Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Atlanta 150 At Atlanta Motor Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL – The sixth season of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will commence with the Atlanta 150 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, March 5.
Atlanta Motor Speedway Data
Race: # 1 of 10 (3-5-10)
Track Layout: .250-mile oval
Banking: flat paved oval
Race Length: 150 laps/37.50 miles
• Opened on July 31, 1960 as the seventh superspeedway, a paved oval of one mile or more, to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
• The track is celebrating its 50th season celebration in 2010.
• Has one of the oldest NASCAR affiliations in the nation.
• NASCAR legend Glenn “Fireball” Roberts won the inaugural race in 1960.
• This is the first of three races that the NWSMT will have at Speedway Motorsports, Inc. facilities in 2010.
At Atlanta Motor Speedway:
• Since the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour formed in 2005, there have been 62 races in the history of the series.
• This will be the first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at the track.
• The quarter-mile track has previously hosted NASCAR Touring events, most recently the former Goody’s Dash Series cars. Current NWSMT competitor Zach Brewer won a Dash race at Atlanta in 2002.
• Two of the previous four NWSMT champions are scheduled to race Friday night at the track. 2007 champion L.W. Miller will be joined by 2008 champion Brian Loftin in the 22-car field.
• A total of six drivers who have visited Victory Lane in the NWSMT will compete this Friday. Leading the group will be Loftin, who holds the record for most wins with 11.
• Burt Myers holds the career record for the most Coors Light Pole awards with 21 and has won the pole in four of the previous five season-opening events.
• Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the first of four new tracks to host the NWSMT during 2010 and the 15th different track to host the tour since it began operating under NASCAR sanction in 2005.
• Atlanta Motor Speedway is the second track in the state of Georgia to host the NWSMT. Lanier National Speedway has held two races, most recently last season.
Up To Speed
• This will be the 63rd race in the history of the NWSMT.
• Atlanta is the second Speedway Motorsports Inc. track to host the tour. Bristol Motor Speedway hosted a combination event last August with the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Southern Modified Tours.
• The NWSMT has crowned four different drivers champion. Junior Miller (2005, 2006); L.W. Miller (2007); Brian Loftin (2008) and George Brunnhoelzl III (2009).
Selected Driver Highlights:
Zach Brewer (No. 09 Chevrolet)
• North Carolina driver is no stranger to competing in the NASCAR Touring program. Won races at Atlanta and Bristol Motor Speedways driving former Goody’s Series cars. • Has 17 career starts on the NWSMT with a career-best finish of 6th coming at Bowman Gray Stadium.
• Made six starts in 2009 with two top-10 finishes.
• Father, Doug Brewer, will serve as car chief this season.
Tim Brown (No. 83 Chevrolet)
• Brown has finished second in the season-ending points standings a record three times from 2006-2008.
• Has 52 career starts on the NWSMT and is second in career top-five and top-10 finishes with 33 and 44, respectively.
• Has five wins on the NWSMT with his most recent coming in 2008 at Caraway Speedway.
• Finished ninth in the 2008 standings … Career-best points finish was eighth in 2007.
James Civali (No. 79 Pontiac)
• Plans on competing full-time on the NWSMT this season.
• Was the 2006 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
• Has 2 career starts on the NWSMT with his best finish coming home fifth at Caraway in 2007.
• Career-best finish of 6th coming at Bowman Gray Stadium. poles rank ninth.
Bryan Dauzat (No. 97 Chevrolet)
• Lone Louisiana native who competes full-time on the NWSMT.
• Made 10 starts in the 2009, finishing 12th on the final point standings and collected his first top-five finish on the Tour at Bowman Gray Stadium last August.
Buddy Emory (No. 02 Chevrolet)
• 2008 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NWSMT.
• Started 12 races in 2009 highlighted by his first podium finish of third at Myrtle Beach Speedway last September.
• Has 10 career top-10 finishes in 26 starts since 2007.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 Pontiac)
• Tied for first for most career starts in the series with 61 in the NWSMT. Has only missed one race on the tour since 2005.
• Has finished second seven times with his most recent runner-up finish coming at Caraway Speedway last July.
• Finished in the top 10 in 11 of 14 starts in 2009.
• Has over 50 wins at his home track of Bowman Gray Stadium – a quarter-mile flat oval – in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Brandon Hire (No. 44 Chevrolet)
• Returning to the NWSMT full-time this season after missing the last season with broken leg.
• Has 18 career starts on the tour with a career-best fifth-place at Caraway Speedway in 2007.
Corey Lajoie (No. 19 Pontiac)
• Son of two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy Lajoie.
• Will be teammates with James Civali this season. Has eight top 10s in 30 career starts.
Brian Loftin (No. 23 Chevrolet)
• 2008 NWSMT Champion. Won by 30 points over Tim Brown (1,780-1,750).
• Holds records for most wins (11), consecutive races won (3) and shares the record for winning a race wire-to-wire (Bowman Gray, 2008).
• Has 38 top-10 finishes is 56 career starts on the NWSMT since 2005.
• Currently in second place for most career Coors Light Pole awards with nine. Has seven top 10s in 17 career starts.
L.W. Miller (No. 36 Pontiac)
• 2007 NWSMT Champion. Won by 25 points over Tim Brown (1,930-1,905).
• Sits in second place for most career wins with 10 in 45 starts.
• The Dushore, Pa., native also has experience driving stock cars in ARCA and Late Model Stocks throughout the Carolinas and Virginia.
• Has over 70 NWMT career starts.
Burt Myers (No. 1 Ford)
• Most decorated driver in the history of the NWSMT to have not won a championship. Holds NWSMT records for most Coors Light Pole Awards (21), most top-10s (49), top-fives (34), and most consecutive starts (46).
• Has won the Coors Light Pole Award at four of the five season-opening races on the NWSMT.
• Has raced with his brother Jason in the NWSMT since 2005.Has two poles, a win and 10 top 10s in 30 career starts.
Jason Myers (No. 4 Ford)
• Tied with Frank Fleming for most career starts on the NWSMT with 61.
• Picked up his lone win on the tour at Bowman Gray in 2006.
• Has 44 top-10 finishes since 2005.
Gene Pack (No. 31 Chevrolet)
• Career-best finish of second at Martinsville Speedway in 2006 as second-highest finishing full-time NWSMT competitor at combination event.
• Enjoyed most successful season to date in 2009 with seven top-10 finishes and two top-five showings in 13 starts.
• Holds two track championships at Bowman Gray Stadium in the Sportsman Division.
Andy Seuss (No. 47 Dodge)
• Hampstead, New Hampshire native won four times in 2009 and has already won in the Peach State taking the checkered flag last season at Lanier.
• Has 23 top-10 finishes in 33 career starts and a total of six wins .
• Has wins at Lanier, South Boston Speedway, Myrtle Beach Speedway, Music City Speedway (Nashville), Caraway Speedway, and Ace Speedway.
• Commutes regularly from New Hampshire to drive in the NWSMT and also competes in the NWMT when his schedule permits.
John Smith (No. 25 Chevrolet)
• Has 24 top-10 finishes in 40 career NWSMT starts.
• Made 13 starts in 2009 with nine top-10 finishes highlighted by a second-place showing at the season-ending Fall Classic 150 at Caraway.
• Began racing modifieds at Bowman Gray Stadium in 2001.
Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:
• L.W. Miller’s next win would place him in a tie with Brian Loftin for the all-time series wins list with 11.
• Burt Myers can reach 50 top-10 finishes for his career if he finishes in the top-10 Friday night.