|
8/29/2009
|
LOFTIN BREAKS
LONG ABSENCE FROM VICTORY LANE
2008 Champion Gets His First
Win In Over A Year |
It has been long overdue for 2008 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
champion Brian Loftin. After sitting tied with L.W. Miller and Junior Miller
for the career mark of wins on the Tour, Loftin finally has it all to
himself with 11 wins.
Loftin made a strong pass by L.W. Miller to take the lead on Lap 72
and held off current championship points leader George Brunnhoelzl III on a
green-white-checkered finish to win the Caraway 150 Saturday night in front
of a nice crowd at Caraway Speedway.
Loftin enjoyed a three car length lead in the closing moments of
the race before the sixth and final caution flag was displayed to the field
on lap 146, when Tommy Neal ran out of fuel to set up a
green-white-checkered finish.
Loftin was able to get a good restart and hold off George
Brunnhoelzl III to pick up his first win of the season. Loftin’s previous
series win was at Caraway Speedway just over a year ago during his
championship-winning campaign.
Although Loftin was able to keep Brunnhoelzl at bay, it was his
pass by another former Tour champion, L.W. Miller, which was memorable on
lap 72.
“L.W. is tough to pass here (Caraway),” Loftin said about his
bonsai move for the lead. “He doesn’t like to give you any more room than he
has to which he shouldn’t have to when he’s leading. But I knew I had to
stick it (car) in there because you don’t get too many chances here.”
Loftin added that the win was a culmination of hard work by his
crew all year long.
“We have struggled a little bit trying to figure out this new tire
and my guys have worked hard all year trying to help us get the right
setup,” said Loftin. “We have changed shocks, springs, you name it, to try
and figure out our car. I am just happy we were finally able to give the
guys a reason to celebrate.”
As for the record, Loftin says he is focused on other things - like
becoming the first driver since Junior Miller to win back-to-back titles.
“It is nice to have the record for the most wins on the NASCAR
Whelen Southern Modified Tour but what we are focused on is getting back
into the championship hunt and to catch George (Brunnhoelzl) we will need
some more wins,” Loftin added.
Following Brunnhoelzl was Andy Seuss in third and L.W. Miller in
fourth. John Smith completed the top five.
Brunnhoelzl also made contact with L.W. Miller racing for the lead
and although a little upset at the end of the race, was happy to come home
second and build his points lead over Seuss.
“They way L.W. drove tonight wasn’t racing that was riding and if
he wants to ride around like that that’s fine,” Brunnhoelzl said. “Second
(place) is okay but we want to win some more races.”
Brunnhoelzl, who won his fourth Coors Light Pole Award of the
season earlier in the day in qualifying, started on the outside of row 1
after the redraw and quickly took the lead from Frank Fleming at the start
of the race. He remained out front until he was passed by L.W. Miller on lap
27 when the two made contact in Turn 4.
Brunnhoelzl padded his points lead to 86 points over Seuss with six
races remaining on the schedule. The race was slowed six times for caution
and 15 of the 16 cars finished the race. The only car to not finish the race
was Frank Fleming who suffered damaged in an accident on the restart on lap
99.
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour visits Myrtle Beach
Speedway on Saturday,
Sept. 5.
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-Caraway 150
Unofficial Results
Saturday At Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, NC
Lap length: 0.45 miles
(Start
position in parentheses)
1. (3) Brian Loftin, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 152 laps,
76.000 mph, $2,000.
2. (2) George Brunnhoelzl III, West Babylon, N.Y., Ford, 152,
$1,850.
3. (8) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., Dodge, 152, $1,125.
4. (6) L.W. Miller, Dushore, PA., Pontiac, 152, $1,050.
5. (9) John Smith, Mount Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 152, $1,000.
6. (4) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 152, $850.
7. (5) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 152, $750.
8. (10) Buddy Emory, Petersburg, VA., Chevrolet, 152, $940.
9. (7) Josh Nichols, Cleveland, N.C., Chevrolet, 152, $590.
10. (15) Gene Pack, Walkertown, N.C., Chevrolet, 152, $850.
11. (14) Rich Kuiken Jr., Staffordsville, N.J., Chevrolet, 151, $525.
12. (11) Jay Mize, Clemmons, N.C., Chevrolet, 151, $500.
13. (16) Jim Willis, Holly Springs, NC, Chevrolet, 151, $485.
14. (12) Bryan Dauzat, Midland, NC, Chevrolet, 143, $460.
15. (13) Tommy Neal, Walkertown, NC, Chevrolet, 142, $445.
16. (1) Frank Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C., Pontiac, 101, $430.
Race Statistics
Fastest Qualifier: George Brunnhoelzl III
Time: 15.969 SecondsSpeed: 101.447 mph
Time of Race: 54 mins, 0 secs
Average Speed: 76.000 mph
Margin of Victory: .295 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 8-10 (15 Spins in Turn 2); 23-26 (44 & 47 Spin in
Turn 2); 75-78 (4 Spins in Turn 2); 94-98 (15 Spins in Turn 2); 99-105 (40
Hits
Frontstretch Pit Wall); 146-149 (21 Stops On Track). 6 for 27 laps.
Lap Leaders: George Brunnhoelzl III 1-26, L.W. Miller 27-71, Brian
Loftin 72-152.
Total Laps Led: Brian Loftin 81, L.W. Miller 45, George Brunnhoelzl
III 26. 2 changes involving 3 drivers.
Contingency Awards
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE: Gene Pack, 31 Comtech
Solutions/Wings-N-Things Chevrolet
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: George Brunnhoelzl III, 28 Oval Speed/
Fibrwrap/PT Ford
FEATHERLITE "MOST IMPROVED DRIVER": Buddy Emory, 02 Ship On Site/RCS
Construction Chevrolet
Top 10 Driver Points: George Brunnhoelzl III 1335, Andy Seuss 1249,
Brian Loftin 1221, L.W. Miller 1182, Burt Myers 1178, Frank Fleming 1138,
Jason
Myers 1094, John Smith 1056, Gene Pack 1053, Buddy Emory 1019
|
|
Source: Tim Southers /
NASCAR PR
Posted: August
29, 2009 |
|
|
