Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Triad Commercial Property Services 150
Daytona Beach, FL — The sixth season of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour continues this weekend when the tour returns to Caraway Speedway for the Triad Commercial Property Services 150.
Caraway Speedway Data
Race: #7 of 10 (8-28-10)
Track Layout: .455-mile oval
Banking: semi-banked paved oval
Race Length: 150 laps/68.25 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
2009 pole winner: George Brunnhoelzl
2009 race winner: Brian Loftin (76.000 mph, 54:00)
Track qualifying record: George Brunnhoelzl III (102.844 mph, 15.752 seconds, 4/11/09)
Track race record (150 L): Tim Brown (90.977 mph, 44:31 min., 9-9-06)
NWSMT Active Win Leaders At Caraway
1. Brian Loftin 7
2. L.W. Miller 6
3. Junior Miller 5
4. Ted Christopher 3
4. George Brunnhoelzl III 3
4. Andy Seuss 3
7. Tim Brown 2
NWSMT Active Pole Leaders At Caraway
1. Burt Myers 12
2. Tim Brown 5
3. Brian Loftin 4
4. George Brunnhoelzl III. 3
5. Andy Seuss. 2
Up To Speed
• This will be the fourth of six NWSMT races to be held in the state of North Carolina this year. Charlotte Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway will host the remaining events in the Tar Heel State.
• The NWSMT has crowned four different champions: Junior Miller (2005, 2006), L.W. Miller (2007), Brian Loftin (2008), and George Brunnhoelzl III (2009).
Selected Driver Highlights:
Zach Brewer (No. 11 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 12 career starts at Caraway Speedway with a career-best finish of fifth on March 14, 2010.
• Made six starts in 2009 with two top-10 finishes.
• Won his first career Coors Light Pole award at South Boston on April 4, 2010. Picked up his second pole at Bowman Gray Stadium on Aug. 7, 2010.
Tim Brown (No. 02 Chevrolet)
• Brown has finished second in the season-ending points standings a record three times from 2006-2008.
• Has 56 career starts on the NWSMT and is tied for the lead in career top-fives with 34 and has 45 top-10 finishes.
• Has five wins on the NWSMT with his most recent coming on Sept. 27, 2008 at Caraway Speedway.
James Civali (No. 79 Pontiac)
• Enters this weekend as the points leader on the tour with five-point lead over L.W. Miller (974-969).
• Was the 2006 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
• Has nine career starts on the NWSMT, with his first win coming at South Boston on April 3, 2010.
• His best finish at Caraway was third on March 15 and July 2, 2010.
Bryan Dauzat (No. 97 Chevrolet)
• Lone Louisiana native who competes full time on the NWSMT.
• Has made 10 career starts at Caraway with a personal best of 10th-place coming in the Fall Classic last October.
• Made 10 starts in 2009 finishing 12th in the final points standings and collected his first top-five finish on the tour at Bowman Gray Stadium last August.
• Owns his own business: O.B. Builders.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 Ford)
• Tied for first for most career starts in the series with 67 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 on July 3, 2009.
• Is one of just two drivers to start every NWSMT race (31) held at Caraway. Has finished second five times at the track with 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.
• Finished in the top 10 in 11 of 14 starts in 2009.
• Has over 50 wins at his home track of Bowman Gray Stadium.
• Brother, Chris Fleming, serves as his crew chief.
Brandon Hire (No. 44 Chevrolet)
• Returning to the NWSMT full time this season after missing last year with a broken leg.
• Has made 11 starts at Caraway with one top-five finish in 2007.
• Has 23 career starts on the tour with a career-best fifth place at Caraway Speedway in 2007.
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).
• Has 40 top-10 finishes is 60 career starts on the NWSMT since 2005.
• Currently in second place for most Coors Light Pole awards with nine.
L.W. Miller (No. 36 Pontiac)
• 2007 NWSMT Champion. Won by 25 points over Tim Brown (1,930-1,905).
• Is second in wins at Caraway with six. Four of these wins came all in a row during his championship season.
• Is tied for first place with Brian Loftin for most career wins with 11 in 51 starts.
• Has 74 NWMT career starts.
• Won his first race since April of 2008 when he won at Bowman gray Stadium on Aug. 7, 2010.
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 (22), most top-10s (51), top-fives (34), and most consecutive starts (48).
• Has made 29 starts at Caraway with one win and 13 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.
• Holds the record for the most Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway with 11.
• Has raced with his brother Jason in the NWSMT since 2005.
Jason Myers (No. 4 Ford)
• Tied with Frank Fleming for most career starts on the NWSMT with 67.
• Joins Frank Fleming as the only driver to start all 30 NWSMT races at Caraway.
• Has 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes at Caraway with a runner-up finish coming back in 2007.
• Picked up his lone win on the tour at Bowman Gray Stadium on Aug. 5, 2006.
• Has 48 top-10 finishes since 2005.
Mike Norman (No. 12 Ford)
• Will compete full-time this season on the tour competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
• Won rookie of the race award at the season opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway and at Bowman Gray Stadium on Aug. 7, 2010.
• Drives a car owned by the legendary Myers family.
• Finished 18th in the season-opening race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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.
• Has made 27 starts at Caraway with his best finishes a pair of sixth-place showings in 2009 and 2006, respectively.
• Enjoyed most successful season to date in 2009 with seven top-10 finishes and two top-five showings in 13 starts.
• Finished eighth in the Firecracker 150 on July 2, 2010 at Caraway.
Gary Putnam (No. 77 Chevrolet)
• Has started four races in 2010 with his first top-10 finish coming at Caraway on July 2, 2010.
• Works full-time as car chief for Earnahrdt-Ganassi Racing with Jamie McMurray.
• Finished 13th at Caraway Speedway in the Spring Classic 150 in March.
Andy Seuss (No. 47 Dodge)
• Won at Caraway On March 14, 2010, taking the checkered flag in the Spring Classic 150.
• Hampstead, N.H., native won four times in 2009.
• Has made 18 career starts at Caraway with three wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s.
• Has 23 top-10 finishes in 36 career starts and a total of six wins.
• Picked up wins at Lanier, South Boston, Myrtle Beach, Music City (Nashville), Caraway and Ace Speedways.
• 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 30 top-10 finishes in 46 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.
• Has made 22 starts at Caraway with one win on July 2, 2010 and four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.
At Caraway Speedway:
• Since the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour formed in 2005, there have been 68 races in the history of the series.
• This will be the 32nd NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at the track.
• The track was built in 1966 initially as a dirt track and was later paved and configured to its current size of .455-miles in length.
• The track has been owned and operated by Russell & Valastra Hackett and their family since 1977.
• A total of four drivers who have visited Victory Lane in the NWSMT races at Caraway will compete this weekend. Leading the group will be Brian Loftin, who holds the record for most wins at the track with seven.
• Burt Myers holds the career record for the most Coors Light Pole awards at the track with 11 and won the pole at Caraway earlier this year.
• This will be the last of three NWSMT races at Caraway Speedway this season.
• Previous race winners at Caraway this season are: Andy Seuss (3/14/10 & John Smith 7/2/10)
Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:
• James Civali can become just the fifth driver in the history of the NWSMT to win back-to-back races if he wins this weekend at Caraway. L.W. Miller, Brian Loftin, George Brunnhoelzl III and Junior Miller are the only other drivers in the history of the tour win consecutive events.
• Frank Fleming and Jason Myers can add to their record for most starts at Caraway with career Caraway start No. 32 this Saturday night.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR