Civali Cruises to Victory at South Boston

James Civali celebrates his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour victory since 2010 after he won the South Boston 150. Brenda Meserve/NASCAR

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – At the start of the season James Civali was not in the No. 79 Pontiac owned by longtime NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour car owner Susan Hill and led by her husband David Hill on the pit box.

The Hill’s asked Civali to come back and drive their car in early August and in his third start for the veteran team, the Meriden, Conn. native gave them a reason to celebrate.

Civali passed Danny Bohn on Lap 107 and remained out front the rest of the way to score his first tour win since 2010 and second at South Boston Speedway in the South Boston 150.

Civali held off Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Bonsignore over the final 20 laps of the race to win the first caution-free southern tour race since 2006.

Bonsignore scored his best finish to date coming home second with George Brunnhoelzl third, Bohn fourth and points leader Burt Myers completing the top five.

Bobby Measmer Jr. followed up his first tour win last weekend with a sixth-place finish with Kyle Ebersole, Jason Myers, Jeremy Gerstner and Andy Seuss completing the top 10.

This was the third caution-free race in the history of the southern tour with the other two coming at Hickory Motor Speedway and Southern National Motorsports Park both in the second season of the NASCAR-sanctioned tour.

With his top-five finish Burt Myers was able to gain five points over Seuss and unofficially has a 19-point lead over the two-time defending champion with two races remaining on the schedule.

Bohn captured his third Coors Light Pole award of the season and led the first 107 laps of the race before Civali made his move to the point.

The South Boston 150 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m. 

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 24 for the Caraway 150 at Caraway Speedway.

via NASCAR Home Tracks.