Ebersole Captures First Career Victory
Holds On For Whelen Southern Modified Win At Langley
HAMPTON, Va. – Kyle Ebersole came from behind to capture his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour win at Langley Speedway on Saturday night.
Ebersole of Hummelstown, Pa., took the lead late and then held off a hard charge from three-time tour champion George Brunnhoelzl III to win the Newport News Shipbuilding/Bayport Credit Union 150.
“It feels awesome,” Ebersole said when describing his first career victory. “Last year was the first year on the tour and I got a lot of good experience. I’ve been faster all year and I’m really happy we could seal the deal in one of these things before the end of the year.”
The win came in just the 19th career tour start for the driver of the No. 5 Ebersole Excavating Ford, who had started seventh on the grid.
Andy Seuss, who shattered the previous track record in winning the pole during qualifying earlier in the day, led the first 73 laps of the Newport News Shipbuilding/Bayport Credit Union 150 – with Brunnhoelzl running in his wake. Brunnhoelzl gained the top spot when mechanical issues forced Seuss to pit road, moments before the midway break. Brunnhoelzl would hold the lead until lap 124, eventually losing the lead to Tim Brown. Ebersole was able to challenge Brown for the lead, finally getting by him with a strong move to the outside coming out of turn four.
Ebersole, who finished sixth last year in his only previous start at Langley, faced a fierce challenge from Brunnhoelzl in the closing laps, but held on for the win.
“I held George off there at the end,” Ebersole said. “I knew he was coming, I saw him in my mirror and my spotter was telling me he was on me and I just had enough laps there and was able to get to Victory Lane.”
Brown came home third on a night where he could have very well found himself in Victory Lane.
“”Just right there at the halfway break, our car was a little bit snug and we made the fatal mistake of freeing it up,” Brown said after the race. “The track got slick there in the last segment and we were just too loose. We gave it awaya, but congratulations to Kyle. They’ve been good all year and finally got a win. It’s good to see those guys get a victory.”
In total, there were three lead changes involving four drivers in an event slowed by six cautions for 26 laps.
John Smith and Danny Bohn followed Brown past the finish line to round out the top five. Completing the top 10 were Patrick Emerling, Burt Myers, Jason Myers, Thomas Stinson and Gary Putnam.
Ebersole became the fourth different winner in four tour races at Langley Speedway.
The Newport News Shipbuilding/Bayport Credit Union 150 was the eighth event on a 12-race tour schedule. The Southern Modified Tour will next be in action on Sept. 8, when it returns to Caraway (N.C.) Speedway for the Caraway 150.
RACE RESULTS | LAP-BY-LAP RECAP | AUDIO: THIRD PLACE TIM BROWN
NWSMT Langley 8/31/13 Unofficial Results
Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Race: NWSMT Langley 8/31/13
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 7 5 Kyle Ebersole Ebersole Excavating Inc Ford 150 47 4 Running
2 2 28 George Brunnhoelzl, III Epox-Z Cool Roof Coating/Oval Speed Chevrolet 150 43 1 Running
3 4 02 Tim Brown Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chevrolet 150 42 1 Running
4 3 25 John Smith G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet 150 40 Running
5 6 65 Danny Bohn Cedar Peaks /Rustoleum/Ray Evernham Ent 150 39 Running
6 9 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Chevrolet Chevrolet 150 38 Running
7 10 1 Burt Myers Citrusafe /Adams Towing & Recovery Ford 150 37 Running
8 12 4 Jason Myers Myers Racing Ford 150 36 Running
9 11 7 Thomas Stinson M&M Custom Painting Chevrolet 150 35 Running
10 16 77 Gary Putnam Stock Car Steel Chevrolet 150 34 Running
11 15 97 Bryan Dauzat O B Builders Inc Chevrolet 150 33 Running
12 8 9 A.J. Winstead Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc Chevrolet 150 32 Running
13 14 2 JR Bertuccio Gershow Recycling/Hagerman Systems Chevrolet 146 31 Running
14 1 11 Andy Seuss Phoenix Pre-Owned Motors Chevrolet 144 32 2 Running
15 13 40 Luke Fleming * Koma Unwind/Autos By Nelson.com Ford 80 29 Suspension
16 5 59 Renee Dupuis Space Fitters/Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet 79 28 Accident
17 18 12 Mike Norman DMC Auto Exchange/Auto Solutions/Lewisville Motor 78 27 Accident
18 17 70 Jeremy Gerstner * GMR Complete Lawn/Fountain Mtsprts. Chevrolet 78 26 Accident
19 19 04 David Calabrese * Diamond Back Towing Chevrolet 78 25 Accident
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Andy Seuss Time: 14.771 Seconds Speed: 96.270 mph
Time of Race: 0 hrs., 55 mins, 2 secs Average Speed: 64.597 mph Margin of Victory: .181 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 28-31 (No. 9 spins Turn 4); 39-42 (No. 97 spin on Turn 2); 69-73 (No. 04 spins Turn 1); 75-77 (No. 11 broke, No. 70 spins, halfway break); 79-85 (No. 59, 12, 04, 40, 97, 70 spin Turn 1); 126-131 (No. 9 spins Turn 3). 6 for 29 laps.
Lap Leaders: Andy Seuss 1-73, George Brunnhoelzl, III 74-124, Tim Brown 125-135, Kyle Ebersole 136-150.
Total Laps Led: Andy Seuss 73, George Brunnhoelzl, III 51, Kyle Ebersole 15, Tim Brown 11. 3 changes involving 4 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: George Brunnhoelzl, III 339, Kyle Ebersole 323, Burt Myers 312, Tim Brown 303, Andy Seuss 288, Jason Myers 281, John Smith 280, Gary Putnam 278, Luke Fleming * 266, Bryan Dauzat 253
Next Race: Sept. 8, Caraway Speedway
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender
Sources: Kevin W. Green/NASCAR PR