Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Tri-County 150 at Tri-County Motor Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL — The sixth season of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour continues this weekend when the tour visits Tri-County Motor Speedway for the first time in the history of the tour for the running of the Tri-County 150.
Up To Speed
• This will be fifth time the NWSMT has visited the state of North Carolina this season.
• The NWSMT has crowned four different champions: Junior Miller (2005, 2006), L.W. Miller (2007), Brian Loftin (2008), and George Brunnhoelzl III (2009).
Tri-County Motor Speedway Data
Race: #9 of 10 (9-25-10)
Track Layout: .400-mile oval
Banking: semi-banked paved oval
Race Length: 150 laps/60 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
Inaugural event at the speedway for the NWSMT.
NWSMT Points Leaders
1. L.W. Miller 1,300
2. Andy Seuss 1,292
3. James Civali 1,281
4. Burt Myers 1,234
5. John Smith 1,220
6. Jason Myers 1,159
7. Zach Brewer 1,137
8. Frank Fleming 1,110
9. Brandon Hire 1,064
10. Tim Brown 1,034
NWSMT All-Time Win Leaders
1. Brian Loftin 11
1. L.W. Miller 11
3. Junior Miller 10
4. Andy Seuss 8
5. George Brunnhoelzl III. 6
6. Burt Myers 6
7. Tim Brown 6
8. Ted Christopher 4
9. James Civali 2
9. John Smith, Jason Myers and three others tied 1
At Tri-County Motor Speedway:
• Since the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour formed in 2005, there have been 70 races in the history of the series.
• The track was originally built as a dirt track and was later paved. It is located in the foothills of western North Carolina between Interstate 40 and US Highway 321.
• Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ernie Irvan competed regularly at the track when it was dirt in the late 1980s.
• Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brian Vickers won a late model track championship at Tri-County Motor Speedway in the late 1990s driving for his father, Clyde Vickers.
• There have been three first-time winners on the NWSMT this season. Corey LaJoie won at the season-opening race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5; James Civali at South Boston Speedway on April 3; and John Smith at Caraway Speedway on July 2.
• The track is NASCAR-sanctioned and participates in the Whelen All-American Series, which determines a national champion for the NASCAR-sanctioned local tracks. The track currently hosts five divisions and feature during their regular Friday night program: Late Models, Limited Late Models, Trucks, Street Stocks and Renegades.
Selected Driver Highlights:
Zach Brewer (No. 11 Chevrolet)
• Brewer has competed at Tri-County Motor Speedway when the former Goody’s Series cars raced at the track in the late 1990s..
• 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 59 career starts on the NWSMT and is tied for the lead in career top-fives with 35 and has 49 top-10 finishes.
• Has six wins on the NWSMT with his most recent coming on Sept. 4, 2010 at Langley Speedway.
James Civali (No. 79 Pontiac)
• One of just two drivers to have multiple wins on the tour this season.
• Has led the points standings on three different occasions this season and enters this weekend at TCMS as the leader by just eight points over Andy Seuss.
• Was the 2006 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
• Has 10 career starts on the NWSMT, with his first win coming at South Boston on April 3, 2010. His second win was at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 18, 2010.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 Ford)
• Tied for first for most career starts in the series with 69 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.
• 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.
• Currently sits ninth in the 2010 point standings.
• Has 25 career starts on the tour with a career-best fifth place at Caraway Speedway in 2007.
L.W. Miller (No. 36 Pontiac)
• Enters this weekend in third place in the standings after leading prior to Langley Speedway. He trails leader Civali by 19 points (1,300-1,281) and second-place Andy Seuss by 11 (1,292-1,281).
• 2007 NWSMT Champion. Won by 25 points over Tim Brown (1,930-1,905).
• Is tied for first place with Brian Loftin for most career wins with 11 in 53 starts.
• Has 74 NWMT career starts.
• Won his first race since April 11, 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 top-10s (56), top-fives (35), and most consecutive starts (48).
• Holds the record for the most Coors Light Pole Awards with 23.
• 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 69.
• Picked up his lone win on the tour at Bowman Gray Stadium on Aug. 5, 2006.
• Has 50 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.
• Finished 18th in the season-opening race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a car owned by Pam Myers.
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.
• Pack has finished in the top 10 three times so far this season and currently sits 10th in the points standings.
• Enjoyed most successful season to date in 2009 with seven top-10 finishes and two top-five showings in 13 starts.
Andy Seuss (No. 47 Dodge)
• Has won twice this season with both wins coming at Caraway Speedway on March 14, 2010, taking the checkered flag in the Spring Classic 150, and last weekend, Aug. 28, in the Triad Commercial Property Services 150.
• Hampstead, N.H., native won four times in 2009.
• Has 29 top-10 finishes in 40 career starts and a total of eight wins.
• Picked up wins at Lanier, South Boston, Myrtle Beach, Music City (Nashville), Caraway (three times) 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)
• Streak as only driver on the NWSMT to finish in the top 10 in every NWSMT race this season ended at Langley when he finished 13 on Spet. 4, 2010.
• Has 31 top-10 finishes in 48 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.
Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:
• This will be the 71st race in the history of the tour.
• If James Civali falls out of the points lead at Tri-County, it will be the fifth consecutive race that features a change at the top of the points standings.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR