It wasn’t the coronation Lee Pulliam wanted but he was crowned the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion for the fourth time on Saturday night at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.
The 29-year-old from Semora, North Carolina finished eighth and second on championship night at the famed Virginia short track, but he wanted to cap off his championship season with at least one victory in a pair of Twin 66s.
Alas, Pulliam finished eighth in the opener and got beat by Connor Hall — due in part to the fact Hall turned just 25 laps in the opener due to a broken track bar. Having to start on the same tires from the first race meant that everyone else in the field had 41 more laps on their rubber.
Pulliam still had enough to contend but battled wooziness over the final 30 laps of the nightcap.
“Four-time sounds great,” Pulliam said after the race. “I really wanted to win 20 races this year and we fell one short. I just got high or sick off the fumes or something under caution and couldn’t hold Conor off for the win. Congrats to him though.
“Nineteen wins. I’m just blessed to be able to do what I love.”
Pulliam racked up 17 victories at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina which also allowed him to earn the track and state championships in the process. His other victories came at Anderson Motor Speedway (SC) and Southern National Motorsports Park (NC.)
“We haven’t made it to Langley all year long and I hate that,” Pulliam said. “I really like this place and the fans. We’ve been chasing points and different tracks. I just hate that we couldn’t win one of these two races.”
His fourth championship (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017) ties him for second on the all-time list with Philip Morris. They are both chasing Larry Phillips who captured five in the 1990s.
Pulliam defeated California’s Trevor Huddleston with his 20 wins but in far fewer starts.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I drivers are ranked by their best 18 NASCAR points finishes in series-sanctioned events. Drivers receive two points for every car they finish ahead of – up to 18 cars – and three points for a win, with an additional two points available if the driver starts 10th or lower.
Gord Shepherd (Canada), Morris (Virginia) and Nick Panitzke (Wisconsin) completed the top-5 in the NASCAR national standings.
Last week, Short Track Scene profiled Pulliam and during the interview he spoke of wanting to match or best Phillips someday.
“I’m just trying to chase Larry Phillips and Philip Morris,” Pulliam said. “They are the only two people ahead of me on the all-time list and hopefully they’re all of Famers with their wins and accomplishments.”
Now he’s tied Morris.
Next up is Phillips and perhaps the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
