News & Notes: Myers Ready To Visit Victory Lane At Caraway
Burt Myers (No. 1 Capital Bank Ford) is no stranger to success in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. In fact, Myers is no stranger to success in any type of race car. That’s why it seems a little unusual for the Walnut Cove, N.C., driver to not have a win in 2009. But then again, there have been only four races thus far and Myers is ready to be heard from as the season gets back underway this Friday night at Caraway Speedway.
Myers is the most successful driver in the history of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour who has yet to win a championship and if he has his way, this will no longer be used to introduce him next year.
“We are ready to get back to racing in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour,” said Myers. “I love running at (Bowman-Gray) Stadium, but I am ready to get to Caraway this weekend.”
Myers has won three races at ‘The Stadium’ while on break from the Tour and has also spent his free time preparing for the first-ever visit by the Whelen Modifieds to Bristol Motor Speedway.
“I went there and tested a couple of weeks ago and that was the most fun I have ever had in a race car,” said Myers. “You can treat the track like a big speedway because when you make changes to the car, you can tell a big difference when you go back out on the track.”
Myers is chasing current NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader George Brunnhoelzl III, Andy Seuss and defending Tour champion Brian Loftin as the four are separated by less than 40 points. However, Myers adds there is plenty of racing yet to be done this year.
“Unfortunately, we should be about six or seven races into our season but Mother Nature decided not to cooperate with us in the spring,” he said. “We have about 10 or so races left and that is plenty of time to catch the guys and get the lead.”
Myers has five career wins on the Tour and has never finished lower than ninth in the final standings. He currently holds or shares six NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour records. Among them is being the first full-time Whelen Southern Modified driver to win a race when he won the second race ever held in the history of the Tour on March 26, 2005 at Caraway.
The win in 2005 was the only time Myers visited Victory Lane at Caraway and he wants to make the second visit this Friday night.
“That track is a tough place to figure out sometimes,” said Myers. “We race there so many times that you think you can figure out the right setup. But there have been times when we raced up front all night and ran well, then we come back a couple of weeks later and can’t even get out of our own way.”
Myers finished 10th the last time he raced at Caraway in the only race held at the track so far this season. While some drivers might be happy with a top-10 finish, Myers expects more from himself every week.
“We can run better at Caraway and I expect us to this weekend,” said Myers. “Of course, the rest of the guys will be ready and it should be a typical Caraway race with about 10 or so cars capable of winning the race.”
Some of those drivers he expects to challenge for the win include Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwarp/PT Ford), Andy Seuss (No. 47 Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/Stuart Auto Dodge), Brian Loftin (No. 23 L&R Transmissions Chevrolet) and L.W. Miller (No. 36 John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac).
Seuss and Christopher are the only two drivers to visit Victory Lane this season.
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| Next Race | Firecracker 150 |
|---|---|
| The Place | Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C. |
| The Date | Friday, July 3, 2009 |
| The Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| Track Layout | .455-mile paved |
| Race Purse | $24,806 |
| 2009 Winner | Ted Christopher |
| 2009 Pole | George Brunnhoelzl III |
| Schedule | Friday, Practice 4:30-5:15 p.m., Time Trials: 6:30 p.m. |
| Track Contact | Renee Hackett, (336) 629-5803, carawayspeedway@embarqmail.com |
| NASCAR Contact | Tim Southers, (386) 235-3634, tsouthers@nascar.com |
News & Notes
The Track … Caraway Speedway is a .455-mile paved oval and is considered the “home” track of the southern division of the modifieds. The track has hosted 24 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events, dating back to March 2005.
The Records … Qualifying: George Brunnhoelzl III, April 11, 2009, 102.844 mph, 15.752 seconds; Race: Junior Miller, Sept. 9, 2006, 90.977 mph, 44 minutes 30 seconds.
Caraway Winners … Brian Loftin and L.W. Miller lead all winners at Caraway Speedway with six victories, respectively.
Other Caraway winners … NASCAR veteran Junior Miller has won five times at Caraway while Tim Brown has won twice at Caraway. Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified champion Ted Christopher has won three times at Caraway in 2005 & 2006 and most recently in April of this year.
Pole Winners … Burt Myers has collected eight of his NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-record 19 Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway Speedway. George Brunnhoelzl III won the pole at the most recent race held at the track in April.
Last Race Recap: Seuss Dominates In Georgia
George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwarp/PT Ford) entered the Lanier 150 looking to defend his race win from 2008, but the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader had nothing for Andy Seuss (No. 47 Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/Stuart Auto Dodge). In fact, no one had anything for the Hampstead, N.H., native.
Seuss, who started the season finishing last at Concord Speedway when mechanical problems ended his night just four laps into the race, has won two races and finished second in the three races since opening night.
“I wish we could keep racing next week,” Seuss said in Victory Lane at Lanier. “We have really got a lot of momentum now and I wish we could keep racing instead of taking a break.”
Seuss started the race seventh and moved up to second by Lap 20 to leader Ted Christopher (No. 00 Sherm’s Towing Chevrolet).
Seuss was able to pass Christopher on Lap 44 and remained out front the rest of the night and was never really challenged.
L.W. Miller (No. 36 John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac) finished third with Brian Loftin (No. 23 L&R Transmissions/QMF Metal Solutions Chevrolet) and Jason Myers (No. 4 Capital Bank/Moorefield & Trantham Enterprises Ford).
The race was slowed just two times for caution with all 14 starters running at the end of the race.
Defending tour rookie of the year Buddy Emory (No. 02 RCS Construction Chevrolet) was sixth, followed by Christopher in seventh.
Tour Review
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Quick Facts … The tour has been competing under NASCAR sanction since 2005 and has crowned four champions, with Junior Miller winning the first two titles in 2005 & 2006, respectively. L.W. Miller won the 2007 championship and in 2008, Brian Loftin was crowned champ.
Most Winners … There are three drivers currently tied for the lead with 10 wins each. Brian Loftin, Junior Miller and L.W. Miller share the mark. Loftin last visited Victory Lane in 2008 at Martinsville Speedway as the highest-finishing NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour finisher. L.W. Miller last won at Ace Speedway in 2008 and Junior Miller’s last trip to Victory lane was in 2007 at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
12 Different Drivers … have visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, with Andy Seuss being the most-recent new winner on the Tour when he won at Lanier National Speedway on April 18 and at South Boston Speedway on April 4.
Halfway To The Record … George Brunnhoelzl III has already won three Coors Light Pole Awards in the four races held so far this season. He is halfway to the record currently held by Burt Myers for the most pole awards won in one season with six. Ten different drivers have won at least one pole award, with Myers topping the list with 18. Tim Brown is second in career pole awards with eight.
Caraway features competitive racing on a weekly basis
Caraway Speedway might be the unofficial home of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, but the historic track located in central North Carolina is also known for some great Late Model Stock racing and so far this season the track hasn’t disappointed any fans.
The track has held nine events so far in 2009 with eight different winners highlighting the level of competition at the track each time the Late Models get on the track.
The only driver to repeat thus far has been Travis Swaim. Swaim, younger brother of former NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series champion Mike Swaim, won on April 4 and again on May 23. All eight winners will join over 20 of the best late model stock drivers from the southeast for the running of the Rusty Harpe Memorial 200 this Wednesday night July 1.
The race honors Harpe who was a regular competitor at the speedway.
NASCAR Announces Modified Race Broadcast
NASCAR announced today that the inaugural NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour event at Bristol Motor Speedway will be broadcast on SPEED.
The UNOH Perfect Storm at Bristol, a 150-lap combination race between the two NASCAR Modified divisions, will mark the first appearance for both the Whelen and Whelen Southern Modified Tours at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” in Bristol, Tenn.
The UNOH Perfect Storm at Bristol is set to go green at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19 and SPEED will broadcast the event on a 45-minute tape-delay beginning at 7 p.m.
“With a heritage as NASCAR’s oldest division, the Modifieds have long had some of the most passionate fans in the sport, and we are excited to provide the loyal fan base with an opportunity to follow all of the action,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations.
“We appreciate the support of Whelen Engineering, the University of Northwestern Ohio and SPEED in helping to bring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours to a national television audience.”
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR WSMT PR