Kennedy Fights Forward to Win at Bowman Gray; Burt Myers claims checkered in 100-lapper
Winston-Salem, NC — Before the green flag even waved at Bowman Gray Stadium, the K&N Pro Series East teams knew what would decide Saturday night’s NASCAR Hall of Fame 150: Survival.
With 13 cautions in 150 laps, there was hardly a fender that wasn’t dented. And those that performed well were the ones who fought hard and laid it all on the line.
Brett Moffitt of Grimes, IA started his night just as he had hoped. He qualified on the pole and shot out into the lead as the green flag dropped. Moffitt didn’t seem to have many problems maintaining the lead from the outside row challenges of Bryan Ortiz of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. “Judging off of years past, leading is the safest place to be,” said Moffitt.
But halfway through the race, his team began reporting that they were experiencing trouble with the car battery. Moffitt tried everything he could to hang in there, but he began to fall back. On lap 124, he relinquished the lead to Ben Kennedy of Daytona Beach, FL.
[Photo Gallery] by Brad Newman
Kennedy had slowly made his way though the field from a 10th place start, weaving in and out of traffic and dodging wrecks. “We had a couple fender benders here and there, but we just kept digging through and kept all four wheels on,” said Kennedy. “We just tried to get restarts on the inside as much as we could – we were trying to put a little strategy into it but it worked out for us.”
In the closing laps of the race, aggressive Dylan Kwasniewski of Las Vegas, NV moved up behind Kennedy’s bumper. Kwasniewski had already rebounded from an earlier wreck to climb up to second, and he had his sights set on slipping by Kennedy for the win.
“I knew he was strong and they told me the 98 [of Kwasnieski] was coming. I saw him wreck earlier in the race and I knew he had to work hard to get up to second place,” said Kennedy. Kwasniewski gave Kennedy one stiff tap to the rear bumper, but Kennedy held strong and Kwasniewski fell off the pace slightly. “He got loose off on corner and I was clear by five. So I just set my pace and made sure I hit my marks those last couple laps and crossed my fingers that no cautions would come out,” said Kennedy.
“This track’s great,” said Kwasniewski. It’s hard to come up through the field, but we battled back and got a second place finish. I think we could’ve battled for the win, but congrats to the 96 team.”
The victory was Kennedy’s second win in the Series, but the sentimental value was one he won’t soon forget. Kennedy happens to be the great-grandson of Bill France, Sr., the legend who founded NASCAR and just a year later went on to start the racing action at Bowman Gray Stadium.
“It sure is home – to win tonight with my family here,” said Kennedy. “Man, it’s unbelievable. To win in front of all these awesome fans out here – to win here at Bowman Gray, I’m just speechless about it.”
Kwasniewski finished behind him in second, with Brandon Gdovic of Yorktown, VA coming in third.
In the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series, Burt Myers of Walnut Cove claimed the checkered in a Modified 100-lapper.
Myers drew fourth for his start, powering past second-place Mike Norman of Lewisville on the opening lap. He was soon pressuring the bumper of pole starter Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg.
During the first double-file restart, Myers chose the outside and pushed hard to eventually make his way past Jeffreys. “I almost just tucked in behind Lee,” said Myers. “My spotter said that I was clear behind him – and I almost tucked in. But I said ‘No, I’m going to give it one more run.’ And we were able to make the winning pass.”
Jeffreys tried to challenge Myers from the outside but was unable to make anything happen. “My car on the inside would get loose coming off the corner – and I knew that was going to kill me,” said Jeffreys. “That’s why I kept going to the outside. I thought if I did that it would help my car up off the corner and that worked out.”
Jeffreys finished second, with John Smith of Mount Airy turning in a third place finish.
Race Results
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
NASCAR Hall of Fame 150: 150 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 96 Ben Kennedy Daytona Beach, FL
2 98 Dylan Kwasniewski Las Vegas, NV
3 46 Brandon Gdovic Yorktown, VA
4 34 Kenzie Ruston El Reno, OK
5 97 Jesse Little Sherrills Ford, NC
6 21 Mackena Bell Carson City, NV
7 4 Bryan Ortiz Bayamon, Puerto Rico
8 20 Gray Gaulding Colonial Heights, VA
9 6 Daniel Suarez Monterrey, Mexico
10 00 Cole Custer Ladera Ranch, CA
11 1 Johnny VanDoorn Coopersville, MI
12 71 Eddie MacDonald Rowley, MA
13 11 Brett Moffitt Grimes, IA
14 39 CJ Faison Seaford, DE
15 49 Clint King Denton, NC
16 89 Matt Tifft Hinkley, OH
17 99 Austin Dyne Malibu, CA
18 47 Cale Conley Vienna, WV
19 2 Ryan Gifford Winchester, TN
20 72 Scott Heckert Ridgefield, CT
21 44 Akinori Ogata Kanagawa, Japan|
22 37 Corey LaJoie Concord, NC
Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
100-lap Modified race: 100 laps completed
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
2 77 Lee Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
3 25 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
4 83 Tim Brown Rural Hall, NC
5 21 Tommy Neal Walkertown, NC
6 27 Zach Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
7 13 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
8 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
9 53 Danny Bohn Huntersville, NC
10 05 Tony Black Lexington, NC
11 80 Jeff Fultz Mooresville, NC
12 12 Mike Norman Lewisville, NC
13 75 Robert Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
14 07 Kevin Neal Walkertown, NC
15 3 Danny Propst Monroe, NC
16 22 Joseph Brown Winston-Salem, NC
17 81 Austin Pack Walkertown, NC
18 50 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
19 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
20 9 Bobby Sheffield Mooresville, NC
21 69 Junior Miller Danbury, NC
22 64 Steven Truell Winston-Salem, NC
23 68 Robbie Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
Sources: Bowman Gray Stadium PR