that it would be an historic event at the very least. I had that in mind coming into the event. It was going to be special. But I didn’t truly get the full magnitude of it all until a moment that happened to me on the frontstretch as the tour modified drivers were climbing into their cars. A moment that brought me from a member of the sports media, back instantly to the racing fan that is at my core being. Before I get more into it however, for those that didn’t get to witness it, and/or for some who may already know the outcome but not how it all came to be, let’s take a closer look at the action on the track from South Boston Speedway’s 2026 season opening event.

SOUTHERN GROUND POUNDERS VINTAGE RACING CLUB FEATURE

The gorgeous machines of the SGPVRC hit the track as an appetizer to the packed South Boston grandstand, bringing back fond memories for some in attendance. Somebody who knows their way around a Virginia short track in Shayne Lockhart took his #95 Modified to the front in a hurry and never looked back, securing the win in dominating fashion.

HITACHI ENERGY LATE MODEL STOCK FEATURE

Trevor Ward starts his year off with a bang, leading a stacked contingent of South Boston Late Model Stocks to the green. Ward would pace the field in the early stages, but rookie Conner Weddell shows his muscle, wrestling the top spot ahead of Ward and a fast Lee Pulliam. Just when it seemed like Weddell was going to take his first career win, a late caution set the stage for a three way dance. Weddell, Pulliam, and Ward. Once the green was unfurled, Pulliam got the launch of a lifetime. Weddell didn’t back down however, putting down consistent laps behind. But it just wasn’t enough as Lee Pulliam visits Philip Morris victory lane for the first time in nearly a decade. Weddell hangs onto to a very impressive second while Ward crosses the line in third followed by Landon Pembelton and Josh Oakley.

SMART TOUR KING OF THE MODIFIEDS FEATURE

A tight qualifying session set the stage for the richest asphalt Modified race in the country. The Shady Grady #15 machine of Carson Loftin edges out the herd of 29 other hungry Mod drivers for the pole and gets to keep it after the redraw. He fires off first next to Ryan Newman, however it’s not long before the northern squad of Ron Silk and Patrick Emerling join the fray. The pack behind is racing how you’d expect for $20,000, white knuckled and all out. As the laps wind down, the battle is now between Silk, Emerling, and Newman, with an emerging Stephen Kopcik right in the shadows. But most of the crowd’s eyes are focused a few spots back as Elliott Sadler, in his debut Modified race, is picking off drivers left and right like a veteran. Just as the Late Model Stock race beforehand, this one came down to the restarts. And no one was better at them than Ron Silk, who takes home the robe and crown ahead of Kopcik after Emerling had a late race issue. Newman finishes third, Jack Baldwin grabs fourth, and Sadler shocks the field with a fifth place effort.

MY TAKE

We have a special schedule planned for our 5th year of live coverage and so we paid special attention to choosing our opening coverage event. South Boston Speedway’s season opener checked all the boxes. Not only did it have a marquee Late Model Stock event that had significant historic connotations, it also featured SMART Modified’s crown jewel, the King Of The Modifieds paying $20,000 to the winner. In the end, the crowd got even more than they bargained for. Lee Pulliam, on his quest to prepare for this upcoming weekend’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series NFPA 250 where he will pilot the JR Motorsports #9 entry in his first ever start in the series, took the win over Conner Weddell in the SoBo season opener. “C-Weed” worked his way to the front and looked as though he would capture the unexpected win. But Pulliam used his experience in a late race restart that Weddell will probably never forget. Good news for that team is it’s got to leave them even hungrier, and they have put the rest of the season’s competitors on notice that they are eager and capable of winning in one of the toughest Late Model Stock divisions in the country. And although northern Modified ace Ron Silk reminded everyone why he is one of the very best touring Modified racers in the country, many South Boston Speedway fans had their hearts fully invested in the scrappy performance former winning Cup star Elliott Sadler had as he battled his way to a top 5 finish from starting near the rear of the field.

So, for the fans, the action on the track is what they’ll remember, and for good reason. It was nothing less than phenomenal. South Boston’s known for it. To the point that we expected nothing less than that. Brandon Brown and his crew have put in the work to make this year one of their most special yet and they are off to an amazing start. But what I’ll remember is one moment that reminded me that, for me, American stock car racing is the greatest show on earth. That statement goes much deeper than you know for me. The crowd Saturday at SoBo was amazing. The excitement in the air was palatable. The on track competition started with the Southern Ground Pounders. Race cars that take me back to my childhood when my love of racing began. And after that, Lee Pulliam took the emotional checkered, his 53rd South Boston Speedway triumph and a victory that guarantees momentum going into his career’s biggest start at Martinsville Speedway. Finally, the SMART Modified contingent were lined up on the frontstretch and the driver introductions had began. The racing journalist in me was still pondering on Pulliam’s win while also looking at the truly impressive line up of touring Mods sitting silent before the thunder…when he walked up beside me. One of my childhood heroes, “Satch” Worley. We proceeded to have an amazing conversation about the differences between the generation of Modifieds he raced and the new generation touring Mods staged behind us. “Look at those nerfbars…”, he said, also noting what that in itself meant for the different generation of drivers.

Over his voice, as he proceeded with his outstanding insight, I couldn’t help but remember all the things I’d seen him do in a racecar, and as I did, I also heard the crowd roar as Elliott Sadler was introduced…and it hit me like a ton of bricks. There were legends all around me. And mixed in with them was an amazing crop of young talent. Progressional talent with not only natural racing ability, but also learning racecraft that has been tweaked and perfected over the years by drivers like Worley, who passed it on to drivers like Elliott Sadler, who passed it on to drivers like Lee Pulliam, who now pass it on to drivers like Conner Weddell, who will use it to find their way to victory lane. It was then that I realized it and the phrase I’d had heard all my life finally had real meaning to me. Everything that led to that place, that time, and everything destined to come after…I was surrounded by greatness. Greatness born in the beginning on the dirt roads of the south, expanded on the asphalt superspeedway, fed by blood, sacrifice, and the quest to be the best. The sports journalist in me had to take a back seat to the fan who couldn’t help but acknowledge. This was larger than life! I don’t expect the casual fan to understand. But to those that do, until next time, See You At The Track!