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   The Chrome Horn - NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
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4/3/2010

CIVALI GETS FIRST "SOUTH" WIN AT SOUTH BOSTON
Connecticut Native Takes Over Whelen Southern Modified Points Lead
After starting the season winning the pole in Atlanta and finishing third in his most recent NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race, James Civali felt his first win of the season was just around the corner.

Civali survived a late-race charge by L.W. Miller to win the South Boston 150 Saturday at South Boston Speedway.

Civali and Miller were out front for most of the race as the pair swapped the lead eight times with Miller getting past Civali for the final time on Lap 144. Civali was able to get back by on Lap 147 and hold on for the win.

Miller finished second, while Andy Seuss recovered from an early-race accident that took him out of the lead to finish third. Thomas Stinson was fourth. Zach Brewer, who won his first Coors Light Pole Award with a track record of 14.765 seconds (97.528 mph), finished fifth.

Civali knew his No. 79 Hill Enterprises/Coors Light Pontiac was a good car throughout practice prior to the race; however he was still nervous at the start.

“We’ve had some good runs early this season but could never finish it at the end,” Civali said. “We were wearing our tires out by the end of the race and I wanted to make sure we had something left for the end of the race.”

That might have been the game plan entering the South Boston 150 except Civali had to contend with Miller.

The 2007 NWSMT champion hasn’t been to victory lane since 2008 and gave Civali all he could handle but said after the race his car just wasn’t quite good enough all the way around the track.

“We had a great car,” Miller said. “He (Civali) was able to get a better run off of the corner and I think that made a difference at the end.”

Miller got his No. 36 John Baker Plumbing and Utilities Pontiac past Civali on the final restart of the race after Civali spun his tires taking the final green flag of the race, but the lead didn’t last long for Miller.

“I was just spinning my tires on the last couple of restarts,” Civali said. “I really spun them on the final restart and L.W. was able to get by, but we were able to get back up and pass him (for the win).”

It appeared early in the race that Seuss and Tim Brown had good cars as Seuss passed Brown, who started on the front row after the redraw. Seuss, Brown and Civali were all in a tight pack when Civali and Brown made contact which sent Brown into Seuss to bring out the first of seven yellow flags in the event.

“I just got into the back bumper of Tim (Brown) a little bit and it sent him into Seuss,” Civali said. “I hate it for those guys.”

Seuss rebounded for a podium finish and felt he had a good enough car to win. Seuss was back into the top-10 when the third caution of the race occurred after Brandon Hire spun his car.

“We had to use up too much of our car to get back through the field,” Seuss said. “Third place is a good finish.”

Brown also recovered from the early-race accident to finish sixth. John Smith, Burt Myers, Brian King and Brian Loftin completed the top 10.

Miller advanced eight positions in the race to win the Coca-Cola Move of the Race award and Jason Myers rebounded from a tough race at Caraway to finish 12th giving him the Featherlite Most Improved Driver honors.

David Brigati was the highest finisher of the four rookies in the field to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award while Zach Brewer won his first Coors Light Pole Award driving a modified.

The race will air on SPEED on Thursday, April 29 at 6 p.m. ET.

Civali has four wins on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, where he was the 2006 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. He was making his fifth start on the southern tour and plans to run both full time this season.

Civali took over the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour lead by 18 points over Seuss (505-487) while Brown, who entered the weekend as the points leader, dropped to third at 476. Miller sits fourth with 466 points and Brewer is fifth at 452.

Civali, along with fellow NWSMT competitor Burt Myers will compete at Thompson Speedway next weekend with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour kicks off with the Ice Breaker 150.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour is off until Friday, July 2 when it races at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C.
 

Whelen Southern Modified Tour
South Boston 150 Results

Saturday At South Boston Speedway,
South Boston, VA

Lap length: 0.4 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
  1.   (5) James Civali, Meriden, CT, Pontiac, 150 laps, 56.338 mph, $2,000.
  2. (10) L.W. Miller, Dushore, PA, Pontiac, 150, $1,800.
  3.   (2) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, NH, Dodge, 150, $1,125.
  4. (11) Thomas Stinson, Richmond, VA, Chevrolet, 150, $1,050.
  5.   (8) Zach Brewer, Winston-Salem, NC, Chevrolet, 150, $1,100.
  6.   (1) Tim Brown, Cana, VA, Chevrolet, 150, $850.
  7.   (3) John Smith, Mount Airy, NC, Chevrolet, 150, $750.
  8.   (7) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, NC, Ford, 150, $690.
  9. (13) Brian King, Gibsonville, NC, Chevrolet, 150, $590.
10.   (9) Brian Loftin, Lexington, NC, Chevrolet, 150, $550.
11. (12) Frank Fleming, Mt. Airy, NC, Ford, 150, $525.
12.   (6) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, NC, Ford, 150, $800.
13. (21) David Brigati, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150, $835.
14. (18) Josh Nichols, Winston-Salem, NC, Chevrolet, 149, $460.
15.   (4) George Brunnhoelzl III, West Babylon, NY, 149, $445.
16. (22) Brad Robbins, Winston-Salem, NC, Chevrolet, 149, $430.
17. (19) Greg Butcher, Mocksville, NC, Chevrolet, 148, $420.
18. (25) Gary Putnam, Concord, NC, Chevrolet, 148, $410.
19. (24) Mike Norman, Lewisville, NC, Ford, 146, $400.
20. (17) Gene Pack, North Myrtle Beach, S.C., Chevrolet, 132, accident, $390.
21. (20) Bryan Dauzat, Alexandria, LA, Chevrolet, 124, $380.
22. (16) Jonathan Kievman, Deerfield Beach, FL, Chevrolet, 96, engine, $360.
23. (23) Darrel Krentz, Huntersville, NC, Pontiac, 76, accident, $340.
24. (14) Buddy Emory, Petersburg, VA, Chevrolet, 76, accident, $320.
25. (15) Brandon Hire, Winston-Salem, NC, Chevrolet, 64, accident, $300..

Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hours 3 minutes 54 seconds
Margin of Victory: .752 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: Z.Brewer (97.528 mph, 14.765 seconds)
Caution Flags: 7 for 39 laps
Lead Changes: 9 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: A. Seuss 1-9; J. Civali 10-74; L. Miller 75; J. Civali 76-82; L. Miller
83-84; J. Civali 85-138; L. Miller 139; J. Civali 140-143; L. Miller 144-146; J. Civali
147-150.
STANDINGS: 1. J. Civali, 505; 2. A. Seuss, 487; 3. T. Brown, 476; 4. L. Miller, 466; 5.
Z. Brewer, 452; 6. F. Fleming, 427; 7. J. Smith, 426; 8. B. Loftin, 409; 9. B. Myers,
404; 10. B. Hire, 384.

  
  Source: Timothy Southers / NASCAR
 Posted: April 3, 2010

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