News & Notes: Brunnhoelzl Moves One Step Closer To Title
It is looking more and more likely that George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwrap/PT Ford) is going to be celebrating in style on October 10. The West Babylon, NY native won his third race of the season last weekend at Caraway and if he can keep Andy Seuss (No. 47 Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/Stuart Auto Dodge) in his sights over the next four races, the third-generation modified driver will bring home his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship.
Brunnhoelzl’s win, along with Seuss’ mechanical issues, helped him push his lead from 76-points to 135 after last Saturday’s race.
Seuss was forced to pit last week due to ignition problems which put him multiple laps down and Brunnhoelzl moved from ninth at the start of the Caraway 150 to the lead just past the halfway point and held on for the win.
“There is still a lot of racing left to do this year,” Brunnhoelzl said after his win. “We have a great car and crew helping us and we have had some things go our way this year. But it is way too early to start celebrating.”
Brunnhoelzl is on pace to definitely set one new career mark — his first top-five finish in the season-ending point standings.
It also appears the only driver Brunnhoelzl has to watch closely over the final four races is Seuss. Brian Loftin’s chances to repeat as the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion took a serious blow when he was involved in an accident at Caraway Speedway last week and suffered his second DNF in the last five races dropping him 196 points behind Brunnhoelzl.
Brunnhoelzl has enjoyed a season most drivers can only dream about. He has three wins, five Coors Light Pole awards and he has won two of the last three races held at Caraway Speedway with two more remaining on this year’s schedule. While winning the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour title will not be his first championship, he won four titles driving open-wheel Champ Cars when he was a teenager, it would be his first driving in a car that both his grandfather and father won races in throughout their career.
“I can’t put into words what it would mean to win a title in a NASCAR modified car,” Brunnhoelzl said. I just don’t want to get to excited just yet though. A lot can happen between now and when we close out our season here at Caraway Speedway in October. Andy is a great driver and he is not going to give up.”
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| The Race | Caraway 150 |
|---|---|
| The Place | Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C. |
| The Date | Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 |
| The Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| Track Layout | .455-mile paved |
| Race Purse | $24,806 |
| 2008 Winner | L.W. Miller |
| 2008 Pole | Tim Brown |
| Schedule | Saturday: Practice 4:30-5:15 p.m.; Time Trials: 6:30 p.m. |
| Track Contact | Renee Hackett, (336) 629-5803, carawayspeedway @embarqmail.com |
| NASCAR Contact | Tim Southers, (386) 235-3634, tsouthers@nascar.com |
News & Notes
The Race … The Caraway 150 will be the 11th of 16 races on the 2009 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour schedule and the fifth of six stops for the series to Caraway Speedway.
The Procedure … Starting positions 1-24 will be set from time trials. The remaining two will be filled through the provisional process. Fastest qualifier will draw to determine redraw of top 6, 8, or 10 cars. The race is 150 laps (68.25 miles).
The Track … Caraway Speedway, a 455-mile paved oval, is considered the home track of the southern division of the modifieds. The track has hosted 27 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events, dating back to March 2005.
The Records … Qualifying: George Brunnhoelzl III, April 11, 2009, 102.844 mph, 15.752 seconds; Race: Junior Miller, Sept. 9, 2006, 90.977 mph, 44 minutes 30 seconds.
Caraway Winners … Brian Loftin leads all winners at Caraway Speedway with seven victories. L.W. Miller is second with six wins.
Other Caraway winners … NASCAR veteran Junior Miller has won five times at Caraway while Tim Brown has won there twice. Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified champion Ted Christopher has won three times at Caraway — in 2005 and 2006, and most recently in April of this year.
Pole Winners … Burt Myers has collected nine of his NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour record 19 Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway Speedway.
Myers also won the pole last weekend at the track. The Coors Light Pole Award was he second overall this season.
Final Notes From Last Weekend At Caraway
Figuring It Out … John Smith (No. 25 Tutterow Surveying/Rick’s Home Improvement Chevrolet) picked up his second consecutive top-five finish at Caraway Speedway last Saturday when he came home in fifth.
Smith, who appeared to have the car to beat at Bowman Gray Stadium last month before mechanical problems ended his night early, has averaged a 6th-place finish since that night in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Smith has doubled his career total of top-five finishes over the past three weeks and now has four in his five-year NWSMT career.
Good Night for Myers Brothers … After enduring one of their worst nights as brothers competing against one another at Myrtle Beach two weeks ago, the Myers brothers turned it around last week at Caraway Speedway. Jason Myers (No. 4 Capital Bank/Moorefield & Trantham Enterprises Ford) and his brother Burt (No. 1 Capital Bank Ford) both finished in the top five last week.
Jason, who was forced to work a deal with Gene Pack at Myrtle Beach to drive his backup car after he lost a piston on his motor in practice, started in the top five after the redraw and stayed near the front all night to finish fourth.
Burt, who won his second Coors Light Pole Award of the season in qualifying, also enjoyed one of his best races of the season and scored his best finish coming in second.
Veteran Rebounds … Veteran competitor Frank Fleming (No. 40 Jerry Hunt Auto Sales/Pro Health Centers Pontiac) finally had a smile on his face after a race last Saturday night. Fleming, who scored his best finish of the season at Caraway back in July when he finished second, rebounded from two consecutive DNF’s, came home third last week.
Short Night For Miller … L.W. Miller (No. 36 Sink Towers/John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac) can’t seem to get a break recently at Caraway Speedway. After finishing fourth at Myrtle Beach Speedway two weeks ago, Miller was confident he might have a car capable of winning at Caraway last week but he was caught up in an accident with Buddy Emory (No. 02 RCS Construction Chevrolet). The accident ended the night early for the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion just 63 laps in the race and he suffered his worst finish of the year in 16th. Emory was able to continue and finished 8th.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR