Fresh Faces: Rookies Bohn, Ebersole Making an Impact in Southern Modified Tour
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 2012 edition of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour has brought a new sense of enthusiasm for modified racing throughout the southern United States.
Increased car counts, multiple winners and exciting finishes are just part of the turnaround for the tour that has raced under NASCAR sanctioning since 2005. The season has also featured one of the largest and most competitive fields of drivers competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in tour history.
Leading that group after the first four races of the season is Danny Bohn and Kyle Ebersole. Both drivers are currently in the top 10 in points and have already compiled some impressive stats.
Bohn, a second-generation driver from Freehold, N.J., sits third in the standings and has a pair of top-five finishes highlighted by a third-place showing at South Boston (Va.) Speedway on April 14.
Bohn followed up his run at South Boston by qualifying on the outside pole at Caraway Speedway in the final race before spring break in Asheboro, N.C.
When asked if he expected to have such a strong start to the season, Bohn added he thought he had a chance to run well but he didn’t expect the results he has gotten so early.
“We knew going into the season we had a chance to run well with the experience my dad and crew bring to the table the quality of equipment we have,” Bohn said. “My dad (Car owner and crew chief Eddie Bohn) has a lot of knowledge with modifieds and he gives us a good setup for the car.”
Bohn works for former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner and crew chief Ray Evernham and his father Eddie and Evernham have been friends since their days racing in New Jersey. Bohn adds having the experience of so many successful modified racers has only helped his transition to the tour-type modifieds.
A good example of that experience was displayed at South Boston, where Bohn scored his best finish to date.
“When we arrived at South Boston I had never seen the track before and we were able to come out of there with a top five,” Bohn said. “I am pretty proud of that considering we only got our car two weeks before the season started back in March.”
For many competitors who are running well they don’t want to take a break, however, Bohn is making the most of the break before the next race is held at Caraway on Friday, July 6.
“We are taking this time to work on the car,” Bohn said. “We are still figuring out the car and we are using the break to make the car better.”
Other rookies that have already had strong finishes this season included Michael Speeney (fifth at Caraway on April 21) and Gary Fountain (ninth at Caraway on March 31), but Ebersole has also emerged as a challenger to Bohn for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
The Hummelstown, Pa., native has equaled Bohn with a pair of top-five finishes (South Boston, Caraway on April 21), and if not for a broken right front spindle while running in the top 10 which resulted in a last place finish in the season opener, the competition might be even more tight.
“We really didn’t have any expectations when we started the season because we knew it would be a challenge for us entering the touring series for the first time,” Ebersole added. “We are working on our set up for the car as we are still getting used to the impound process.”
Ebersole rebounded nicely after his bad luck in the first race at Caraway and came back the next week with a 12th-place finish followed by the back-to-back top fives.
“The one goal we do have is to win Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and if we do that we should have a strong finish in the points as well,” Ebersole added.
Judging by the results from the first four races of the season, a rookie could easily visit Victory Lane by year’s end, and the battle between Bohn and Ebersole figures to come down to the season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WMT PR
Related Links
Danny Bohn: Driver Page | Twitter
Kyle Ebersole: Driver Page | Twitter