Lee Pulliam Checks the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic Off His Bucket List with Emotional Victory
Kenly, NC – The field was set for the 15th running of the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic hosted by Southern National Motorsports Park. A race that has slipped through the grasp of multi time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champ Lee Pulliam. After winning his third national title, fifth South Boston 200 race in a row, finally winning the Hampton Heat 200, Pulliam set his sights on the VA Triple Crown, All-Star Classic, and the unofficial “Grand Slam” of Late Model Racing.
Pulliam, a threat to win at just about any track he pulls into, has an extensive notebook and plenty of laps to boot here at SNMP so you knew he was going to be strong. Setting the third fastest time in group qualifying Saturday afternoon and holding that position during the heat race, that is where he rolled off for today’s 200-lap feature event.
P1. #27 Tommy Lemons, Jr.
P2. #08 Deac McCaskill
P3. #5 Lee Pulliam
P4. #2 Myatt Snider
P5. #77 Connor Hall
Once the green flag was displayed to the field it almost looked to get ugly and fast through turns one and two. Pole sitter Tommy Lemons, Jr. got a tad bit squirrely through the corner. With the quality of drivers behind him, they all allowed him gather himself up back up and get to some pretty good green flag racing. Pulliam would actually spend the first quarter of the race hanging out in third just biding his time before he would make his move to the front, the caution on lap 50 would help with that as it allowed him to take the inside of the cone and restart right on the bumper of race leader Tommy Lemons.
Pulliam would spend the next twenty-five laps sizing up his opponent; making what looked like “mock runs” on the race leader figuring out what move to make to take the top spot away. Finally pulling the trigger out of two as the field worked lap 74, Pulliam pulled even to Lemons door and it was a drag race down the backstretch. With the top groove just about non-existent here this weekend, Pulliam was able to motor his Kiker Tree Services #5 Chevy to lead at lap 75 and never looked back!