Southern Mods Stat Advance: Charlotte
Analyzing The UNOH Southern Slam 150 At CMS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will hold its final race of the 2012 season on Thursday, Oct. 11 on the quarter-mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the running of the UNOH Southern Slam 150. Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers in the series:
Charlotte Race Setup
• The UNOH Southern Slam 150 will be the final race this season and the third in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history at the track.
• There have been six different winners in 10 races this season. Previous winners include: 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); Jason Myers (Langley (9/1/12); Andy Seuss (Thompson (9/9/12) and Danny Bohn (10/6/12).
• Tim Brown is the defending race winner of the UNOH Southern Slam 150.
At Charlotte Motor Speedway:
History
• The track was designed and built by Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner, and opened June 19, 1960.
• The track has hosted all three NASCAR national touring series as well as various NASCAR touring divisions since 1960.
• The first two NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races on the quarter-mile track at Charlotte have produced two different pole winners and two different race winners.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Data
Race: #11 of 11
Track Layout: .25-mile asphalt oval
• Race Length: 150 laps (37.50 miles)
Qualifying/Race Data
Qualifying Record: Andy Seuss, Oct. 13, 2011 (60.545 mph, 14.865 seconds)
Race Record: Tim Brown, Oct. 13, 2011 (44.455 mph, 49 minutes, 30 seconds)
2011 Pole Winner: George Brunnhoelzl III
2011 Race Winner: Tim Brown
Active Series Career Leaders
Wins
George Brunnhoelzl III … 16
L.W. Miller … 13
Brian Loftin … 12
Andy Seuss … 12
Junior Miller … 10
Poles
Burt Myers … 24
George Brunnhoelzl III … 17
Brian Loftin … 10
Tim Brown … 10
Andy Seuss … 7
Top Fives
Burt Myers … 45
Tim Brown … 45
L.W. Miller … 41
Andy Seuss … 38
Brian Loftin … 36
Top 10s
Burt Myers … 75
Jason Myers … 71
Tim Brown … 67
L.W. Miller … 61
Frank Fleming … 57
Laps Led
George Brunnhoelzl III … 1,992
L.W. Miller … 1,748
Andy Seuss … 1,453
Burt Myers … 1,130
Brian Loftin … 1,138
Starts
Frank Fleming … 95
Jason Myers … 95
Burt Myers … 91
Tim Brown … 82
L.W. Miller … 75
Select Driver Highlights:
Danny Bohn (No. 65 Rifenburg/Rustoleum Chevrolet)
• Is competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors this season.
• Has five top-five finishes in 10 career starts, highlighted by a win at Caraway Speedway on Oct. 6, 2012, and third-place finishes at South Boston Speedway on April 14, 2012 and Caraway 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
• This will be his first start on the quarter-mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Tim Brown (No. 02 Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chevrolet)
• Finished second in the season-ending points standings a record three times from 2006-08.
• Has 44 top-fives and 66 top-10 finishes in 81 career starts.
• One of just two drivers to have top-five finishes in both UNOH Southern Slam 150’s at Charlotte.
• Has seven wins, the last on Oct. 13, 2011 at Charlotte. He also finished second in the inaugural event at Charlotte on Oct. 14, 2010.
• Earned the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track title at Bowman Gray Stadium in the Modified division, the ninth of his career, which is a track record.
George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 09 Phoenix Pre-owned Chevrolet)
• The 2009 and 2011 NWSMT champion – attempting to become the first three-time champion and has won five of nine race this season.
• Owner of 16 wins, 17 poles and 51 top 10s in 66 career NWSMT starts.
• Won the pole at Charlotte last year, led a race-high 124 laps and finished second.
Ted Christopher (No. 79 Hill Enterpises Pontiac)
• Has six career wins in NWSMT events and four of those have come at Caraway, including the inaugural event for the tour in 2005.
• Has made 15 career NWSMT starts with 12 top-10 finishes.
• Competes full-time in the NWMT, where he ranks third all-time with 42 wins.
Kyle Ebersole (No. 51 Ebersole Excavating Chevrolet)
• Competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors this season.
• Has three top-five and six top-10 finishes in 10 career starts, highlighted by a third-place finish last weekend at Caraway.
Frank Fleming (No. 40 AutosbyNelson.com Ford)
• Is tied for the most career NWSMT starts with 95. 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.
• Has a pair of top-10 finishes at Charlotte with a sixth-place effort in 2011 and seventh-place showing in 2010.
• Brother, Chris Fleming, serves as his crew chief and also competes full-time in the NWAAS Modified division at Bowman Gray.
Burt Myers (No. 1 Adams Towing Ford)
• Won the 2010 NWSMT championship.
• Holds NWSMT records for poles (24), top fives (45) and top 10s (75).
• Joins Tim Brown as the only driver to finish in the top-five in both previous races at Charlotte.
• Picked up his most recent win at Charlotte in 2010.
Jason Myers (No. 4 Moorefield & Trantham Ford)
• Is tied with Frank Fleming for most career NWSMT starts with 95 and has 71 career top-10 finishes.
• Owner of two wins. He ended a 71-race winless streak winning at Langley Speedway on Sept. 1, 2012 after he scored his first win at Bowman Gray on Aug. 5, 2006.
• Has made two starts at Charlotte, highlighted by a fifth-place finish on Oct. 13, 2011.
• Holds the record for consecutive NWSMT starts with 87. Has started every race since Martinsville on Sept. 5, 2005.
Ryan Preece (No. 41 L.I. Mod Maniac Chevrolet)
• Regular competitor on the NWMT is making his second NWSMT appearance this season. His other start was at Bowman Gray.
• Has 80 career NWMT starts with five wins, 12 poles, 31 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes. Is one of three drivers in contention for the 2012 NWMT title, which will be decided on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
• Best previous NWSMT finish was fifth at Caraway on March 24, 2007.
Gary Putnam (No. 77 Stock Car Steel Chevrolet)
• New England native has 19 career starts, highlighted by an eighth-place finish at Langley on Sept. 1, 2012.
• Works full-time at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing as car chief for the Sprint Cup Series No. 1 car.
• Served at crew chief for Ryan Newman’s entry at Bristol on Aug. 22, 2012.
Andy Seuss (No. 11 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet)
• Has 12 wins and 50 top-10 finishes in 67 career NWSMT starts.
• Finished fourth at Charlotte in 2011.
• Also has four top-10 finishes in 27 career NWMT starts.
John Smith (No. 25 Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet)
• Has 49 top-10 finishes in 73 career NWSMT starts.
• Finished in the top 10 in the final points standings four years in a row (2008-11), with a career-best fifth last year.
• One of six drivers in the field to collect top-10 finishes in both previous Charlotte races.
• Works full-time at Richard Childress Racing.
Thomas Stinson (No. 7 M&M Painting/Cowardin Jewelers Chevrolet
• Has 20 top 10s in 41 career starts.
• Has finished in the top 10 in both Charlotte appearances, highlighted with a ninth-place showing in 2011.
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.
• Andy Seuss ended a winless streak that dated back to last October when he finally had something to smile about after winning the win at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway. The win ended a frustrating stretch to his season that features several DNF’s due to getting caught up in accidents.
• Danny Bohn accomplished what many predicted as he visited Victory Lane during his rookie season by passing Brian Loftin on Lap 143 and hold on to win at Caraway on Oct. 6. It was also a good night for Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders as Kyle Ebersole also picked up his first podium finish of the season in third.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR