Lee Pulliam

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Lee Pulliam
NationalityAmerican
Born (1988-04-05) April 5, 1988 (age 36)
Semora, North Carolina
CARS Late Model Stock Tour career
Debut season2018
Current teamLee Pulliam Performance
Car number2
EngineChevrolet
Starts14
Wins2
Best finish2nd in 2018
Finished last season38th (2019)
Previous series
2011–2017

2014
2013		NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
X-1R Pro Cup Series
Awards
2019
2011, 2014

2012, 2013, 2015, 2017		Virginia Triple Crown champion
ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion
Last updated on: October 24, 2020.

Lee Pulliam (born April 5, 1988) is an American stock car racing driver and team owner. He is a four-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I national champion, and is the owner of late model racing team Lee Pulliam Performance.

Racing career

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After graduating high school early and working as a diesel mechanic while in college to save money, Pulliam purchased his first race car in 2007.[1] He raced his first season at South Boston Speedway and won Rookie of the Year in the Limited Sportsman class; he moved up to the late model class in 2011 and claimed 16 wins at Motor Mile Speedway.[1] He also claimed his first ValleyStar Credit Union 300 win in 2011.[2] A year later, Pulliam claimed his first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship.[1] He won a second All-American championship in 2013.[2]

In 2014, Pulliam agreed to a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East effort with Hattori Racing Enterprises. After a crash and two subpar runs, Pulliam was released from the team and progress stalled on making NASCAR Nationwide Series starts with HRE.[2] Another crash in his K&N debut with Top Gun Motorsports stalled plans on the K&N circuit and Pulliam again focused on the All-American late models.[2] Later in 2014, Pulliam claimed his second ValleyStar Credit Union 300 win.[3] At the end of the season, Pulliam claimed the Virginia state and Motor Mile track championships in the All-American Series.

At the beginning of the 2015 season, South Boston named a section of its grandstands for Pulliam; he won a track championship there in 2013.[4] At the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, Pulliam was battling Timothy Peters for the win in the final set of corners when he was spun by Josh Berry, dropping Pulliam to tenth. Afterwards, Pulliam described Berry as "the biggest joke in racing".[5] In the Whelen All-American Series, Pulliam claimed his third national championship that year.[6] A spirited five-race weekend late in the year helped vault Pulliam to the title.[7]

Pulliam mainly competed at Myrtle Beach Speedway in 2017, using that track as the backbone of his fourth All-American Series championship.[8] Trevor Huddleston made a late charge on the championship, but Pulliam stayed ahead in the final point standings.[9] The following year, Pulliam did not chase the All-American championship but instead focused on CARS Tour events.[10] He claimed a win in that series at Bristol Motor Speedway in May.[11]

Before the 2019 season, Pulliam switched chassis from one built around 2010 to a new one acquired in the offseason, and announced his intentions to run for the late model championship at South Boston.[12][13] and In a race at South Boston, Pulliam and Phillip Morris made contact, resulting in a red flag. Morris' crew chief tried to climb in Pulliam's car, but Pulliam accelerated and ejected the crew member from the car. For the incident, Pulliam was suspended from NASCAR-sanctioned for two weeks, fined $1,500 and placed on probation until the end of the calendar year.[14] During the suspension, Pulliam made a one-off return to the CARS Tour and won the Old State Nationals.[15] Later in the year, Pulliam claimed the Virginia Triple Crown of late model stock car racing, winning the title by one position over Peyton Sellers.[16]

Lee Pulliam Performance

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Pulliam is the proprietor of Lee Pulliam Performance, a late model team.[17] LPP has fielded full-time entries in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour,[18] and also at local tracks like Motor Mile Speedway.[19]

Personal life

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Pulliam is married with a daughter.[20] He lives in Alton, Virginia.[21]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

K&N Pro Series East

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NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2014 Hattori Racing Enterprises 11 Toyota NSM
5 		DAY
5 		BRI
31 		GRE
18 		RCH
21 		IOW BGS 25th 165 [22]
Top Gun Motorsports 51 Chevy FIF
19 		LGY NHA COL IOW GLN VIR GRE DOV

References

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  1. ^ a b c "American Success Story: Lee Pulliam wins NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship" (Press release). Speedway Digest. NASCAR Wire Service. December 8, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Sordelett, Damien (July 15, 2014). "No joking matter: Pulliam questions Greenville-Pickens". The News & Advance. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  3. ^ Paul, Brandon (March 18, 2020). "Who's the Current Tom Brady of Short Track Racing?". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Blount, Rob (March 23, 2015). "Grandstand Named in His Honor Means the World to Pulliam". Speed51. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  5. ^ Long, Dustin (April 23, 2015). "Timothy Peters wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown after last-lap fireworks". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Top 10 Short Track Racers of the Past Decade". Speed51. January 3, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Traylor, Elgin (September 14, 2015). "Busy Weekend All But Locks Down NWAAS Title for Pulliam". Speed51. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  8. ^ Traylor, Elgin (May 22, 2020). "A Look at the History of Myrtle Beach Speedway". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  9. ^ Dillner, Bob; Newhouse, Hannah (September 21, 2017). "Pulliam is NASCAR Whelen All-American Nat'l Champ for Fourth Time". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  10. ^ Evans, Zach (December 29, 2019). "Best of the Decade Debate: Josh Berry or Lee Pulliam?". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  11. ^ Evans, Zach (May 19, 2018). "Late Model Stock Legend Adds to Legacy With Bristol Win". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  12. ^ Marquis, Andy (March 17, 2019). "Pulliam and Morris Take Wins in South Boston Opener". Race22. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  13. ^ Austin, Langley (March 13, 2019). "Pulliam Returns to South Boston for Title Run". Race22. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  14. ^ Long, Dustin (April 4, 2019). "NASCAR penalizes crew member, drivers for South Boston incident". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  15. ^ White, Brandon (April 7, 2019). "Pulliam wins thrilling Old North State Nationals". Race22. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Seelman, Jacob (October 6, 2019). "Second Seals VA Triple Crown For Lee Pulliam". Speed Sport. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  17. ^ Evans, Zach (April 7, 2019). "Late Model Stock Veterans Duel for $30,000 at Orange County". Speed51. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  18. ^ Austin, Langley (January 14, 2020). "Pierce Energized for Second Season with Pulliam in CARS Tour". Race22. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  19. ^ Austin, Langley (March 19, 2019). "Daryn Cockram Set for Motor Mile Title Run with Lee Pulliam". Race22. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  20. ^ Marquis, Andy (February 2, 2018). "Lee Pulliam Stepping Away From Racing Full-Time in 2018". Race22. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  21. ^ Chandler, Joe (July 6, 2018). "Pulliam successful turning wrenches, coaching as well as behind wheel". The Gazette-Virginian. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  22. ^ "Lee Pulliam - 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
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