Southern Modified News & Notes: SNMP
Brunnhoelzl On The Brink Of Title
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The competition in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour is fierce, but George Brunnhoelzl III continues the set the gold standard.
The driver out of West Babylon, N.Y., is closing in on his third consecutive tour title and fourth overall, having won championships in 2009, 2011 and 2012. He carries a 30-point lead over Kyle Ebersole into the G-Oil 150 on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C. The event was originally scheduled for Sept. 21, but rain moved into the area following the completion of qualifying.
Should Brunnhoelzl claim his first career Southern National win and lead the most laps in his fifth start at the track, Ebersole will have to finish 13th or better without the benefit of leading a lap to keep his championship hopes alive. Burt Myers cannot lose more than one point to Brunnhoelzl to have a mathematical shot at the crown while Tim Brown will need to gain nine markers on the leader to stay in the hunt.
“We just focus on winning races and getting the best result we can in every race and allow the points to take care of themselves,” said Brunnhoelzl. “We celebrate championships once the season is over.”
The math says that John Smith, Jason Myers, Gary Putnam and rookie Luke Fleming are still alive for the title, but they practically need for Brunnhoelzl to not show up at Southern National.
Brunnhoelzl leads the Whelen Southern Modified Tour this season with three wins and nine top-five finishes in 10 starts. In four starts at Southern National, the driver of the No. 28 EPOX-Z/Oval Speed Chevrolet has three top-10 finishes including a fourth-place showing earlier this season in March.
RACE: G-Oil 150
PLACE: Southern National Motorsports Park, Kenly, N.C.
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 5
TIME: 8 p.m. ET
TRACK LAYOUT: .4-mile high-banked asphalt oval
2012 WINNER: Event not held
2012 POLESITTER: Event not held
EVENT SCHEDULE: Practice 1-1:25 p.m., Final Practice 3-3:25 p.m., Driver Autograph Session 5:45 p.m.
TRACK CONTACT: Louis Sparks, (919) 284-1114, media@snmp.com
TRACK TWITTER: @SNM_Park
EVENT TWITTER HASHTAG: #GOil150
NASCAR CONTACT: Jason Cunningham, 704-201-6658, jcunningham@nascar.com; Twitter: @NASCAR_NE
FAST FACTS
The Race: The G-Oil 150 will mark the 11th event of the 12-race 2013 regular season schedule for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour and the second time the tour visits Southern National. This event was postponed on Sept. 21 due to inclement weather.
The Procedure: The maximum starting field will be 26 cars, including provisionals. The first 23 starting positions will be based on two-lap time trials and the remaining three will be filled through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (60 miles) with a 10 minute break at or near the conclusion of Lap 75.
The Track: Southern National played host to four events in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history, from 2006-2008. It was closed from 2009 to 2011, before re-opening last year and becoming a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track. Southern National has banking of 17 degrees in the turns and seven degrees on the straightaways.
Race Winners: Junior Miller won the first race in October of 2006, followed by Tim Brown’s victory in September of 2007, and Burt Myers in September of 2008 and March 2013.
Pole Winners: L.W. Miller won two poles at Southern National, while Frank Fleming earned the top spot in 2007. NASCAR Next driver Ryan Preece won the award during the tour’s first visit to the track earlier this year. Miller holds the track qualifying record at 14.251 seconds (101.046 mph), set in 2008.
SOUTHERN NATIONAL RACE NOTES:
Brown Aims For Another Top Five: Brown, one of only four active drivers to have started the previous four races at Southern National, will aim to turn in another solid performance at the .4-mile banked oval. His worst career finish at the track is third which he recorded earlier this year. Overall, Brown has one win, two second place finishes and one third-place finish in four races at Southern National.
Three For Myers?: Burt Myers is looking for his third straight tour win at Southern National in the G-Oil 150. The 2010 Southern Modified champion won on March 23 in the tour’s return to the track after taking the checkered flag on Sept. 13, 2008. With qualifying already in the books for this race, Myers will start from the pole position.
