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It was the first race of the season, but in many ways, Jordaine Penick picked up right where she left off last year. Saturday, April 12 marked this year’s first Hornets Division race at South Boston Speedway, a 20-lap competition complete with a photo finish the Randolph-Henry High student was part of. 

Jason DeCarlo beat Penick, last year’s division champion, by 0.599 seconds in a race that was rare by NASCAR standards. First, there were no cautions and second, that finish between first and second was one of the closest in recent memory. Cameron Goble of Ringgold finished third, with Dustin Davis of Nathalie in fourth and Andrea Ruotolo of South Boston in fifth. It was also a good day for Penick’s cousin, Farmville resident Christian Sangillo. He finished in the Top 10, coming in ninth on the day. 

Last season ended with a bit of history, as Jordaine Penick won the division title and went into the history books while doing it. The Randolph-Henry High student became just the second woman driver to win a South Boston Speedway championship in the 67 years the track’s been in operation. She was also the first to do it in the past 20 years. Jordaine, whose dad Michael serves as her crew chief and built the cars she and Sangillo drive, said after last season she had one goal for this year. It was to win a race at South Boston and continue working on her driving. After Saturday’s photo finish, it’s clear she is close to achieving both. 

Randolph-Henry High student breaks for Easter

The Hornets Division will take a break for Easter, before firing back up on Saturday, April 26. That’ll be Advance Auto Parts Day at the Races, held at South Boston Speedway. There will be a 20-lap race for the Hornets, one of six races scheduled on the day. 

Beyond the Hornets, there is a 100-lap race for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division, twin 30-lap races for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and a 25-lap race for the regional touring East Coast Flathead Ford Racing Association.

According to South Boston race officials, the tentative race day schedule has registration and pit gates opening at 8:30 a.m. Group qualifying begins at 1 p.m. and the first race of the day will get the green flag at 2 p.m.

Advance adult tickets for the Advance Auto Parts Day at the Races presented by Bojangles event are priced at $12. Tickets at the gate on race day will be $15 each. Suite tickets are available for $40 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate only on the day of the event.