Pulliam Ready for NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Debut for JRM at Martinsville

Lee Pulliam is an acknowledged master of the Martinsville Speedway oval, having won the prestigious ValleyStar Credit Union 300 twice in his career along with pretty much every big pavement Late Model race in the South.

On Saturday, the 37-year-old Virginian will take the next step when he competes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event there for JR Motorsports. That resonates with Pulliam, who is a seasoned veteran as both a driver and a team owner.

“To drive that car out on the track…I mean, I get goosebumps right now just thinking about it,” Pulliam said when asked how he’d feel on the day. “Literally. In my opinion, Earnhardt is the biggest name in the sport, and you don’t take it for granted. It is absolutely an honor to do it.”

Honor aside, Pulliam is a driver that others pay attention to no matter what the series or track may be, and that’s deserved. He’s a four-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division 1 national champion (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017) in addition to his Martinsville victories.

Driving JRM’s No. 9 Chevrolet with backing from Folsom Fence Supply, Best Repair, Carolina Drilling and Jerky Boys, Pulliam also has the benefit of working with Phillip Bell, who grew up in the Late Model ranks in his native Georgia and worked with another short-track legend in Bubba Pollard. Pollard made his first NOAPS start at Richmond with JR Motorsports in 2024.

As for what it means for his career, Pulliam is focused on the event but realizes that more might be in the offing.

“I’m just putting a lot of focus and effort on being the best I can be,” he said. “You know, when I was young, this was the deal. This is what you work for, right? I mean, is there more past this? I don’t know, but I am forever grateful if this is the only one I make. I’m forever grateful for it.”

As a team owner, Pulliam has interacted with several NASCAR drivers, including current JRM driver Sammy Smith, NASCAR Cup Series drivers Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain and former JRM drivers Michael Annett, Miguel Paludo and Ryan Truex.

He’s been there and done that, and he’s hoping the Martinsville experience will add more to his story.

With his knowledge of Martinsville’s quirks, there are no surprises there. How the much heavier NOAPS Chevrolet will react at speed and with other cars around is uncharted territory, he said.

“I think I’ll be fine,” he said. “The best thing is, everybody at JR Motorsports has given me a lot of resources and data to pull from. And man, the simulator time helped out a lot. It’s going to be different braking-wise, but I feel good going into it. I feel good as a driver. I am probably in the best shape of my entire life. I’ve been working out hard. I’m giving this 110 percent, to make the most of this opportunity.”

The differences between the Late Models and the NOAPS cars doesn’t stop with the brakes, he said. “It’s where you get on the gas, too, but like Dale said, at the end of the day, it’s just a race car. I’m going to do my best to maximize every spot on the racetrack for everybody on the No. 9 team.”

The thrill factor for this event is through the roof, Pulliam said, and working with Dale Jr, and Kelley Earnhardt puts it over the top.

“Oh, man, I get goosebumps coming into the doors of the JRM shop,” he said. “It’s a feeling that I wanted my entire life. And I told someone, ‘I’m treating this opportunity like I want that key card to never expire.’ I just don’t take it for granted. I am hungry as ever. I feel like I’m wiser than ever. I feel like I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been. And I just have a fire to do well. And for Dale to believe in me, call me up to do this. I cannot express my gratitude enough. I’m just grateful for the relationship I’ve built with them.”

At the end of the day, Pulliam is also grateful for the opportunity to showcase his already formidable talents on a larger stage.

“All I can do is give 110 percent,” he said. “I’m going to have fun, going to soak it all in and just enjoy it. I’m treating it like it’s my last, you know, like it’s my one and only. I’m going to savor every second of it. And I feel like if I do my job and I go out there and compete for the win and go to Victory Lane, I’d be hard-pressed to believe that it won’t open the door to maybe do some more of this. It is performance-based, right?

“You go out there and perform and do your job well, it increases your odds dramatically. You go out there and have a tough day, it probably decreases them dramatically. But I think no matter the result I have, I’ll put in 100-percent effort and that’s the part that’s important to me. When I look back on it, 20 years from now, I know that I didn’t leave anything on the table.”