Looking Back: Southern National hosted the 2006 season finale that saw Junior Miller win the race to take the championship. He entered the race trailing Tim Brown by four points. Miller used lapped traffic with 17 laps to go to take the lead – and eventually the title, by six tallies under the old points system – away from Brown.
LAST TIME OUT: Caraway
Andy Seuss won for the second time in three weeks at Caraway Speedway in the Zooland 150 on Sept. 28. The Hampstead, N.H., driver took the lead from pole sitter Burt Myers on Lap 63 and held off George Brunnhoelzl III down the stretch for his 14th tour career win and eighth at the .455-mile oval. With a third-place finish John Smith recorded his fourth straight top-five finish. Myers extended his all-time tour record with his 26th pole win.
NEXT TIME OUT: Charlotte
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will close out its 2013 campaign on Thursday, Oct. 10 on the quarter-mile oval on the frontstretch of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., in the UNOH Southern Slam 150. It’s the third time in four seasons for Charlotte to host the Southern Modified season finale. The race will be held following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying. Last season George Brunnhoelzl III started from the pole and won the race to close out his third tour championship.
Sources: Shon Sbarra/NASCAR WSMT PR
NWSMT Southern National 10/5/13 Schedule
Time Event
10 a.m. Haulers Enter
11 a.m. Garage Opens
1-1:25 p.m. Practice
3-3:25 p.m. Final Practice
4:45 p.m. Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
5:45 p.m. Driver Autograph Session
8 p.m. Race (150 Laps, 60 Miles)
All times ET and subject to change
NWSMT Southern National 9/21/13 Entry List
CAR DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM OWNER CREW CHIEF
1 Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C. Citrusafe /Adams Towing & Recovery Kim Myers Ronnie Holbrook Jr
02 Tim Brown, Rural Hall, N.C. Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Tommy Lythgoe Mark Ruhmann
2 JR Bertuccio, Centerrach, N.Y. Gershow Recycling Chevrolet Joe Bertuccio Joseph Bertuccio
04 David Calabrese, Toms River, N.J. * Diamond Back Towing Chevrolet Michael Calabrese Paul Rice
4 Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C. Myers Racing Ford Gary Myers Gary Myers
5 Kyle Ebersole, Hummelstown, Pa. Ebersole Excavating Inc Ford Bob Ebersole Bob Ebersole
7 Thomas Stinson, Chester, Va. M&M Custom Painting Chevrolet Mark Hunter Mark Hunter
9 A.J. Winstead, Richmond, Va. Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc Susanne Winstead Neil Culley
11 Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H. Twisted Fabrication Chevrolet Eddie Harvey Eddie Harvey
12 Mike Norman, Lewisville, N.C. DMC Auto Exchange/Auto Donna Norman T J Moran
24 Darryl Lacks, Forest, Va. Lacks Auto Service Chevrolet William Lacks Donnie Lacks
25 John Smith, Mount Airy, N.C. G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet Grady Jeffreys Grady Jeffreys Sr
28 George Brunnhoelzl, III, West Babylon, N.Y. Epox-Z Cool Roof Coating/Oval George Brunnhoelzl, Jr George Brunnhoelzl Jr
40 Luke Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C. * Koma Unwind/Autos By Nelson.com Gina Fleming Frank Fleming
65 Danny Bohn, Freehold, N.J. Cedar Peaks /Rustoleum/Ray Eddie Bohn Eddie Bohn
70 Jeremy Gerstner, Wesley Chapel, Fla. * GMR Complete Lawn/Fountain Dawn Gerstner Derek Silver
97 Bryan Dauzat, Alexandria, La. O B Builders Inc Chevrolet Bryan Dauzat Todd Cooper
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender
NWSMT Southern National 9/21/13 Practice Results
Submitted by jtejeda on September 21, 2013 – 2:58pm
FINAL PRACTICE
Pos No. Name Team Best Tm Best Speed
1 28 George Brunnhoelzl lll Epox-z/Oval Speed 14.628 98.441
2 02 Tim Brown Hayes Jewlers/ T&C Motorsports 14.665 98.193
3 11 Andy Seuss Twisted Fabrications 14.765 97.528
4 5 Kyle Ebersole Ebersole Excavating 14.775 97.462
5 65 Danny Bohn Cedar Peaks Ent/Rustoleum/Ray Evernham Ent 14.778 97.442
6 1 Burt Myers CitruSafe/Adams Towing & Recovery Budget Leasing 14.782 97.416
7 25 John Smith G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing 14.818 97.179
8 2 J R Bertuccio Gershow Recycling 14.818 97.179
9 99 A.J. Winstead Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc/Clarke American Sanders 14.895 96.677
10 12 Mike Norman DMC Auto Exchange 14.923 96.495
11 4 Jason Myers Myers Racing 14.986 96.09
12 40 Luke Fleming* Koma Unwind/Autos By Nelson.com 15.018 95.885
13 97 Bryan Dauzat OB Builders Inc 15.031 95.802
14 04 David Calabrese* Diamond Back Towing 15.075 95.522
15 70 Jeremy Gerstner* GMR Complete Lawn /Fountain Motorspts 15.259 94.371
16 24 Darryl Lacks Lacks Auto Service 15.523 92.766
17 7 Thomas Stinson M & M Custom Painting 15.699 91.726
FIRST PRACTICE
Pos No. Driver Team Best Tm Best Speed
1 99 A.J. Winstead Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc/Clarke American Sanders 14.680 98.093
2 11 Andy Seuss Twisted Fabrications 14.682 98.079
3 02 Tim Brown Hayes Jewlers/ T&C Motorsports 14.688 98.039
4 5 Kyle Ebersole Ebersole Excavating 14.717 97.846
5 28 George Brunnhoelzl lll Epox-z/Oval Speed 14.752 97.614
6 1 Burt Myers CitruSafe/Adams Towing & Recovery Budget Leasing 14.777 97.449
7 2 J R Bertuccio Gershow Recycling 14.843 97.015
8 04 David Calabrese* Diamond Back Towing 14.948 96.334
9 25 John Smith G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing 15.060 95.618
10 40 Luke Fleming* Koma Unwind/Autos By Nelson.com 15.065 95.586
11 12 Mike Norman DMC Auto Exchange 15.081 95.484
12 65 Danny Bohn Cedar Peaks Ent/Rustoleum/Ray Evernham Ent 15.135 95.144
13 4 Jason Myers Myers Racing 15.332 93.921
14 97 Bryan Dauzat OB Builders Inc 15.367 93.707
15 70 Jeremy Gerstner* GMR Complete Lawn /Fountain Motorspts 15.407 93.464
16 24 Darryl Lacks Lacks Auto Service 15.759 91.376
17 7 Thomas Stinson M & M Custom Painting 16.001 89.994
*Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender
NWSMT Southern National 9/21/13 Qualifying Results
Pos No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed
1 1 Burt Myers CitruSafe/Adams Towing & Recovery Budget Leasing 14.435 99.758
2 11 Andy Seuss Twisted Fabrications 14.524 99.146
3 99 A.J. Winstead Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc/Clarke American Sanders 14.542 99.024
4 28 George Brunnhoelzl lll Epox-z/Oval Speed 14.559 98.908
5 5 Kyle Ebersole Ebersole Excavating 14.561 98.894
6 02 Tim Brown Hayes Jewlers/ T&C Motorsports 14.583 98.745
7 25 John Smith G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing 14.641 98.354
8 04 David Calabrese* Diamond Back Towing 14.654 98.267
9 40 Luke Fleming* Koma Unwind/Autos By Nelson.com 14.684 98.066
10 2 J R Bertuccio Gershow Recycling 14.684 98.066
11 4 Jason Myers Myers Racing 14.694 97.999
12 65 Danny Bohn Cedar Peaks Ent/Rustoleum/Ray Evernham Ent 14.739 97.700
13 12 Mike Norman DMC Auto Exchange 14.819 97.173
14 7 Thomas Stinson M & M Custom Painting 14.851 96.963
15 97 Bryan Dauzat OB Builders Inc 14.871 96.833
16 70 Jeremy Gerstner* GMR Complete Lawn /Fountain Motorspts 15.015 95.904
17 24 Darryl Lacks Lacks Auto Service 15.200 94.737
*Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender