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Frontrunners from Season Opener Provide Thoughts Toward Revitalized Lonesome Pine Visit

Statesville, North Carolina (April 28, 2026) – The Super Cup Stock Car Series spring string of events moves to another 3/8-mile oval with a rather distinct story.  Lonesome Pine Raceway has undergone a substantial makeover over the winter months that has competitors looking forward to what the Coeburn, Virginia facility can offer come Saturday, May 2nd.

Numerous projects have included a new scoreboard, sound system, fresh paint, existing structure repairs, LED lights as well as new concession stand, tech building, and restrooms in the infield.  What racers are more than likely looking to the most though is the fresh pave, not only in the pits but across the entire track surface.

Two drivers that contended for victory two weeks back at Shenandoah Speedway competed at Lonesome Pine during the 2025 running and offered their initial thoughts and potential expectations.

“Looking forward to seeing what changed about that place,” Damian Payton, who began the 2026 season with his second career SCSCS win, indicated.  “I can imagine we are going to be running faster times.  Hoping that the grip is equal, previously they had repaved the corners and the straightaways looked like original asphalt.  You’d hit the straightaway and the tires would start spinning, so it will be interesting to see what the difference is.”

The driver from Summit Point, West Virginia and now residing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is looking for his second career SCSCS Pole Award as well where the current series track record was set way back in 2009 by the champion that year, Tyler Nuckles, with a time of 16.792 seconds.  A few of the lighter-weighing Late Models were under 16 seconds during qualifying for their opener last month so records could for sure get broken.

Petersburg, West Virginia’s Brent Nelson has two past poles and wins at Lonesome Pine.  He conquered the Pole Award at Shenandoah and will be looking for more while finding a balance this weekend.

“I think it’s going to have a whole lot more grip,” the 2024 series champion predicted.  “I run a nine-inch rear end and I’m very selective with what gears I’ve got to be able to put into it.  If I go too far one way it’s going to be way too much.  We’ll just have to see what we can come up with.”

Chrissy Wallace is the most recent race winner this season and shortly after claiming the second Shenandoah trophy and early points lead immediately looked ahead to Lonesome Pine, remarking it “looks like a killer fast track.”  She has never been there before, but the Concord, North Carolina third-generation driver will be one of the favorites after her performances to start off the year.

At least one more former race and pole winner as well as two-time title earner will be on hand, driving the car that won last year’s race when eventual champion Mitch Gibson was behind the wheel.

“We’re excited about it,” Renick, West Virginia’s Harvey Harrison said.  “This car is different to me and I’m getting more used to it.  It’s a lot like my car (that won both races at the track in 2023), had to move the seat and everything in it and that really made a big difference (at Shenandoah).  A little bit of fine tuning and we should be good at Lonesome Pine.”

There will certainly be more drivers in the mix, such as the SCSCS debut for 2025 Limited Late Model track champion Nathaniel Owens, when the pit gates open on Saturday morning. Spectators will be admitted beginning at 4:00 p.m. for $15 with students $10, and kids seven and under admitted free.  VIP seating upgrades with climate-controlled tower offering food and drinks will be available as well.

Qualifying begins for divisions in competition at 4:30 p.m. and a “juice box” race for kids taking place prior to opening ceremonies and the start of races at 7:00 p.m.  With a huge agenda on the evening program that includes seven local classes, Super Cup Stock Car Series twin main events will be 30 or 35 laps in distance each, depending upon turnout.

More information can be found on the Super Cup Stock Car Series official web site supercupstockcarseries.com with interactive updates throughout race days and in between available on Facebook (search Super Cup Stock Car Series), Twitter (@SCSCSRacing), Instagram (SCSCS_Racing), and https://www.youtube.com/SCSCSRacing.

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