SOUTH BOSTON, VA (June 28, 2023) -- Nobody has forgotten the drama and excitement of the 2022 edition of the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway and the thrilling finish that had the thousands of fans in attendance standing and cheering as the checkered flag flew at the end of the race.
Jacob Borst and Corey Heim were neck-and-neck for the lead coming off of the fourth turn on the final lap. The pair banged into each other multiple times before both cars got out of shape and slid sideways across the finish line with Heim taking the win by a foot.
It was a finish that will long live in the mind of Borst, who will be among the top contenders in the Saturday, July 1 Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway.
“It ate at me for weeks,” Borst said of the loss that came by the narrow margin of .110-second.
“I still think about what I could have done differently. I hate that two good cars got torn up, but it’s a part of racing. You’ve just got to go for it. There were people that really loved the finish and there were people that didn’t like it. That happens. It was an exciting finish, and one I will remember for quite awhile.
“The race at South Boston before that Peyton (Sellers) and I came across the finish line side by side like that and I got the win,” added Borst.
“You win some and you lose some.”
The memory of last year’s race has Borst looking for another big night in Saturday night’s Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway. The race pays $10,000 to win and is the first race of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown.
“It would be the biggest win of my career if I could pull it off,” noted Borst.
“I think we will bring a good car. With the stout field of cars we had, to finish second was a super big deal. Hopefully we can do as well as we did last year or better.”
Borst noted that with the highly competitive field of cars that will be on hand for the 200-lap race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division it is vital that he be on top of his game.
“It’s a big race for everybody,” Borst explained.
“There are a lot of good drivers that have come here and haven’t won this race. You can win this race one year and then be mid-pack the next year. With all of the good drivers and the high level of the competition in this race you’ve got to be on your “A” game.
“You’ve got to be well-prepared,” Borst continued.
“It’s a long race. With these Hoosier F50 tires you don’t have to save as much as you do with other tires, but you do have to be patient and not burn up your stuff too much.
“Hopefully we can get a good starting position,” he continued.
“That will be key. Track position is key, especially with cars that are just as good equipment and drivers that are just as good as you are. It will definitely be a good race, and it will be a hard race.”
A win or a solid top-three finish in Saturday night’s Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway would help boost Borst’s season. He is winless thus far this season at the .4-mile oval and sits in third place in the track point standings. The Elon, North Carolina resident has nine Top-5 finishes that include three second-place finishes and 11 Top-10 finishes in his 12 starts.
“I’ve been struggling a little bit this year,” Borst remarked.
“We’ve tried a lot of new things this year trying to find that little edge. I feel like we’re getting better as the season goes on. We’re just trying to get back to where we were last year. I feel like we’ve learned some this year with some of the things we’re trying. We have struggled throughout the season but knowing we can run up there with those guys gives me confidence.”
Saturday night’s Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway is the speedway’s showcase event of the season and is a fan-favorite event.
Fans will be treated to one of the region’s biggest and most dazzling Fourth of July fireworks shows immediately following the last race of the night. Pre-race Ceremonies powered by Hitachi will include a flyover of vintage military aircraft piloted by members of the Raleigh, North Carolina-based Bandit Flight Team. The Bandit Flight Team will make a pass over the speedway near the conclusion of the National Anthem and will return a couple of minutes later for an additional demonstration prior to the start of the first race of the night.
In addition, an Autograph Session powered by Hitachi will be held immediately after qualifying, giving fans an opportunity to meet the drivers and see the cars up close.
The 200-lap race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division headlines Saturday night’s four-race card. A 40-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 20-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division are also scheduled Saturday night.
Close to 40 cars are expected to be on hand for the 200-lap Late Model Stock Car Division race. Among the top drivers entered are Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia who has won five races this season at South Boston Speedway and has won the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort twice, Carter Langley of Zebulon, North Carolina who has won six races at South Boston Speedway this season, and the top two drivers in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour standings, defending series champion Carson Kvapil who drives for JR Motorsports, and Brenden Queen, who competes out of the Lee Pulliam Performance stable.
Last year’s South Boston Speedway Champion, Layne Riggs of Bahama, North Carolina who won 10 of his 17 starts at the .4-mile oval last season, former NASCAR Virginia state champion Mike Looney of Catawba, Virginia, 2021 Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort winner Bobby McCarty, Brandon Pierce of Oak Ridge, North Carolina, Jared Fryar of Trinity, North Carolina and Sam Yarbrough of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina are also among the drivers entered in the event.
Advance adult general admission tickets priced at $20 each 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. Friday is the last day fans can purchase advance tickets.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $25 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $20 each at the gate on race day.
Saturday’s race-day schedule for the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort has registration and pit gates opening at 10 a.m. Frontstretch spectator gates will open at 12:30 p.m. and practice will start at 1 p.m. Backstretch and Turn 4 trackside tailgating gates will open at 3:30 p.m.
Qualifying for the 200-lap Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division race is set for 4:15 p.m. The Autograph Session powered by Hitachi is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on the frontstretch of the speedway. Pre-race Ceremonies powered by Hitachi will begin at 6:35 p.m. and the first race will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
Friday, June 30 is Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 Practice Day and Fan Appreciation Day. Fans can visit the speedway and watch practice free of charge from the track’s spectator areas. Practice will include all four of the track’s regular racing divisions and will run from 11 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.
The latest news and information about the July 1 Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort and other South Boston Speedway events can be found on the speedway’s website and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
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