Southern Mods Stat Advance: Thompson
Analyzing the GreenPointe Energy 75
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will hold its ninth race of the 2012 season as part of UNOH Showdown weekend on Sunday, Sept. 9 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway with the running of the GreenPointe Energy Southern 75. Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers in the series:
Thompson Race Setup
• The GreenPointe Energy Southern 75 will be the second race at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history.
• There have been four different winners in seven races this season. Previous winners are George Brunnhoelzl III (Caraway 3/31/12; 4/21/12; 7/6/12; Bowman Gray 8/4/12; Bristol 8/22/12); Brian Loftin (Caraway 4/7/12); Brandon Ward (South Boston 4/14/12); and Jason Myers (Langley (9/1/12).
• Brunnhoelzl is the defending race winner of the GreenPointe Energy Southern 75.
At Thompson International Speedway:
History
• Opened on May 26, 1940 as the largest and first entirely asphalt track in New England at the time.
• Has one of the oldest NASCAR affiliations in the nation.
• Held NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 1951, 1969 and 1970.
• Was an inaugural member track of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, now in its 31st season, and features weekly competition with six divisions. Keith Rocco is the defending track champion.
• Thompson has played host to 118 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races, the most in that tour’s 28 seasons.
• The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour held its inaugural race at Thompson on Sept. 11, 2011. George Brunnhoelzl III was the victor
Thompson Data
Race: #9 of 11
Track Layout: .625-mile asphalt oval
• Race Length: 75 laps (46.875 miles)
• Banking/Corners: 26 degrees
Qualifying/Race Data
Qualifying Record: Andy Seuss, 18.871 sec. (119.231 mph); 9/11/11
Race Record: George Brunnhoelzl III, 50 min. 6 sec. (93.563 mph); 9/11/11
2011 Pole Winner: Andy Seuss
2011 Race Winner: George Brunnhoelzl III
Active Series Career Leaders
Wins
George Brunnhoelzl III … 16
L.W. Miller … 13
Brian Loftin … 12
Andy Seuss … 11
Junior Miller … 10
Poles
Burt Myers … 24
George Brunnhoelzl III … 16
Brian Loftin … 10
Tim Brown … 10
Andy Seuss … 7
Top Fives
Burt Myers … 44
Tim Brown … 43
L.W. Miller … 41
Andy Seuss … 37
Brian Loftin … 35
Top 10s
Burt Myers … 74
Jason Myers … 70
Tim Brown … 65
L.W. Miller … 61
Frank Fleming … 57
Laps Led
George Brunnhoelzl III … 1,979
L.W. Miller … 1,748
Andy Seuss … 1,401
Burt Myers … 1,120
Brian Loftin … 1,009
Starts
Frank Fleming … 93
Jason Myers … 93
Burt Myers … 89
Tim Brown … 80
L.W. Miller … 75
Select Driver Highlights:
Danny Bohn (No. 51 Rifenburg/Rustoleum Chevrolet)
• Is competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors this season.
• Has four top-five finishes in eight career starts, highlighted by third-place finishes at South Boston Speedway on April 14, 2012 and Caraway Speedway on July 6, 2012. He also was credited with a second-place finish (seventh-overall) among NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour competitors in the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway, a combination race with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
• Won his first Coors Light Pole Award at Langley Speedway on Sept. 1, 2012
Tim Brown (No. 02 Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chevrolet)
• Finished second in the season-ending points standings a record three times from 2006-2008.
• Has 43 top-fives and 65 top-10 finishes in 80 career starts.
• Has seven wins, the last on Oct. 13, 2011 on the quarter mile at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• Finished third last season at Thompson International Speedway on Sept. 11, 2011.
George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 09 Phoenix Pre-owned Chevrolet)
• The 2009 and 2011 NWSMT champion – attempting to become the first three-time champion.
• Owner of 16 wins, 16 poles and 49 top 10s in 64 career NWSMT starts.
• Points leader has won five of eight races this year.
• Won the inaugural race at Thompson last season on Sept. 11, 2011.
Kyle Ebersole (No. 51 Ebersole Excavating Chevrolet)
• Competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors this season.
• Has two top-five and five top-10 finishes in eight career starts, highlighted by a pair of fourth-place finishes, the most recent coming at Caraway on April 21, 2012.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 Lewisville Motors Ford)
• Is tied for the most career NWSMT starts with 93. Has missed just one race since 2005.
• Was credited with his first career win as the highest finishing NWSMT driver last season in the Bristol combo race.
• Has more than 50 career wins at his home track, Bowman Gray.
• Finished sixth in the race last year at Thompson.
• Brother, Chris Fleming, serves as his crew chief and also competes full-time in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series modified division at Bowman Gray each week.
Matt Hirschman (No. 50 Heritage Wide Plank Flooring Chevrolet)
• Made three NWSMT starts in 2007-08 with a best finish of fourth in the 2007 opener at Caraway.
• Has two wins, three poles and 37 top 10s in 73 career NWMT starts. Finished in the top six in points in three of his four full-time seasons on that tour.
