Coming off its first Virginia Triple Crown championship last season, JR Motorsports’ legacy Late Model team will have a double-barreled duo in place to defend its title.
Late Model legend Lee Pulliam, a two-time winner of the annual three-race state championship series, will join Caden Kvapil in the team’s assault on the Triple Crown this season, marking his first attempt at the series championship in a JRM Late Model.
Last season, Connor Hall gave JRM its first Virginia Triple Crown title in the No. 88 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, finishing second in the opener at Langley Motor Speedway and 18th in the middle race at South Boston Speedway. Despite an 11th-place run in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville, Hall walked away with the title at the end of the night.
This year’s Triple Crown begins this Saturday at South Boston Speedway, continues at Langley Speedway on July 25 and ends with the annual ValleyStar Credit Union 300 extra-distance race at Martinsville Speedway on Sept. 26. Historically, it is the crown jewel of Late Model competition in the Southeast.
With sponsorship from The NASCAR Channel, Pulliam will seek a third Triple Crown and his first in JRM equipment, having won the Triple Crown in both 2015 and 2019. Earlier this year, Pulliam made his first NASCAR O’Reilly Series start at Martinsville in JRM’s No. 9 car, starting 12th and finishing fifth.
In that race, Pulliam was battling for the lead late in the race before an accident on a restart set him back in the order.
“It’s tremendous,” Pulliam said of the opportunity from The NASCAR Channel. “I was floored when they reached out to me. What the NASCAR Channel has been able to do in regional racing is great when it comes to showcasing these regional drivers and their stories that wouldn’t be told in any other way. The elevation that they have put into our sport is amazing and the value they bring to sponsors. So many people can tune in now to make the sport that much better.”
Kvapil, currently the points leader in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car championship, will be behind the wheel of his familiar No. 88 Jerky Boys Chevrolet for his first attempt at the Triple Crown.
“The Virginia Triple Crown is such a prestigious event in Late Model Stock Car racing and I’m really excited to be able to compete in it for my first time,” Kvapil said. “It’s three very unique and different race tracks that will bring the best teams and drivers out to compete. The races are a little longer than normal so that will add another challenge.”
Having Pulliam, an acknowledged master at all three tracks, as a teammate will definitely help, Kvapil said.
“Having Lee as a teammate will be really helpful for me considering how successful he’s been at those three tracks,” Kvapil said. “He knows his way around each place and is always open to help which will be crucial for me as I don’t have a ton of laps around any of the tracks.
“On the other hand, having him as a teammate will be very important for the handling of our race cars. I will be able to trust what he says and try to get my car as similar as I can to his after practice. I’m really excited to work with him and take in as much as I can from one of the best to ever do it.”
Pulliam said the key to winning the Triple Crown is minimizing the damage in all three races.
“I think you just have to be good, mistake free,” he said. “These races are tough and there will be a lot of cars that can win. You’ve got to be on your game as a driver and I have to give Bryan (JRM team manager Bryan Shaffer) good feedback on the car so we can dial it in and be the best car.
“I have to do my job when the green flag drops. It’s going to be a challenging three races, it always is, and at three totally different race tracks that require totally different things to win. I think that’s what makes the Triple Crown so special.”
