Story By: KYLE SOUZA / SADLER-STANLEY RACING – EMPORIA, VA – The Sadler-Stanley Racing, Pace-O-Matic team heads for the next SMART Modified Tour event this Saturday evening. At Dominion Raceway, the team will bring three entries – Luke Baldwin, Jonathan Cash and Bobby Labonte – to chase the checkered flag in the Flying VA Classic.
With just four races remaining in the championship battle for 2024, the Dominion event will mark the final cutoff for the SMART Modified Tour playoff field. The SMART playoff field after this event will include the top-five drivers in the championship standings. At this point, Pace-O-Matic team driver Luke Baldwin is third in the standings and in position to qualify. If he can seal the deal, the Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year contender and one-time feature winner (South Boston) will chase the championship.
While Baldwin is third, 35 points from the lead in the title battle, Jonathan Cash is also inside the top-10 in the championship standings, sitting eighth. Cash has five top-10 finishes this season, including a best of second, and will look to carry the trophy on Saturday for the first time.
While both Baldwin and Cash are full-time drivers, part-time NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Cup Series championship driver Bobby Labonte also returns to the team this week. Labonte has a victory and two top-five finishes in his three starts so far on the SMART Tour this season.
The race day schedule for Dominion Raceway includes SMART Modified Tour practice from 3:10-4 p.m., followed by Pace-O-Matic qualifying at 5 p.m. The green flag for the Flying VA Classic is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m.