News & Notes: Brunnhoelzl Leads Southern Tour to Martinsville
For the second time this season, the NASCAR Whelen and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours will come together for a combination event.
This weekend Martinsville Speedway will host the Made in America Whelen 200 and many competitors are looking forward to the return.
One competitor especially looking forward to racing this weekend is current NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwrap/PT Ford). Brunnhoelzl enjoyed a solid run last season before engine problems just three laps from the finish.
“I can’t wait to get back to Martinsville this weekend,” Brunnhoelzl said. “We had a good run up there last year and I want to get back there and see what we can do this year.”
Brunnhoelzl has already shown he can compete with the Northern Tour after finishing in the top five in the first-ever visit to Bristol Motor Speedway in August.
Brunnhoelzl was the highest-finishing full-time southern driver who feels his division can compete with their northern counterparts.
“It ought to be an interesting race this weekend,” added Brunnhoelzl. “The Whelen Modified Tour has some great drivers, but I think we have some guys who have the equipment and experience to compete for the win.”
In fact, a southern regular started from the point last season when Bobby Hutchens led the first five laps of the race before Ryan Preece took the lead on Lap 6 and eventually won the one of the most prestigious events on the 2009 schedule for the Whelen Modified Tours.
Last season, Brian Loftin used his top-10 finish to help propel him to the 2008 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship and although Brunnhoelzl enters this weekend with a 125-point lead over Andy Seuss, the third-generation driver from West Babylon, N.Y., wants to get another strong finish. Even better – he wants to win.
“That would be awesome to come away from Martinsville with a win,” Brunnhoelzl said. “That would be a great moment to celebrate in Victory Lane at Martinsville.”
Seuss, who enters this weekend as the most recent winner on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, also wants to make it to Victory Lane this weekend.
“We know it is going to take some luck to catch George in the points with only three races remaining on our schedule,” said Seuss. “So we have decided to go out and try and win the final three races of the season, and a win at Martinsville would be unbelievable.”
Activity gets underway this Saturday with practice beginning at 10 a.m. and qualifying scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
An autograph session will begin at 11:30 a.m. Sunday with the green flag set to fly for the Made In America 200 at 1:30 p.m.
There will also be a 100-lap Limited race immediately following the modified race.
 |
|
| The Race | Made In America Whelen 300 |
|---|---|
| The Place | Martinsville (Va.) Speedway |
| The Date | Sunday, September 27 |
| The Time | 1:30 p.m. ET |
| The Distance | 200 laps / 105.2 miles |
| Race Purse | $131,427 |
| Event Schedule | Saturday: Practice 10 – 12 p.m., Qualifying 2:30 p.m. |
| Track Contact | Mike Smith, (276) 956-1543, mksmith@martinsvillespeedway.com |
| NASCAR PR Contact | Tim Southers, (386) 235-3634, tsouthers@nascar.com |
ENTRY LIST
News & Notes
Champions … In the first four years of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, Junior Miller (2005 and 2006), L.W. Miller (2007) and Brian Loftin (2008) have taken home the championship trophy.
Most Winners … Brian Loftin leads all drivers with 11 career wins in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Junior Miller and L.W. Miller are second with 10 wins each. Loftin scored his most recent win at Caraway Speedway on Aug. 29 for his only win so far this season. L.W. Miller last won at Ace Speedway in 2008 and Junior Miller’s last trip to Victory lane in 2007 at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
Variety in Victory Lane … Thirteen different drivers have visited Victory Lane, with Luke Fleming being the most recent new winner when he won at Bowman Gray Stadium on August 1, 2009. Andy Seuss leads all drivers with four wins this season and points leader George Brunnhoelzl III has three wins so far in 2009.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR