Whelen So. Modified News & Notes: Caraway
Myers Returns To Caraway Looking For Another Win
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – While Andy Seuss continues to enjoy his lead in the standings, no other driver in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour is hotter right now than Burt Myers.
The 2010 champion won Saturday night at Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina. It was his third win in the past four races, including a victory at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, North Carolina, where the tour returns this weekend for the first of back-to-back races at the track.
Myers was able to lead every lap en route to his third win of the season at Southern National and feels he has as good a chance as he ever has had to win again at Caraway in the Zooland 150 in six days.
“This car is so good right now and all it seems we have to do is tweak it a little and she is ready to go,” Myers said. “I can’t wait to get back to Caraway and see if we can make it two in a row there.”
If Myers is able to score a win it would the first time in his storied career that he has won four races in a season. The Walnut Cove, North Carolina, driver won three races in 2013 and also in 2005.
In the championship standings, Seuss leads four-time champion George Brunnhoelzl III by 18 points (465-447) and Myers now sits third just eight points behind Brunnhoelzl for second place. Myers was as far back as sixth prior to his recent hot streak.
RACE: Zooland 150
PLACE: Caraway Speedway, Sophia, N.C.
DATE: Saturday, September 27
TIME: 8 p.m. ET
TRACK LAYOUT: .455-mile banked asphalt oval
2013 WINNER: Andy Seuss
2013 POLESITTER: Burt Myers
EVENT SCHEDULE: Practice 4-4:50 p.m., Qualifying 5:45 p.m., Driver Autograph Session 6:15 p.m.
TRACK CONTACT: Renee Hackett, 336-629-5803 or 336-302-5803, renee@carawayspeedway.com
TRACK TWITTER: @CarawaySpeedway
EVENT HASHTAGS: #Zooland150
NASCAR CONTACT: Tim Southers, 386-235-3634, tsouthers@nascar.com, Twitter: @tsouth1968
Fast Facts
The Race: The Zooland 150 is the 12th race on the 2014 schedule for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, now in its 10th season. It will be the 52nd running of the tour at Caraway Speedway.
The Procedure: The maximum starting field is 26 cars, including provisionals. The first 23 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race is scheduled for 150 laps (68.25 miles) with teams having an opportunity to pit and change one tire during the event.
The Track: Caraway Speedway is a .455-mile banked asphalt oval located in rural Sophia, North Carolina. The facility opened in 1966 with a dirt racing surface and was paved in 1972. Caraway, which features NASCAR Whelen All-American Series-sanctioned events on Saturday nights throughout the racing season, has hosted more NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events than any other track in the tour’s history.
Race Winners: There have been 11 different winners across the 51 previous Whelen Southern Modified Tour events at Caraway, led by Brunnhoelzl III and Seuss with 10 each.
Pole Winners: Seven different drivers have earned Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway since the inaugural event in 2005. Burt Myers leads that contingent with 13. George Brunnhoelzl III holds the track qualifying record at 15.648 seconds and 104.678 mph, set on April 21, 2012.
Caraway Race Notes
Rookie Battle Is Close: Spencer Davis, Joe Ryan Osborne and Bobby Measmer Jr. have been the only rookie competitors to race full-time this season and the trio is locked in a close race for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. With three races remaining on the schedule, Davis leads Osborne by just three points (102-99), with Measmer third with 94 points.
Calabrese Enters Caraway Off Of Strong Finish: David Calabrese enters the Zooland 150 on an up note after scoring his second top-five finish in his past three starts. Calabrese finished fourth in his last start at Caraway and equaled that finish last weekend at Southern National. Calabrese scored a season-best third-place finish at Langley in April.
Brunnhoelzl Still Looking For Another Win: Brunnhoelzl has scored just one win so far this season for his lowest win total since 2008 when he won just once. He didn’t compete fulltime in the southern tour in 2010 while racing in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The all-time wins leader has 21 victories and has averaged four wins a season over the past four-plus seasons.
