Logan Ruffin headed to South Boston (Va.) Speedway for the sixth stop of the USARacing Pro Cup Series, coming off the heels of his second runner-up finish of the 2010 season at Langley (Va.) Speedway.
After two successful practice sessions where Ruffin was fourth on the speed charts, rain showers moved into the Virginia area and forced the drivers to qualify on a green racetrack.
After the .400-mile track was dry, the competitors took to the oval for their qualifying session. Laying down a solid lap, Ruffin placed his No. 31 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet in the 10th starting position.
Rolling off from the outside of row five, Ruffin captured the seventh position by lap 50 as the Tennessee-native reported that his Chevrolet was just a “little bit off” after receiving contact from a fellow competitor.
Fifteen laps later, Ruffin broke into the top-five before the caution slowed the pace of the field on lap 84. The teenager came to the attention of his pit crew under caution for fuel only.
Coming out of the pits first, Ruffin restarted the race in first-place at the famed Virginia short track and led the field for 38 laps while battling hard with a challenging Clay Rogers.
When Ruffin came to pit road for fresh tires, a pit road infraction cost the team valuable track position and placed Ruffin at the tail end of the longest line.
Ruffin had worked his way back into the seventh position with 100 laps remaining in the Strutmasters 250. On lap 165, Ruffin and Chase Elliott tangled to bring out the fourth caution of the night, but as neither car hit anything, they both were able to continue without complications. Ruffin restarted in the sixth position on lap 170.
On lap 225, Ruffin was scored in fourth-place, which is where the teenager stayed for the final 25 laps to bring home his second consecutive top-five finishing results.
Clay Rogers won the Strutmasters 250. Matt Lofton, Brandon Ward, Ruffin, and Elliott completed the top-five finishing positions.
FAST FACTS:
During the entire 250-lap race, Ruffin led for a total of 38 laps earning valuable bonus points.
Ruffin shared the Hard Charger Award with two other drivers at South Boston, marking the third time the youngster has claimed this particular award in 2010.
Ruffin earned additional bonus points for being the Halfway Leader in the race.
In addition, Ruffin was also the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie for the third time this year, helping to extend his lead in the Rookie of the Year point standings.
Ruffin and his Turner Motorsports team will take a one-week break before returning to racing action at Lake Erie Speedway on Saturday, June 26th.
LOGAN RUFFIN QUOTE:
“We had a good race tonight and it was fun to lead laps and battle with Clay (Rogers). My Turner Motorsports guys gave me another great Chevrolet and we are getting the results that we deserve. To capture our second consecutive top-five finish is something I’m proud of, but we want to get those wins and I have a feeling that it is coming very soon.”
-TMS-
RUFFIN: SOUTH BOSTON RECAP
