08/01/2007
JASON MYERS EXCITED ABOUT WHELEN SOUTHERN MODIFIED TOUR’S
RETURN TO BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM SATURDAY
The Advance Auto Parts 199 at Bowman Gray Stadium
is one race that is marked in bold print on every calendar in every
garage area and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver’s
date
book.
Bowman Gray Stadium is the oldest track under NASCAR sanction
and the facility in downtown Winston-Salem, N.C., has built an
incredible reputation that draws in more than 15,000 fans per race
during the season. The main attraction for those fans is watching
the weekly Modified division race around a quarter-mile track that’s
infield is the football field for Winston-Salem State University.
Bowman Gray Stadium and its staff have truly shown that
NASCAR local short track racing is still alive and well.
In last year’s Advance Auto Parts 199, two of Bowman Gray’s
most popular drivers – brothers Burt and Jason Myers – had a night
where their fortunes were at two far extremes in the annual Whelen
Southern Modified Tour stop.
Burt Myers headed into the race with one of the fastest cars
based on practice and qualifying, but his night was ended less than
five seconds into the race when he was bumped from behind and sent
into the first turn wall with significant damage. Jason Myers, on
the other hand, took the lead on lap 158 and never looked back en
route to the biggest win of his career.
“That was my biggest win and the reason for that was the fact
it was a NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race,” Jason Myers
said. “I’d already had a few wins at Bowman Gray and a couple of
other tracks, but to actually win a Tour race was pretty special. It
also meant a lot because of all the history behind Bowman Gray, as
well as the history of my family racing at that track through the
years.”
The modifieds have been racing at Bowman Gray for almost 60
years – dating back to 1949 – and throughout that time someone with
the last name of Myers was likely racing at the Stadium.
“My brother and I grew up watching our dad (Gary) race at
Bowman Gray when we were little and obviously, Burt and I are racing
there now,” said Jason Myers, a native of Walnut Cove, N.C. “Before
dad there was my grandfather Billy and his brother Bobby, who both
raced at Bowman Gray when the track first opened. My grandfather won
the (1952) championship and 16 races. My grandfather Billy won three
championships at Bowman Gray (1951, ‘53 and ‘55) and 22 races. It
was in 1952 when my great uncle Bobby won the championship and he
went on to win 16 times at the Stadium.
“It was in 1958 when my grandfather passed away when he was
racing at Bowman Gray. He had a heart attack while leading the race.
… So our family goes back quite a few years at
Bowman Gray.”
Jason Myers admits the emotions of winning his first Whelen
Southern Modified Tour race before his hometown fans and family was
something he will never forget.
“It really hit me when Burt got to Victory Lane and gave me a
hug,” Jason Myers said. “To see the look in his eyes was something
I’ll never forget, and it really hit me as to how big a win it was
for me. That was definitely the most exciting time for me in my
racing career.”
Burt Myers agrees with the assessment of his younger brother.
“I was just as excited for Jason as I would have been to win
it myself,” Burt Myers said. “The last 10 laps, I was asking over
the radio to see how Jason was doing. I was just really ecstatic for
him because Jason has had a lot of bad luck. For him to break
through last year and win that race really meant a lot to me because
he is my brother and he was driving my dad’s car and both of our
cars come out of the same shop.
“It was a little emotional for me just because Jason hasn’t
been as fortunate with his racing as I have been. I was just tickled
to death to see Jason win that race because of how much I know it
meant for him.”
While Jason Myers will be gunning for his second straight
victory on Saturday night in the Advance Auto Parts 199, Burt Myers
just wants a reversal of fortune from his disappointing first lap
crash from a year ago.
“Anytime you don’t finish the first lap because of a wreck is
pretty frustrating,” Burt Myers said. “I don’t think it was
intentional as much as it was another driver making an error. It was
just disheartening because I thought we had a great shot of winning
that race.
“I don’t mean to sound cocky, but I think we’re going to have
a very good shot of winning this race Saturday night.”
Fast Facts
What: Advance Auto Parts 199
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Race: # 6 of 12
Where: Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.
When: 8:45 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 4
Track layout: .25-mile oval
Distance: 199 Laps, 49.75 miles.
Posted Awards: $24,272
2006 winner: Jason Myers
2006 polesitter: Burt Myers
Records: Qualifying, Burt Myers, 13.812 (65.161 mph), Aug. 5,
2006
Pre-race schedule: Friday, Aug. 3 – Practice, 5:30 p.m.
Qualifying, 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4 – Practice, 8:45 p.m. Race,
8:45 p.m.
Note: All times subject to change.
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Top 10: 1. L.W. Miller,
801; 2. Junior Miller, 780; 3. Burt Myers, 773; 4. Tim Brown, 725;
5. Jason Myers, 691; 6. Brian King, 679; 7. Bobby Hutchens, 655; 8.
George Brunnhoelzl, 648; 9. Brian Pack, 639; 10. Frank Fleming, 637.
Source
Jason Mitchell/NASCAR WSMT PR
Posted:
August 1, 2007 |