Last Time Out: Southern National Speedway
The 11th race of the 2014 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season took place on September 20 at Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, N.C.. Here are some highlights from the Southern National 150:
• Burt Myers became the second driver this season to lead every lap and win a race taking home the checkered flag for the third time this year. Seuss is the other driver to lead every lap in a win doing it twice this season at Caraway Speedway in March and also in July.
• Myers earned the Coors Light Pole Award for the second time this season to add to his record total of 28 career pole awards in the tour.
• Osborne led all rookies with a fifth-place finish to win Sunoco Rookie of the Race honors. Leading rookie of the year contender Davis was 10th with Measmer 12th.
Next Time Out: Caraway
After this week’s race at Caraway, the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour returns to the track for the rescheduled race that was rained out in April. The Prestoria Farms 150 will be the penultimate event on the 2014 schedule as Andy Seuss will try to maintain his lead in the standings as he continues to pursue his first tour championship.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR
NWSMT Caraway 9/27/14 Schedule
Time Event
12:45 p.m. Crew Chief Meeting
12:50 p.m. Garage Opens
2:30 p.m. Rookie Driver/Spotter Meeting
4-4:50 p.m. NWSMT First Practice
5:45 p.m. Qualifying
6:15 p.m. Driver Autograph Session
6:50 p.m. Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
8 p.m. Zooland 150 (150 Laps/68.25 miles)
NWSMT Caraway 9/27/14 Entry List
CAR DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM OWNER CREW CHIEF
1 Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C. Citrusafe /Adams Towing & Recovery Ford Kim Myers Ronnie Holbrook Jr.
2 JR Bertuccio, Centereach, N.Y. Gershow Recycling Chevrolet Joe Bertuccio, Sr. Joe Bertuccio
4 Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C. Adams Towing & Recovery Ford Gary Myers Mike Queen
5 Kyle Ebersole, Hummelstown, Pa. Ebersole Excavating Ford Bob Ebersole Bob Ebersole
7 Thomas Stinson, Chester, Va. Dennis’ Towing & Recovery Chevrolet Mark Hunter Mark Hunter
11 Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H. Northeast Race Cars/Ideal Finance Chevrolet Eddie Harvey Eddie Harvey
12 Mike Norman, Lewisville, N.C. Combs Produce/Nationwide Chevrolet Donna Norman Roger Volger III
15 Joe Ryan Osborne, Holland, Pa. * Pinnacle Trucking/Osborne Const. Chevrolet Grady Jeffreys, Jr. Grady Jeffreys Sr.
23 Brian Loftin, Lexington, N.C. L&R Transmission Chevrolet Bobby Loftin Scott Widener
28 George Brunnhoelzl, III, West Babylon, N.Y. Composite Tech./Performance Tech. Chevrolet George Brunnhoelzl, Jr. George Brunnhoelzl Jr.
40 Luke Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C. AutosByNelson.com/Koma Unwind Ford Gina Fleming Frank Fleming
43 David Calabrese, Toms River, N.J. DiamondBack Towing/Calabrese Mtrspts. Chevrolet Michael Calabrese Bobby Foley
51 Bobby Measmer, Jr., Concord, N.C. * Haas Automation Chevrolet Bob Dillner Ernie Mayo
65 Danny Bohn, Freehold, N.J. Rustoleum/Cedar Peaks Enterprises Pontiac Eddie Bohn Eddie Bohn
77 Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn. Curb Records Chevrolet Mike Curb Donald Tarantino
79 Spencer Davis, Dawsonville, Ga. * Coors Light 21 Means 21/Hillbilly Racing Pontiac Susan Hill Chris Kopec
97 Bryan Dauzat, Alexandria, La. O B Builders Inc Chevrolet Bryan Dauzat Todd Cooper
99 A.J. Winstead, Bon Air, Va. Health Diagnostics Chevrolet Susanne Winstead Reginald Winstead
* – Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender