Loftin wins race, L.W. Miller wins championship at Caraway
Asheboro, NC — NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver Brian Loftin won the battle on Saturday night by scoring a dominating victory in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour 150. It was L.W. Miller, however, that won the season-long war capturing the 2007 Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship.
It was Loftin’s second straight victory from the pole position at Caraway and he did it in convincing fashion by leading 138 laps and taking the win over Tim Brown who finished second in both Saturday night’s race as well as the championship race.
“That was just an awesome race car these guys put together for me,” Loftin said. “I can’t thank them enough. I have to congratulate L.W. on the championship, but this is a championship caliber team too. We’re going to regroup this winter and get our stuff together and try to win some more of these races and hopefully the championship next year.”
L.W. Miller admits that clinching his first Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship under the NASCAR banner was one of the biggest moments of his career.
“You and I have talked a lot the last couple of weeks and I’d tell you I’ve just got to focus on racing, focus on racing, which was so hard to do in a situation like this,” Miller said. “I knew we had a great race car, but you worry about every little thing. I mean every time we had a caution, I worried there’d be a bolt laying on the track. Every time they started jamming up in front of me, I’d think we’re going to get jammed up in somebody else’s wreck.
“It was nerve-wracking, but I’m glad it’s behind us. I’m glad to be the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion for 2007. It means the world to me.”
Frank Fleming was third, followed by Jason Myers, Brian Pack and L.W. Miller in sixth.
Loftin has been a man on a mission in qualifying as of late. Loftin continued his run when he won his second straight Bud Pole Award when he circled the .455-mile Caraway short track at a speed of 102.974 mph.
The top eight cars in qualifying were inverted following the draw-redraw, putting Jason Myers on the inside of the front row while Loftin started second. The remainder of the front eight cars were Burt Myers, Frank Fleming, Brown, Woody Pitkat, Wesley Swartout and L.W. Miller.
Jason Myers jumped out to the early lead until Loftin found his way to the front on Lap 12. One lap later, the first turn looked more like a demolition derby as 12 cars were involved in a surprisingly harmless spin.
The third caution of the evening was displayed on Lap 42 when Junior Miller and Chris Fleming made contact and Johnny Sutton had nowhere to go. Junior Miller, the two-time and defending Whelen Southern Modified Tour, would leave the scene of the accident and take his car to the garage for the night.
At the halfway point, Loftin continued to lead with the remainder of the top-five made up by Fleming, Brown, Jason Myers and L.W. Miller. In the end, there was simply no denying both Loftin and L.W. of the destiny that awaited them after the checkered flag fell.
UNOFFICIAL NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-Whelen Southern Modified Tour 150 Results
Saturday
At Caraway Speedway
Asheboro, NC
Lap length: 0.455 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (2) Brian Loftin, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 150 laps, 84.783 mph, $2,250.
2. (5) Tim Brown, Cana, VA., Chevrolet, 150, $1,500.
3. (4) Frank Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C., Ford, 150, $1,125.
4. (1) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Chevrolet, 150, $1,050.
5. (10) Brian Pack, Walkertown, N.C., Chevrolet, 150, $1,000.
6. (8) L.W. Miller, Mooresville, N.C., Pontiac, 150, $850.
7. (9) Dean Ward, Winston-Salem, N.C., Chevrolet, 149, $750.
8. (11) George Brunnhoelzl, Babylon, N.Y., Dodge, 149, $890.
9. (13) Brian King, Burlington, N.C., Chevrolet, 149, $590.
10. (21) Gene Pack, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Chevrolet, 149, $800.
11. (7) Wesley Swartout, Stroudsburg, Penn., Ford, 148, $625.
12. (3) Burt Myers, Walnut-Cove, N.C., Chevrolet, 147, $500.
13. (18) Jay Mize, Clemmons, N.C., Chevrolet, 129, $485.
14. (6) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Pontiac, 96, overheating, $460.
15. (20) Chris Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 81, accident, $445.
16. (16) John Smith, Mount Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 77, engine, $430.
17. (14) Junior Miller, Pine Hall, N.C., Dodge, 41, accident, $420.
18. (15) Johnny Sutton, Harrisburg, N.C., Chevrolet, 41, accident, $410.
19. (22) Jason Trinchere, Sherrills Ford, N.C., Chevrolet, 19, accident, $400.
20. (12) Jay Foley, Stuart, VA., Chevrolet, 14, accident, $390.
21. (19) Brandon Hire, Winston-Salem, N.C., Chevrolet, 12, accident, $380.
22. (17) Thomas Stinson, Chester, VA., Chevrolet, 0, accident, $360.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 0 hours 48 minutes 18 seconds
Margin of Victory: 5 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: Brian Loftin
Caution Flags: 3 for 15 laps.
Lead Changes: 1 among 2 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J.Myers 1-11; B.Loftin 12-150.
Standings: 1. L.Miller, 1930; 2. T.Brown, 1905; 3. B.Myers, 1802; 4. J.Miller, 1770; 5. B.King, 1718; 6. J.Myers, 1696; 7. F.Fleming, 1695; 8. B.Pack, 1597; 9. G.Pack, 1478; 10. G.Brunnhoelzl, 1454.
Sources: NASCAR WSMT PR.