• Has eight top 10s in 21 career NWMT starts at Thompson with a best finish of second in Aug. 2008.
Burt Myers (No. 1 Myers Racing Ford)
• Won the 2010 NWSMT championship.
• Holds NWSMT records for poles (24), top fives (44) and top 10s (74).
• Myers finished second in the Thompson race last season and also has two NWMT starts at the track finishing 14th in the season opening and season endings events in 2010.
• Picked up his most recent win at Charlotte on Oct. 14, 2010.
Jason Myers (No. 4 Myers Racing Ford)
• Is tied with Frank Fleming for most career NWSMT starts with 93 and has 70 career top-10 finishes.
• Owner of two wins. He ended a 71-race winless streak winning at Langley Speedway on Sept. 1, 2012 and scored his first win at Bowman Gray on Aug. 5, 2006.
• Finished 12th in his only other start at Thompson on Sept. 11, 2011.
• Holds the record for consecutive NWSMT starts with 85. Has started every race since Martinsville on Sept. 5, 2005.
Cole Powell (No. 73 Copp’s Tricar Chevrolet)
• Lone competitor from Canada on the tour has two top-10 finishes in three career starts, highlighted by a third-place finish at Bowman Gray Stadium on Aug. 3, 2012.
• Also has one career start on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Delaware Speedway in his native Ontario in 2011.
Gary Putnam (No. 77 Stock Car Steel Chevrolet)
• New England native has 17 career starts, highlighted by an eighth-place finish at Langley on Sept. 1, 2012.
• Works full-time at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing as a car chief for the No. 1 car.
• Served at crew chief for Ryan Newman’s entry at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 22, 2012.
Andy Seuss (No. 11 Phoenix Pre-owned Chevrolet)
• Has 11 wins and 48 top-10 finishes in 65 career NWSMT starts.
• Won the Coors Light Pole Award at Thompson for this race last season and finished fourth in the race.
• Has seven career starts in NWMT events at Thompson in NWMT events with a best finish of ninth on Aug. 16, 2007.
• Also has three top-10 finishes in 26 career NWMT starts.
John Smith (No. 25 Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet)
• Has 47 top-10 finishes in 71 career NWSMT starts.
• Finished in the top 10 in the final points standings four years in a row (2008-2011), with a career-best fifth last year.
• Finished 13th at Thompson last year in his only other start at the track.
• Works full-time at Richard Childress Racing.
Thomas Stinson (No. 7 M&M Painting/Cowardin Jewelers Chevrolet)
• Has 19 top 10s in 39 career starts with a best finish of second at Caraway in 2011.
• Finished ninth in this race at Thompson last season.
Up To Speed:
• George Brunnhoelzl III picked up where he left off at Caraway Speedway last fall as he won the season-opening Spring Classic 150 on March 31. It was his fourth win in his past six starts at Caraway. Gary Fountain Sr. picked up his first career top-10 finish on the tour.
• Brian Loftin scored an emotional win when he captured the checkered flag in the Farm Bureau Insurance 150 at Caraway on April 7. It was the Lexington, N.C., driver’s 12th career win overall and record eighth at the track.
• Brandon Ward outdueled Brunnhoelzl to become the 17th winner in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history when he took the checkered flag at the South Boston 150. Ward is also the first driver to pick up his first career win since Frank Fleming was credited with a win as the highest finishing NWSMT driver in the 2011 Bristol combination race.
• Brunnhoelzl became the first repeat winner of the season when he won the Parking Lot Maintenance Headquarters 150 at Caraway on April 21. Brunnhoelzl also won the season-opening Spring Classic 150 on March 31 at Caraway Speedway. It was his fifth win in his past seven starts at Caraway. Michael Speeney picked up his first career top-five finish on the tour.
• Brunnhoelzl won his third consecutive pole award and led every lap en route to his third win of the season and second in a row at Caraway on Friday, July 6. It was his sixth win in his past eight starts at the track. Danny Bohn tied his career best finish of third while Jon McKennedy finished sixth in his first start driving for Hillbilly Racing replacing Daniel Hemric who started the season in the car.
• Brunnhoelzl continued his hot streak during the 2012 season as he passed pole-sitter Burt Myers on Lap 26 and remained out front the rest of the way to record his first tour win at Bowman Gray Stadium. Brunnhoelzl also built to his point lead. Canadian Cole Powell finished third in just his second career start on the tour.
• Brunnhoelzl once again was the class of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified field in the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Brunnhoelzl, who also led the division in the inaugural event in 2009, finished sixth overall to get credit for the win as the highest finishing southern regular and picked up his fifth win in seven races this season.
• In one of the more popular wins this season, Jason Myers ended a 71-race winless streak with his win at Langley Speedway. Myers, who picked up his only other career win on the tour at South Boston Speedway on Aug. 5, 2006, passed Tim Brown on Lap 116 and held off Frank Fleming for the victory. The win also moved Myers into second place in the point standings – 44 behind Brunnhoelzl – with three races remaining.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR PR