Once the main show got underway, it was some of the classiest racing that goes on at Martinsville all year, with the respect among most of the field very evident. At the 100-lap mark, the field had a mandatory 10-minute caution period, though just prior Butler would pocket the $5,000 bonus for leading at halfway. As is often the case in Late Model racing, the drivers and teams knew the front of the field would be inverted from anywhere to one car to as many as eight. The number turned out to be eight, so Butler was shuffled back to eighth, though he made quick work of marching up through the field.
Phil Warren, who started the race from the 24th position, took the lead on lap 126 and never relinquished the position.
With 10 laps to go, the caution flag was thrown and the lapped cars were forced to the rear of the field to make sure they didn't get in the way of the leaders. Though Butler ran a close second, there was no denying Warren of a victory he'd dreamed of all his life.
"To win this race-to me-it's like winning at Daytona," said the 43-year-old Warren, a home state winner from Norfolk. "This ranks on up there at the top along with winning the Winston Racing Series championship, but if I had to pick I'd say this one is the biggest. To even make this race says a whole lot. We had an awesome race car. I was just lucky enough to be driving the thing."