The Southern Ground Pounders rolled into South Boston Speedway Saturday night. Due to engine failures in other divisions, only one round of practice was completed, but the track crew worked hard to give us a fast and race-ready surface on time.
Setting the Field
The standard pill draw once again set the grid—a system that continues to spark discussion about its future.
Starting Lineup
Preston Clark (m) Kevin Floars (s)
Lindsay Pond (s) James Turner (s)
Steve Mendenhall (m) Barry Dalton (m)
Dennis Werner (m) Bob Wallace (s)
Josh Roberts (s) Chris Hicks (s)
Cole Adkins (s) Shayne Lockhart (m)
Preston Clark led the field to green for the 25 lap shootout, with Kevin Floars to his outside. By the time the field crossed for lap one, Floars had already opened nearly a straightaway advantage while the pack scrambled to work past Clark.
Early Incident
Chris Hicks made a bold move to the high side but the closing rate on the slower Clark forced Dennis Werner into evasive action. Hicks hadn’t got along side of Werner and had to lock up the brakes and tagged the outside wall hard, ending his night early. Quick reactions from the field kept the wreck from collecting more cars. The single-car incident reset the field.
Mid-Race Battles
On the restart, Floars paced the field with Lindsay Pond in second. Pond soon slipped back into the clutches of Steve Mendenhall, who muscled his way inside, bringing Werner, Shayne Lockhart, and Josh Roberts with him. Pond regrouped mid-pack to fend off a determined Bob Wallace. Wallace fresh off a Caraway Speedway victory is always a threat.
The battle of the night came as Mendenhall kept Lockhart digging as the two fought door to door for several laps before Lockhart powered past and then eventually grabbed the overall lead as Floars would conserve tire with no divisional pressure. Meanwhile, 82-year-old James Turner showed he still has moves, not just on the dance floor. Barry Dalton, finally free of gremlins in his beautiful Coors Banquet Modified, hovered just behind the Wallace-Pond fight.
Late Drama & Finish
A second caution flew when Cole Adkins, one of the club’s promising young guns, spun in turn three on stay-dry. No damage, but it set up a five-lap shootout.
On the restart, Lockhart proved why he’s undefeated in 2025 Modified competition—launching into clean air and never looking back. Behind him, teammates Mendenhall and Floars staged a thrilling door-to-door duel, with Werner and Roberts rounding out the top five.
Finishing Order
1. Lockhart (m) 2. Mendenhall (m) 3. Werner (m)
4. Floars (s) 5. Roberts (s) 6. Pond (s) 7. Wallace (s) 8.Dalton (m) 9. Adkins (s)
10. Clark (m) 11. Turner (s) 12. Hicks (s)
Overall & Modified Winner: Shayne Lockhart (undefeated streak continues)
Sportsman Winner: Kevin Floars
A testament to a long, grueling season, Floars’ consistency and speed has unofficially sealed the deal for a much deserved 2025 Sportsman Championship Title. Roberts kept him honest in his own attempt to win 4 straight as neither competitor has missed an event all season.
Looking Ahead
The Southern Ground Pounders have a quick two-week turnaround as the tour heads to Southern National Motorsports Park September 6th. As the saying goes:
“Take the high road—there’s less traffic.
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