After a couple of tough luck races Andy Seuss finally has a reason to
celebrate.
Seuss was able to get past Rich Kuiken Jr. on Lap 122 and held on
to win the Myrtle Beach 150 Saturday night at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Seuss,
who qualified second and started on the pole after the post-qualifying
redraw, fell back early in the race as his strategy was to save his tires as
much as possible.
The Hampstead, N.H. driver, who last took the checkered flag at
Lanier ( Ga. ) Speedway in April, crossed the finish line ahead of George
Brunnhoelzl III. Buddy Emory finished third for his first podium finish of
the season. L.W. Miller was fourth and Gene Pack fifth.
“I tell you what Myrtle Beach is a tough track to get around,” said
Seuss. “Your tires go away so fast here and it is all about tire management.
I can’t say enough about my crew and how hard they worked today.”
Seuss was quickly passed by Gene Pack on Lap 1. Pack, who was
raised along the Grand Strand throughout his childhood and youth years,
delighted a large group of family and friends who came out to support him by
leading the first 58 laps of the race.
“I knew I was running a little too hard early in the race but I
wanted to lead some laps here tonight for my family,” said Pack who built
early leads by as much as half a lap. “I knew when my tires would go away I
would fall back. I am just happy to get another top-five finish.”
Brunnhoelzl III was able to get past Pack on Lap 59 and remained
out front until he was passed by L.W. Miller on Lap 79. Brunnhoelzl passed
Miller on Lap 85 and remained out front until Lap 90 when Seuss was able to
get by on the restart.
Seuss paced the field for the next 12 laps until Rich Kuiken Jr.,
who was the last car to pit for tires on Lap 89, took over the top spot to
lead laps for the first time this season. Kuiken and Seuss traded the lead a
pair of times before Seuss was finally able to get by for good.
The only challenge Seuss had was on a restart in Lap 133 after Burt
Myers and Greg Butcher brought out the final caution flag of the race when
Myers made heavy contact with the outside wall along the front stretch.
“I gave it everything I had on the final restart but we just didn’t
have enough tires left to challenge Andy,” Brunnhoelzl said. “We were a
second-place car and we held our own in the points with this finish so we’ll
take and try to go to Caraway next week and get a win.”
It was also a good night for the defending Sunoco Rookie of the
Year Buddy Emory. Emory, who had endured some tough finishes recently,
scored his best finish of the season at one of the most challenging tracks
on this year’s schedule.
“I tell you one thing I learned a little bit about tire management
tonight,” Emory added. “I have never driven a race where you only use about
three-fourths throttle for most of the race because the tires went away.
This track just chewed them up.”
Brunnhhoelzl, who earlier in the day won his fifth Coors Light Pole
Award of the season, was able to maintain his 76-point lead over Seuss after
the ninth race of the season.
The race was slowed five times for caution with the only multi-car
incident between Myers and Butcher on Lap 129. The NASCAR Whelen Southern
Modified Tour returns to Caraway
Speedway next Saturday night, Sept. 12, for the Caraway 150.
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-Myrtle Beach 150
Unofficial Results
Saturday At Myrtle Beach Speedway, Myrtle Beach, SC
Lap length: 0.538 miles
(Start
position in parentheses)
1. (1) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., Dodge, 150 laps, 68.997
mph, $2,000.
2. (4) George Brunnhoelzl III, West Babylon, N.Y., Ford, 150,
$1,850.
3. (6) Buddy Emory, Petersburg, VA., Chevrolet, 150, $1,425.
4. (10) L.W. Miller, Dushore, PA., Pontiac, 150, $1,400.
5. (2) Gene Pack, Walkertown, N.C., Chevrolet, 150, $1,050.
6. (8) Brian Loftin, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 150,
$900.
7. (9) John Smith, Mount Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 150, $800.
8. (12) Rich Kuiken Jr., Staffordsville, N.J., Chevrolet, 150, $740.
9. (7) Greg Butcher, Mocksville, NC, Chevrolet, 150, $640.
10. (13) Tommy Neal, Walkertown, NC, Chevrolet, 147, $700.
11. (3) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 128, $575.
12. (11) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 79, $550, Engine.
13. (5) Frank Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C., Pontiac, 28, $535,
Engine.Race Statistics
Fastest Qualifier: George Brunnhoelzl III, Time: 19.892 Seconds,
Speed: 95.918 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 9 mins, 8 secs Average Speed: 68.997 mph Margin
of Victory: 1.990 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 28-34 (#40 stops on track after engine failure);
80-84 (#81 stalls on track after engine failure); 87-89 (#21 spins in Turn
1); 124-127 (#31 & #36 spin in Turn 2); 129-133 (#1 hits outside
frontstretch wall and #0 spins ). 5 for 24 laps.
Lap Leaders: Gene Pack 1-58, George Brunnhoelzl III 59-78, L.W.
Miller 79-84, George Brunnhoelzl III 85-89, Andy Seuss 90-102, Rich Kuiken
Jr. 103-119, Andy Seuss 120, Rich Kuiken Jr. 121, Andy Seuss 122-150.
Total Laps Led: Gene Pack 58, Andy Seuss 43, George Brunnhoelzl III
25, Rich Kuiken Jr. 18, L.W. Miller 6. 8 changes involving 5 drivers.
Contingency Awards
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE: L.W. Miller, 36 John Baker Plumbing &
Utilities/Sink Towers Pontiac
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
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Tommy Neal, 21 Hunter Motorsports/Affordable
Septic Chevrolet
Top 10 Driver Points: George Brunnhoelzl III 1505, Andy Seuss 1429,
Brian Loftin 1371, L.W. Miller 1342, Burt Myers 1308, Frank Fleming 1262,
Jason
Myers 1221, Gene Pack 1208, John Smith 1202, Buddy Emory 1184
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