Martinsville Late Model race entry list: Breaking down the contenders in the 2022 ValleyStar Credit Union 300

The most cherished and prestigious Late Model Stock event in the country returns this weekend with Saturday’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway. And this year’s Martinsville Late Model race entry list is loaded with talent.

Over 90 cars make up the preliminary entry list for the feature, which consists of past NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national and state champions, along with a handful of drivers from the top divisions of the sport.

RELATED: Complete guide to the ValleyStar Credit Union 300

With so many talented drivers descending onto Martinsville, it will be a battle just to earn a starting position on the 40-car grid. Despite this, several drivers enter the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 with either past success at Martinsville or momentum from a stellar 2022 season on their side.

Below is a breakdown of the 2022 Martinsville Late Model race entry list and who to consider favorites to win.

The past winners:

• Landon Pembelton (2021): It came as a major surprise to many when the then 16-year-old Pembelton led 42 laps and took his car to Victory Lane in last year‘s ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Pembelton is back with Sellers Racing Inc. again in 2022 as he looks to bring home another grandfather clock.

• Timothy Peters (2005, 2017): Peters is treating Saturday‘s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 as a swan song, having decided to focus on other interests outside of racing. For his planned final start, Peters is teaming up with veteran NASCAR crew chief Marcus Richmond‘s R&S Race Cars operation in his quest for a third Martinsville victory.

• Mike Looney (2016): Looney‘s lone Martinsville victory came in dramatic fashion as he had to hold off four-time Weekly Series champion Lee Pulliam with heavy left-rear damage. The win proved to be life-changing for Looney, who enters Saturday evening as one of the favorites.

• Jake Crum (2009): The youngest ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner until Pembelton broke that record, Crum is back at Martinsville again this year driving a car fielded by B.J. Mackey. A regular contender at the track, Crum looks to get back to the front after a disappointing 28^th in last year‘s race.

• Jason York (2008): Known as the Reidsville Rocket, York brings plenty of racing experience to the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. He will have a two-car operation at Martinsville this year, with the other Late Model Stock being piloted by his son Jamie York.

The contenders:

• Peyton Sellers: Despite a career that includes two Weekly Series titles, Sellers has never visited Victory Lane in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. With another efficient season under his belt, Sellers looks to conclude 2022 by finally winning the prestigious event in his 15th try.

• Corey Heim: Heim appeared to have a win in the 2018 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 wrapped up until scoring declared C.E. Falk III the victor on the final caution. The sting from that loss is still with Heim, but he is determined to seek redemption from that defeat on Saturday night.

• Bobby McCarty: The most recent Virginia Late Model Triple Crown winner has endured a down year. McCarty has racked up numerous accomplishments over the past few years and is hoping to shake off the inconsistency by bringing home another grandfather clock for Nelson Motorsports, which won at Martinsville with Peters in 2017.

• Carson Kvapil: The son of 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil has high expectations for this year‘s ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Kvapil is driving for JR Motorsports, which led every single lap in the 2019 race with Josh Berry behind the wheel.

• Ty Majeski: One of the most successful Super Late Model drivers of the past decade, Majeski is set to make his first ValleyStar Credit Union 300 start on Saturday. Majeski has shined in his limited Late Model Stock appearances, as he currently holds a perfect record in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway.

The dark horses:

• Kaden Honeycutt: Driving a second car for Nelson Motorsports, Honeycutt has plenty of experience to lean on with McCarty as a teammate. Despite also going winless in 2022, Honeycutt knows how to win in a Late Model Stock and will look to keep the youth movement going strong in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300

• Jared Fryar: Consistency has followed Fryar throughout his entire racing career. A champion in both Late Model Stock and Super Late Model competition, Fryar is fresh off a win in the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway and will try to parlay that momentum into a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 victory.

• Brenden Queen: On the cusp of his third consecutive track championship at Langley, Queen has quietly emerged as one of the best Late Model Stock drivers on the East Coast. Although he has struggled in the Virginia Triple Crown, Queen has plenty of confidence on his side ahead of Saturday‘s ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

• Connor Hall: Hall is enjoying the best season of his Late Model Stock career to date, having won three races on the CARS Tour this year. For the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, Hall is teamed up with Chad Bryant and Triple R Racing, which are also fielding a car for Majeski in his first Martinsville appearance.

• Kres VanDyke: A four-time Kingsport Speedway track champion, VanDyke always brings fast cars to Martinsville with four Top 10 finishes at the track on his resume, including a second in 2003. VanDyke looks to capitalize on his consistency and finally break through for a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 win this weekend.

The names listed above are only a handful of driver who could potentially leave Martinsville with a grandfather clock on Saturday.

Mark Wertz and Mason Diaz find themselves tied atop the Virginia Triple Crown point standings, with Diaz coming off a stellar run at North Wilkesboro Speedway in August that saw him finish second to Kvapil.

Other notable names that will take the green flag on Saturday evening include Late Model Stock veterans Stacy Puryear and Sam Yarbrough, along with current ARCA Menards Series competitors in Rajah Caruth, Connor Mosack and Conner Jones, among many others.

Live coverage of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway starts at 3 p.m. on FloRacing with the heat races. Below is the complete 2022 Martinsville Late Model race entry list.

2022 Martinsville Late Model race entry list