Randolph-Henry High student and Hornet Division racer Jordaine Penick (left) is interviewed after her race Saturday.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Heading into this season, Jordaine Penick had several goals. The defending Hornets Division champion, she wanted to focus on winning a race at South Boston Speedway. The Meherrin resident can mark that goal off the list. 

In what’s been labeled by South Boston officials as the best performance of her young racing career, Jordaine started on the pole for Saturday’s event and proceeded to lead the entire time, edging Jason DeCarlo by 0.709 of a second to win. It was Landon Milam following in third, Jordaine’s cousin Max Sangillo of Farmville in fourth and Chris Penick coming in fifth. 

“It was amazing,” Jordaine told The Gazette. “I have always dreamed of winning a race and it finally came true on Saturday. It was stressful, I will say that, especially when I got to the lap down cars and saw that the 54 of Jason DeCarlo was behind me.” 

Still, Jordaine didn’t get rattled. She stayed focused and stayed in first, en route to getting that checkered flag. 

“I knew that I had to keep my head in it,” Jordaine said. “I couldn’t have done it without my dad, mom, aunt, brothers, cousin Max and the rest of my family and supporters.”  

Jordaine is a third-generation racer, as her grandfather, Bill Penick, raced at Southside, Natural Bridge and South Hampton back in the 1960s. Her aunt Cheryl also drove in the 80s and 90s at those same tracks. 

As for her dad Michael, who builds her cars and serves as crew chief on race day, he’s just happy and proud of his daughter. 

“It’s amazing,” Michael said of the win. “It’s been a long time coming and a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out what needs to be done to get her to the front. With her brother’s help, we have gotten her there. Now it’s up to Jordaine. She loves racing and is good at it. Yes, I’m a proud daddy.” 

Jordaine Penick already a history maker 

Before Saturday’s win, the Randolph-Henry High student was already in the history books at South Boston. When she won it all last season, Jordaine Penick became just the second woman driver to win a South Boston Speedway championship in the 67 years the track’s been in operation. She’s also the first to do it in 20 years. Before Jordaine, it was Terri Marks who won the track’s Grand Stock Division championship back in 2004. 

But now it’s time to focus on a new season, one that’s been challenging in a number of different ways. It’s been a scrappy series of races over the last month, with Jordaine’s car getting totaled at one point. But she’s getting back into the points hunt. She thanked all the family and friends in her community for motivation and encouragement, telling her not to give up. 

“It means a lot to me, seeing all the fans and supporters keeping up with me,” Jordaine said. “It has definitely been a rough path with the past several races, getting my car totaled, but I came back and got the big win like I’ve always wanted.” 

What’s next? 

Jordaine Penick will have a couple weeks to enjoy the victory before getting back in the car. The next race in the Hornets Division will be Saturday, July 26. This one will be a 20-lap race, one of six different divisions set to compete on the night. 

The tentative race-day schedule has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. and practice starting at 3:25 p.m. Frontstretch grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. and backstretch and Turn 4 trackside parking gates open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying starts at 6 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

Editor’s note: John Karratti wrote this for the Charlotte Gazette. Editor Brian Carlton also contributed.