Champions, award winners honored at SBS
Published 1:00 pm Thursday, November 17, 2022
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By Joe Chandler
South Boston Speedway
Layne Riggs called the 2022 season an “amazing season.”
The Bahama, North Carolina resident won the 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship, the NASCAR Southeast Region title, and the South Boston Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division title in what was the most successful season of his racing career.
“I’m really proud of my team, all of the guys I worked with all season,” Riggs said. “I feel like we did everything we could on the racetrack. We raced well all year.”
South Boston Speedway honored Riggs and its three other NASCAR division champions and award winners at the South Boston Speedway Awards Banquet presented by PPG Thursday night, November 3 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville. Approximately $30,000 in awards were presented during the event, the track’s first post-season awards event since 2019.
The South Boston Speedway Awards Banquet was the first opportunity for Riggs to celebrate his multiple championships. Unfortunately, the South Boston Speedway champion had to miss the celebration to be in Phoenix, Arizona where he had the opportunity to compete in the season-ending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race the following night.
“I hated we had to miss the South Boston Speedway banquet,” Riggs noted. “I know a lot of my guys were able to go and fill in for me. I hate I couldn’t be there, but I’m glad to have had the opportunity to race the No. 62 Toyota in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Phoenix.”
Riggs, who scored 10 wins, two pole wins and 15 top-five finishes in 17 starts at the .4-mile oval this season, received the South Boston Speedway championship trophy and his championship ring from track officials in a pre-race ceremony during the October 22 CARS Tour event at South Boston Speedway.
“To have had the year we had, and to reflect and know we are one of the legends that come out of South Boston Speedway is pretty astounding,” Riggs said. “I know a lot of legends have come out of South Boston Speedway. South Boston Speedway always has consistent car counts and really tough competition. If you can be good at South Boston that’s pretty much the base of winning a national championship.”
All four of South Boston Speedway’s NASCAR division champions were drivers who won their first career South Boston Speedway NASCAR track title. Joining Riggs in celebrating track division champions were Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division Champion Kyle Barnes of Draper, Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division Champion Scott Phillips of Halifax and Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division Champion Jason DeCarlo of Chase City.
Barnes had a stellar season, capturing the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division title with eight wins in his 13 starts and 11 top-five finishes. Consistency was the hallmark Phillips and DeCarlo, both of whom won their respective division titles without winning a race. Phillips put together 11 top-five finishes in 12 starts, including six second-place finishes. DeCarlo notched seven top-five finishes in 10 starts. Both drivers finished in the top 10 in each of their starts.
Among special awards presented was the 2022 Sportsmanship Award that was presented to Jimmy Wade of Halifax. The Sportsmanship Award is one of the more prestigious awards a driver can receive because it speaks to the driver’s character and the respect he or she has among their fellow competitors.
Rookie of the Year Awards were presented to drivers competing in their respective divisions for the first time in 2022 who were the highest-finishing rookie driver in their respective division. The award winners included Parker Eatmon of Wilson, North Carolina (Late Model Stock Car Division), Carter Russo of Rougemont, North Carolina (Limited Sportsman Division), B.J. Reaves of South Boston (Pure Stock Division) and Landon Milam of Keeling, (Hornets Division). Three of the four Rookie of the Year Award winners (Russo, Reaves, and Milam) finished in the top-five of their division point standings.
Most Popular Driver Awards, based upon a fan vote, were awarded in each division. Award winners were Layne Riggs (Late Model Stock Car Division), Kyle Barnes (Limited Sportsman Division), Johnny Layne of Nathalie (Pure Stock Division) and Kevin Currin of Chase City (Hornets Division).
Awards were presented to drivers that finished in the top five in their respective divisions. Finishing first through fifth in order in the Late Model Stock Car Division were Riggs, Peyton Sellers of Danville Jacob Borst of Elon, North Carolina, Camden Gullie of Durham, North Carolina and Landon Pembelton of Amelia.
The top five drivers in the Limited Sportsman Division, in order, were Barnes, Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia, Russo, Zach Peregoy of Clarksville and Ross Mountcasel of Crewe.
Taking the top five spots in the Pure Stock Division were Phillips, Johnny Layne of Nathalie, B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Jimmy Wade of Halifax and Nathan Crews of Long Island.
Finishing first through fifth in the Hornets Division were DeCarlo, Currin, Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Kendall Milam of Keeling and Landon Milam of Keeling.
In addition to presenting awards to the 2022 division champions and awards winners, South Boston Speedway officials recognized the track’s 2021 division champions. That group included Sellers, the 2021 NASCAR national champion, Southeast Region champion and South Boston Speedway champion and Daniel Moss of Danville, who won the Limited Sportsman Division title.
Crews was recognized for winning the 2021 Pure Stock Division title and Josh Dawson of South Boston, received accolades for winning the 2021 Hornets Division championship.