Stout’s South Boston Shutdown: Teapot Perfect in Skitter Creek Round 3

South Boston, VA — The third round of the Red Light Racing Skitter Creek Modified Series Season 15 at South Boston Speedway was a masterclass in defensive driving and track positioning, as Eric “Teapot” Stout led all 100 laps on the tight 4/10-mile paved oval to claim his second win of the season. The event was defined by relentless nose-to-tail racing, limited passing opportunities, and a series of cautions that tested the mental endurance of the field.

Entering the night with a slim one-point advantage over Dalton Williamson in the championship standings, Stout strengthened his hand in qualifying by securing the pole position by just 0.05 seconds over his closest rival. That margin proved decisive, as Stout immediately claimed the preferred inside line at the drop of the green flag and began dictating the pace. Williamson, starting on the outside of the front row, was quickly displaced from second by Chad Alcares, who muscled forward from the inside of Row 2. For nearly the first half of the race, Stout built and maintained a comfortable gap while Alcares and Williamson traded positions and applied pressure behind him.

As the race settled into rhythm, South Boston’s narrow exits lived up to their reputation. An early incident saw Bill Benedict clip the rear of Rob Higgins, with Chris Oliver also caught up in the aftermath, a situation exacerbated by limited rear visibility caused by the large air cleaners on the SK Modifieds. Later, a Turn 1 tangle involving Louis Flowers and Brian Neff triggered a multi-car incident that again collected Higgins as the field stacked up with nowhere to go. The most dramatic moment came late in the race when Jeff Aho, who had charged forward after starting 17th, was involved in a heavy collision with AJ Hamel exiting Turn 4. Aho attempted to carry momentum around the high side, but contact ended both drivers’ chances of securing strong finishes.

Despite multiple restarts, Stout remained composed at the front. On a lap 41 restart, Williamson reclaimed second when Alcares lost momentum exiting Turn 2, setting the stage for a prolonged chase. Williamson shadowed Stout for the remainder of the race, but clean air and track position proved nearly insurmountable obstacles. Any serious attempt to pass would have required pinching the leader or overcommitting the car, risks few were willing to take on such a narrow surface. Behind them, Hayden Austin and Bradley Stefane delivered steady, disciplined drives to round out the top five as the front of the field settled into a largely single-file procession in the closing laps.

Stout ultimately took the checkered flag unchallenged, extending his points lead and securing his second victory in the opening three rounds of the season. Dalton Williamson finished second, Chad Alcares completed the podium, with Austin fourth and Stefane fifth. Post-race, Stout credited his win to clean air and executing in qualifying, while Williamson acknowledged that without a strong restart, passing at South Boston was an exercise in patience rather than aggression. Alcares was pleased with his podium finish but noted that early tire wear limited his late-race options. The Skitter Creek Modified Series now turns its attention to a drastically different challenge with the upcoming trip to the Daytona Road Course, where adaptability may prove just as important as raw speed in the Season 15 championship fight.