The Aaron's National Pro Challenge Chase Wrapped up at South Boston

While he wasn't in the heat of the Aaron's National Championship battle, Corey LaJoie had one goal Saturday night at South Boston Speedway (VA) as the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series took on the historic track for the season finale. It didn't matter what he had to do, he was going to win that race.

"I came out here and made a statement tonight," said LaJoie. "I was going to lead every lap and I did."

Despite leading every lap, his win didn't come as easy as one might have thought. After qualifying on the pole position, during inspection LaJoie was found to have sway-bar that did not meet "Original Equipment Manufacturer" standards for Pro Challenge. Series officials made the team change it before the number-711 was allowed onto the track for the "Aaron's SoBo 50."

With less than an hour before the feature events started, LaJoie and his team scrambled to get the car ready to go out on the track, and lucky for them they were able to get it done. Once LaJoie took that green flag, he never looked back.

"Last week at Hickory we broke our sway bar, so we made our own so that we could be ready to race this weekend and they weren't OEM, so we had to change them," admitted LaJoie. "It threw us for a loop getting ready before the race, but it didn't affect how we ran."

Once the race was underway, the only person that had anything for LaJoie seemed to be John Stancill. After starting second, Stancill was able to keep up with LaJoie for a few laps. In fact, they rode side by side at one point. Stancill was making his move on LaJoie on lap 20 when the two made contact and Stancill went spinning towards the inside wall.

"I just got under LaJoie," said Stancill. "I kind of got done around the apron where the wet stuff was and I just spun around. It scared me; we got pretty close to the inside wall, but managed to be okay."

Stancill was able to avoid making contact with anything and restarted at the rear of the pack. He was able to come back through the field and finished in the second spot.

Defending Aaron's Pro Challenge Series champion Terry Mathis was consistent all evening long and followed LaJoie and Stancill all the way to the checkered. That patience, along with a little luck, enabled him to claim his third Aaron's Pro Challenge National Championship.

That championship came a little bit easier for him when his only other championship contender, 13-year-old Zach Stroupe, was involved in a racing incident on lap 38 with Jason Treschl. Both cars received heavy damage from the wreck after making contact with the turn one outside wall. Neither was able to rebound to finish in the top-five, which left Mathis to be able to walk away with the National Championship.

"It was a great race," said Mathis. "We didn't win the race, but we won the Aaron's National Championship. We were a little bit conservative at first, because there was no point in doing something stupid and losing it, but we were able to finish in the third spot.

"Pro Challenge is a great series, and I am looking forward to coming back and racing the races that I want to race without being tied down to points. This is a beautiful place up here, and I would love to come back."

Zach Stroupe was able to get back out on the track and finish in the seventh position, which enabled him to secure second place in the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series.

The Chase for the Aaron's National Championship is over, but there is still plenty of Pro Challenge Regional action going on throughout the country. The next event for the Carolina Region will come on September 8th at Anderson Speedway (SC). The Aaron's Georgia region will be in action again for the Georgia points' finale on September 30th at Peach State Speedway (GA) and the Florida Region will race again on September 9th at Columbia Motorsports Park (FL). The Pro Challenge Canadian Region is back in action on September 9th at Flamboro Speedway in Hamilton, Ontario.

For more information on the Aaron's Pro Challenge National series, as well as the latest from all of the Pro Challenge regions, be sure to check out the new online home for the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series, www.prochallengeseries.com.

Finishing Order

1. Corey LaJoie
2. John Stancill
3. Terry Mathis
4. Kenny Forbes
5. Nick Proffitt
6. Jamie Blanton
7. Zach Stroupe
8. Justin Morton
9. Scott Hitchens
10. Jason Treschl
11. Tripp Massengill