The Chrome Horn News

8/4/2007

BURT MYERS SCORES ADVANCE AUTO PARTS 199 WIN
WITH LAST LAP SATURDAY NIGHT AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM

    NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver Burt Myers scored what seemed to be a nearly impossible victory on Saturday night in the Advance Auto Parts 199 at Bowman Gray Stadium.
    Myers was running fourth with five laps remaining when the battle for the lead between Frank Fleming – who had led every lap – and John Smith got into a wreck with Brian Loftin who was trying to use a lapped car to gain the top spot. Loftin made it to the inside of Fleming coming off the fourth turn, and the cars banged against one another before both slammed into the first turn wall.
    That gave the lead to John Smith with the race going into overtime with a green-white-checkered finish with Burt Myers lurking behind in second. As the field thundered into the third turn on the last lap, Myers nudged Smith a bit before going on to score his second Advance Auto Parts 199 victory in the last three years.
    Myers’ victory – which gave him the Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship lead by eight points over Junior Miller – was the 110th career victory for the Myers family at Bowman Gray Stadium dating back to 1949.
    “I gave John a shove, but I was also getting shoved from behind so I had to go and sometimes that’s what you have to do,” Myers said. “Getting into somebody’s back bumper is what it takes to get the job done sometimes. I knew the No. 25 (of Smith) was really loose on the restarts and I was really good so that green-white-checkered suited us just perfect. It’s been a while since I’ve won a Whelen Southern Modified race so this means a lot.”
    Smith finished second, followed by the respective top-five of Junior Miller, Tim Brown and Brian Pack.
    Smith, naturally, was disappointed with his runner-up effort.
    “It’s heartbreaking to lose the lead on the last corner of the last lap,” Smith said. “That last restart killed me because I couldn’t get going like I needed to. I tried to block the track but Burt just shoved me out of the way. That’s just the way it goes.”
    There were 11 cautions that slowed the field for 57 laps.
    It didn’t take long for the close-quarters action that Bowman Gray is well known for to take place. On the first lap, L.W. Miller – who held the Southern Modified championship lead entering the night – was sent for a spin after the cars got jumbled up in the second turn. That wasn’t the end of the troubles for L.W. Miller as he was also in two different spins in the early stages en route to a 10th place finish.

Unofficial NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Advance Auto Parts 199 Results


Saturday At Bowman Gray Stadium
Winston-Salem , NC
Lap length: 0.25 miles
(Start position in parentheses)

 1.   (6) Burt Myers, Walnut-Cove , N.C. , Chevrolet, 202 laps, 43.091 mph, $2,000.
 2.   (4) John Smith, Mount Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 202, $1,500.
 3.   (5) Junior Miller, Pine Hall , N.C. , Dodge, 202, $1,125.
 4.   (7) Tim Brown, Cana , VA. , Chevrolet, 202, $1,300.
 5.   (9)  Brian Pack, Walkertown , N.C. , Chevrolet, 202, $1,200.
 6.  (13) George Brunnhoelzl, Babylon , N.Y. , Dodge, 202, $850.
 7.  (18) Brian King, Burlington , N.C. , Chevrolet, 202, $750.
 8.  (21) Zach Brewer, Winston-Salem , N.C. , Ford, 202, $940.
 9.   (3) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Chevrolet, 202, $590.
10.  (8)  L.W. Miller, Mooresville , N.C. , Pontiac, 202, $550.
11.  (2)  Brian Loftin, Lexington , N.C. , Chevrolet, 202, $525.
12. (11) Bobby Hutchens, Lexington , N.C. , Chevrolet, 201, $500.
13. (14) Gene Pack, Myrtle Beach , S.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $485.
14. (12) Kevin Powell, Winston-Salem , N.C. , Ford, 202, $460.
15. (15) Rich Kuiken, Jr., Staffordville , N.J. , Chevrolet, 195, $545.
16.  (1)  Frank Fleming, Mount Airy , N.C. , Pontiac , 194, accident, $430.
17. (10) AL Hill, Jonesvillle , N.C. , Chevrolet, 194, accident, $420.
18. (17) Earl Baker, Winton-Salem , N.C. , Chevrolet, 193, $410.
19. (20) Brandon Hire, Winston-Salem , N.C. , Chevrolet, 186, $400.
20. (24) Randy Butner, Pfaffton , N.C. , Chevrolet, 140, engine, $390.
21. (16) Johnathon Brown, Winston-Salem , N.C. , Dodge, 120, brakes, $380.
22. (22) Alex Hoag, Bath , N.Y. , Ford, 73, accident, $360.
23. (23) Wesley Swartout, Stroudsburg , Penn. , Ford, 68, carburetor, $340.
24. (19) Thomas Stinson, Chester , VA. , Chevrolet, 32, accident, $320.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 10 minutes 19 seconds
Margin of Victory: .219 seconds
Caution Flags: 11 for 57 laps.
Lead Changes: 2 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: F. Fleming 1-194; J.Smith 195-201; B.Myers 202.
Standings: 1. B. Myers, 953; 2. J. Miller, 945; 3. L. Miller, 935; 4. T. Brown, 885; 5. J. Myers, 826; 6. B. King, 825; 7. G. Brunnhoelzl, 798; 8. B. Pack, 794; 9. B. Hutchens, 785; 10. F. Fleming, 752.

THE END

Source:  Jason Mitchell/NASCAR WSMT PR
Posted:  August 4, 2007

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