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By Joe Chandler

South Boston Speedway

Jacob Borst scored a breakthrough win and Carter Langley was awarded his seventh win of the season in the twin 70-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division that highlighted Saturday night’s Billy’s A/C Service Night Race at South Boston Speedway.

Borst’s win in the first of the two 70-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division was his first victory of the season at South Boston Speedway.

“I feel like we’ve had a monkey on our backs all season,” the Elon, North Carolina resident remarked. “The first win of the year is the hardest one to get. We’ve tried a lot of new stuff throughout the year, and we’ve struggled a little bit with it and luck hasn’t played out for us until tonight.”

Langley’s win in the night’s second 70-lap race resulted from the disqualification of apparent race winner Landon Huffman. Huffman had edged Langley and Borst by less than a second to secure what would have been his first career win at the .4-mile oval.

After the race, Langley’s team protested Huffman’s car, citing the shock absorbers on the car. Track officials found the shocks on the number 22 car driven by Huffman did not conform to NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division rules.

As a result, Huffman was disqualified, and Langley was declared the race winner. Huffman was also stripped of his apparent runner-up finish to Borst in the first 70-lap race.

The number 22 team cited it was an oversight as the shocks were approved for non-NASCAR competition.

“I’ll take wins as they come,” Langley said with a smile. “They are not easy to get, so you take as many as you can when you can.”

It was a tough race for Langley who needed treatment by medical staff after the race to help him overcome the effects of the hot, humid weather and exhaust fumes that got into the car.

“I got into the backstretch wall, and it knocked the exhaust in and let some fumes into the car,” the Zebulon, North Carolina resident explained. “I really wasn’t feeling well after the race.”

With the disqualification of Huffman, Langley was credited with a runner-up finish behind Borst in the opening race. Bruce Anderson of South Boston finished third, Justin Hicks finished fourth and six-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers of Danville finished fifth after his car was heavily damaged in a multi-car mishap on the fourth lap of the race that also involved Langley. Langley’s car sustained only minor damage.

In the nightcap, Borst finished second behind Langley with Hicks taking third place. Sellers finished fourth driving his back-up car and Camden Gullie of Durham, North Carolina rounded out the top five finishers.

Borst led 35 laps of the first 70-lap race and Langley led the first 43 laps of the second race.

It was a good points night for Langley. He entered the twinbill with a four-point lead over Sellers, and by finishing three positions ahead of Sellers in both races, Langley has padded his lead in the quest for the track title.

WHAT’S NEXT?

NASCAR racing will return to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, June 17 with the Davenport Energy Race Night.

Twin 75-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division will headline the night’s racing action. Also scheduled are a 50-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division.

Frontstretch spectator gates open at 3:20 p.m. Practice will start at 3:30 p.m. and qualifying will begin at 6 p.m. The first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $12 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www. southbostonspeedway. com or by calling the speedway office at 434- 572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.

Tickets at the gate on race day will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day.