Happy Ending: Brunnhoelzl Earns His First NASCAR Championship
Wins finale & claims Whelen Southern Mod title
Ashboro, NC — George Brunnhoelzl III capped off his first NASCAR championship a victory in the Fall Classic 150 at Caraway Speedway, the final race of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season.
Brunnhoelzl needed to only start the finale to clinch the championship. He assured himself of that by claiming his sixth Coors Light Pole Award of the season. He went on to claim his fifth win of the season and third at Caraway.
He started fifth after the post-qualifying redraw of the top six, and took over the lead on Lap 73 when Brian Loftin came down pit road under caution. He briefly lost the lead to John Smith at the line on a Lap 142 restart, before retaking the point.
Smith got under Brunnhoelzl on the final lap and the two drag-raced out of Turn 4, with Brunnhoelzl taking the win. Jason Myers followed in third, followed by Frank Fleming and Burt Myers.
Brunnhoelzl finished 180 points ahead of runner-up Andy Seuss. Burt Myers ended the season third, followed by 2008 champion Brian Loftin and Fleming.
Brunnhoelzl’s best points finish was seventh last year. The 27-year-old West Babylon, N.Y., native entered 2009 with one win in 25 career starts over three seasons. In addition to his five wins this year, he had 13 top fives in 14 races.
As a touring series champion, Brunnhoelzl earned a protected starting position in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to be held on Jan. 29-30 at California’s Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. The seventh running of the event, which is run in NASCAR Camping World Series cars, brings together the top racers from across North America for the “Daytona 500 of short-track racing.”
Next up for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour teams is the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala in Concord, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at which Brunnhoelzl and the rest of the touring series champions will be honored.
RESULTS | LAP-BY-LAP RECAP | VIDEO OF VICTORY LANE WITH GEORGE BRUNNHOELZL III | AUDIO OF GEORGE BRUNNHOELZL III POST RACE INTERVIEW | AUDIO OF GEORGE BRUNNHOELZL JR POST RACE INTERVIEW
Sherry Clifton, the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour director, presents George Brunnhoelzl III with the championship trophy Saturday night. Charles Ward/NASCAR