Story By: KYLE SOUZA / SADLER-STANLEY RACING – SOUTH BOSTON, VA – Talk about a way to score your first career win.
Luke Baldwin drove the No. 7VA to the front of the field and held off the best of the best in Matt Hirschman over the final laps to become King of the Modifieds on Sunday at South Boston Speedway.
In the third race of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic season, Baldwin drove the Sadler-Stanley Racing, Pace-O-Matic, Mohawk Northeast entry to Victory Lane for his first career Tour-Type Modified win in just his third career start.
The win came with a $20,000 prize and the crown in Victory Lane for Baldwin. While Baldwin picked up the win, team driver Jonathan Cash rallied from a tough first half of the race and came home with a solid fourth-place finish, his first top-five of the season.
“I can’t believe it,” Luke Baldwin said. “The car was a rocket ship. All of the guys at Sadler-Stanley Racing and PSR Chassis did a great job. It’s a ton of pressure (over the final laps battling Hirschman) – but, I always say pressure is privilege. I’m thankful for everyone who makes this possible.”
Luke passed Matt Hirschman for the lead prior to pit stops just after halfway in the King of the Modifieds 125, then after pitting, had to get the lead back. He led the final stretch of the race and held off Hirschman, who was close behind, in the stretch run to the checkered flag at the Virginia track.
Cash struggled early, but after a late race incident, charged through and restarted third on the final restart, finishing in fourth, tying his best career SMART Modified Tour effort with Sadler-Stanley Racing.
Sadler-Stanley Racing will be back on track at Richmond Raceway on Friday, March 29, for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event with Bobby Labonte. The team will then move to Tri-County Speedway with the SMART Modified Tour on Saturday, March 30, with both Baldwin and Cash.