Rusty Daniels and Andrew Watson victories headline Hometown Racing 145

LUCAMA, NC – While Sunday marked the beginning of a new season for Southern National Motorsports Park’s hometown divisions, it was a familiar story in Charger and Any Car.

Rusty Daniels, who picked up four of his 14 wins in 2025 at Southern National, led 64 of 75 laps in the KONI Charger division to take the win. He faced a challenge from Michael O’Brien early but retook the lead after the two drivers tangled in turn four, then held off challenges from J.D. Eversole and Brandon Clements to hang on for the victory.,

“We had a really good car,” Daniels said in victory lane. “Can’t thank the racetrack enough, all my sponsors. It’s great, first one of the year. It’s nice to win, it don’t matter how many cars, but it’s very nice to win in a 24 car field like this.”

Daniels will chase the KONI Charger division championship at Southern National in 2026. Last year, he won the championship at Carteret County Speedway and won the Six Pack Charger Series championship, which was a series held at both Southern National and Carteret.

Clements mounted a charge late but had to settle for a second place finish.

“His stuff was really, really good,” Clements said. “We had plenty of drive. We saved right rear but, in saving right rear, we killed the right front. So when it got time to go, we just couldn’t roll the middle quite as well as he could, but we’re happy with a second place run today.”

Justin Mitchell finished in third while J.D. Eversole and Aiden McConnaughey rounded out the top-five.

Michael Sliger and Andrew Watson battled side-by-side throughout much of the 20-lap Any Car race, swapping the lead amongst each other. Watson, however, saved his best for last, making the race winning pass on the final lap to kickstart his quest for a third consecutive division championship at Southern National.

After the race, Watson went to the grandstands and gave his race winning trophy to a young fan.

“This win’s awesome,” Watson said. “I’m just trying to motivate kids to get into racing and continue our sport. It kind of seems like a dying breed. If I can motivate somebody, that’s what I’m here to do. And that was an awesome race with Slider. I think the lapped car helped us there.”

A.J. Sanders scored the victory in the Mini Stock race over Robert Arch and Jason Garwood. Dennis Werner, meanwhile, took the overall win in the Southern National Vintage Series while Kevin Floars won in Sportsman. Barry Dalton took the checkered flag in the Virgina Vintage Racers portion of the race.

Speed Week 2026 at Southern National continues on Wednesday with the Jerry Moody Memoiral presented by Big Kahula Pools & Spas. The race is headlined by the 125-lap “I Dig Pigs” 125, which is part of the I-95 Showdown, along with Legends and Bandoleros. Matt McCall, Jamey Caudill, Haley Moody, Deac McCaskill, and Doug Barnes, Jr. are among the expected entrants for the Jerry Moody Memorial.

Unofficial Results – March 1, 2025
Hometown Racing 145 presented by H&H Body and David’s Auto & Diesel

KONI Charger

1. #16 – Rusty Daniels
2. #7C – Brandon Clements
3. #10 – Justin Mitchell
4. #98 – J.D. Eversole
5. #71y – Aiden McConnaughey
6. #98m – Matt Morgan
7. #50 – Trey Burke
8. #7 – Jackson Sparks
9. #21 – Gerald Benton
10. #7w – Louis White
11. #12j – Wesley Johnson
12. #51 – Scotty Benford
13. #41 – Austin Ferrell
14. #21l – Landon Strickland
15. #06 – Camryn Rice
16. #3 – Landon Burbage
17. #21s – Sarah Grace Whitesell
18. #9b -0 Bradley Morgan
19. #29 – Bricn Obiedzenski
20. #84 – Delaney Gray
21. #14 – Davis Renfrow
22. #22w – Corey Wilson
23. #11 – Hunter Brown

Any Car

1. #08 – Andrew Watson
2. #45 – Michael Sliger
3. #75b – James Barbour
4. #8 – Ryan Bingham
5. #88s – Doug Smoot
6. #99 – Gabe Purcella
7. #72 – Harry Artemiso
8. #07 – Jonathan Thompson
9. #17 – Joe Lazaczyk

SNMP/VA Vintage

1. #5w – Dennis Werner
2. #1 – Kevin Floars (SP)
3. #9 – Billy Ray Lucas (SP)
4. #05 – Barry Dalton
5. #61 – Joe Seeger
6. #57 – Dylan Jenks
7. #1a – Chris Floars

Mini Stock

1. #24 – A.J. Sanders
2. #16 – Robert Arch
3. #46 – Jason Garwood
4. #48 – Duane Walker
5. #1 – Daniel Bentley