News & Notes: Myers To Attempt Double Duty This Weekend
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour veteran Burt Myers (No. 1 Capital Bank Ford) is going to have a busy Saturday this weekend.
Myers will start his day at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., early in the day and finish it at Caraway Speedway. He will be at Martinsville making his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the Martinsville 250. Myers was able to put together a last-minute deal and was fitted for his seat last Thursday, so now he knows one of his racing dreams will come true.
“I have spoken with teams before but in the past, something has come up that took me out of the ride,” said Myers. “I am just excited and grateful to get this opportunity. We are going to go up to Martinsville and give it 100 percent.”
A veteran of NASCAR racing and family friend to Myers, Danny Culler, helped put things together for the partnership to produce a ride this weekend.
“Danny has been around racing a long time,” Myers added. “A lot of people know him from his experiences spotting for Richard Childress and the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. He talked with SS Green Light Racing and the next thing I know, we are working out a deal and thankfully, it all came together.”
NCWTS veteran Bobby Dotter will serve as crew chief on the team and, based on the current owners’ points standings, Myers is guaranteed a starting spot in Saturday’s race.
However, that hasn’t stopped Myers’ preparation for the Kroger 200.
“We tested at Caraway Speedway on Monday to shake the truck down and get everything set up so I can get comfortable in the truck,” Myers said. “We want to make sure everything is ready.”
Myers will compete in the race in Martinsville and then he will make the 90-mile drive to Asheboro to compete in the season-ending Fall Classic 150. Myers is currently fourth in the points standings and while George Brunnhoelzl III only has to start the race to win the 2009 championship, Myers knows he can still finish in the top three if things go his way Saturday.
“I know I will have to start in the back of the field but I am going to give it everything I have Saturday at Caraway,” Myers added. “It will take a lot of luck and things to happen to Brian (Loftin) and Andy (Seuss) but we could move all the way up to second if things go our way.”
Myers leads Loftin by 35 points for third and trails Seuss by 72 for second.
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| Next Race | Fall Classic 150 |
|---|---|
| The Place | Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C. |
| The Date | Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 |
| The Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| Track Layout | .455-mile paved |
| Race Purse | $24,806 |
| 2008 Winner | Andy Seuss |
| 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 Fall Classic 150 will be the final event on the 2009 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour schedule and the sixth and final stop 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 the 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 21 Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway Speedway.
Myers also won the pole in the last race for the Tour at Ace Speedway. The Coors Light Pole Award was he fourth overall this season.
Season-Ending Race Will Decide Top-10 Points Battle
Burt Myers and Brian Loftin (No. 23 L&R Transmissions/QMF Metal Solutions Chevrolet) still have something to race for this weekend. Myers sits just 72 points behind Seuss for second place in the standings and Loftin is just 35 points behind Myers for third. Both drivers can improve one or two positions depending on how they finish Saturday night at Caraway. Seuss just has to finish in front of both to hold onto second place.
“I think finishing second is a long shot but we are not going to give up,” Myers said. “The best way we could finish the season would be to win at Caraway, and we are certainly going to try and do that this weekend. If we win the race, we should stay in third and that would be a good finish compared to the start of our season.”
Myers has a chance to finish as high as second which would be a career-best for the Walnut Cove, N.C., driver.
“It has been a little disappointing this season with some of the finishes we have had in our Capital Bank Ford,” Myers added. “George has had an unbelievable season and I congratulate him because he will clinch the title this weekend.”
Loftin is the defending NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion and he also wants to finish strong. Loftin won in only race of the season earlier this year at Caraway Speedway and wants to make it two at the track before he and the rest of the competitors close out the 2009 season this Saturday night.
“We haven’t had a great season but it hasn’t been too bad either,” Loftin said. “We would have liked to have won more races but it wasn’t in the cards this season. It was nice to get the win at Caraway in August and a win Saturday would give us a chance to maybe catch Burt and finish in the top three.”
Another driver with a chance to improve a spot in the final standings is Jason Myers (No. 4 Capital Bank/Moorefield & Trantham enterprises Ford). Jason is 33 points behind Frank Fleming for fifth place and the second generation driver and brother of Burt Myers feels it is important to finish in the top five.
“Finishing in the top five is something I want to do for my sponsors, family and crew,” Jason said. “We want to close out our season with a win and we are going to do everything we can to make it to Victory Lane this weekend.”
The Fall Classic 150 will be the 14th and final event of the 2009 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour and the fifth race held at Caraway Speedway this year. Start time for the racing on Saturday will be 8 p.m.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 Jerry Hunt Auto Sales/Pro Health Centers Pontiac) and Jason Myers (No. 4 Capital Bank Ford) are just 33 points apart for fifth place (1,884-1,851).
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR