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12/13/2011 |
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IT WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR RACING (part 2)
Teams are Rewarded for Their Efforts
by
Denise DuPont |
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For the 2011 season George Brunnhoelzl III, returned
to the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The
move proved to be the right one with Brunnhoelzl
taking his second championship. “It was definitely
the right move primarily made for my life balance.
We race for fun for a hobby. So to run the Northern
Tour was a little bit outside our means with the
travel. So moving to the south was a much smarter
life decision because I can concentrate more on
family. We had a good year doing it so it was a
great year.”
“Besides driving a modified whether it is it in the
north or south, a modified is a modified. Whether
you are at Thompson or Caraway there are obviously
differences but in the end they are all race
tracks.”
 Getting
back into racing after being away since 1986, Howard
Harvey has pulled together a stellar racing
organization. Brunnhoelzl rewarded his car owner’s
efforts this year with a NSWMT championship “It was
an amazing year. I mean I got to drive for Howard
and Betsy Harvey. It was a great opportunity and we
had great results. Everything went well all year.
Everyone got along. We had great equipment under us
and we finished all the races. Received the Most
Improved driver Award – It is great. Anytime you get
any kind of award or any recognition it means a lot.
It shows that a team can rebound from having a bad
weekend and that is what ultimately makes you a
championship team, when you can come back from a
down week.”
Eddie Harvey was the one that convinced his father
to get back into racing a couple of years ago. This
move also gave the younger Harvey the opportunity to
get involved with motorsports and a chance to learn
from his dad’s experience. Manning a second team
gave talented young Seuss the opportunity to join
the team and also grow.
“It has been an amazing year, especially finishing
one, two with Georgie (Brunnhoelzl) and Andy
(Seuss),” said Howard Harvey about the 2011 race
year. “This is only our second year back after
racing several years ago. I am extremely proud of my
son (Eddie Harvey) and his talent. He is both the
owner and the crew chief in the #11 car. He is just
an amazing kid. Years ago we raced and then he was
out of it and then got back into it. He remembered
everything. He (Eddie) and Andy always get along. It
is just an amazing deal.”
 NSWMT
championship runner up Andy Seuss was given the
opportunity in 2011 to move to a Harvey ride making
him Brunnhoelzl.’s teammate. It was a big change and
one that proved to be a good move. Seuss finished
second in points and even made a shot for the
championship at the end of the season with car owner
Eddie Harvey behind him. ”To finish second in points
and have three wins this year was all just a bonus,”
said Seuss about his 2011 race season. “I had a
couple of great opportunities this year. I started
out the year with Bryan Fishel (#44 of Bryan Fishel
Motorsports) and it did not work out that well. But
I have to thank him for that.”
“When I switched over to Ideal Racing it was all
just a bonus. I had kind of written the season off.
We were ninth in points and almost three hundred
points behind the champion. When we started to have
our momentum I really got to enjoy it. There was no
pressure. Then all of a sudden we had only a few
races left and it was “Hey we had a shot at this!”
It was kind of funny because it went from where
there was no pressure and having fun to people
actually talking about winning the championship. In
the end we came up a little short but I cannot thank
Eddie Harvey enough for giving me the opportunity
especially half way through the season. Everything
worked out great “
The racing season has now ended for the two Harvey
Motorsport race teams. The two teams will spend
their off season preparing for next year when they
can continue their competition on the track. Seuss
will be back behind the wheel of Eddie Harvey’s #11
an opportunity that he is very grateful for. “I am
really looking forward to next year. George had four
races on us, one of which he actually won. It was a
hard deficit to come back from. We are looking to
give him a run for his money next year.”
Now that the 2011 season has ended the southern race
teams will head back to their garages like their
northern counterparts and prepare for a new year and
all the new challenges that they will be dealt.
Notes From Night
of Champions Touring Awards Gala in Charlotte, NC.
What are you plans for
2012?
George Brunnhoelzl, III
“Next year we will do the same thing. Run for IDEAL
Racing and Howard Harvey and try to go after another
title.”
Howard Harvey
“We are in the process of building a new car for
Georgie. Andy already has a new car and his old car.
So Andy will have two rides and Georgie will also
have two cars at his disposal. We plan on running
for the Championship and we might be doing a little
extra come this year. But it is not quite worked out
yet.”
Along with the crowning
of the champions several other awards were given to
drivers.
NWSMT Sportsmanship Award
Andy Seuss
“Receiving the award was real cool. It caught me off
guard. When I think of sportsmen I think of people
that have been involved with the series a long time
and people that are respected by drivers, teams and
the officials. They are people that you look for at
a driver meeting who have an opinion and you really
listen to
 them.
To be even considered for this award by the other
drivers, teams, owners and the other officials it is
pretty cool just to have their respect. It really
has me a little speechless.”
NSWMT Most Popular Driver
Award
Jason Myers
“The bad thing I hated about the Most Popular Driver
Award was that it was on the Internet. We knew about
the award coming into the Banquet. But the “Driver
Achievement Award” was a huge surprise. It has been
a pretty good weekend so far. I can not complain at
all. I am very excited, very happy and pleased.
Hopefully we will be at the head table next year.”
North Carolina State
Champion
Burt Myers
“It was a very tough season. But everything happens
for a reason. With my injury I missed some races and
you learn the blessing in life away from what
happens in racing. It is just kind of hard to come
from being the champion one year and the next year
not being a champion but maybe that will just make
me a little hungrier for next year.”
“It has been tough but I have been blessed to take
advantage of it. And I can say every time I see a
champion go up to receive an award that I can say
that I have been able to accomplish that myself. I
have been blessed to be able to do that. My goal is
to do it again in the future.”
What was your most
memorable moment in 2011?
George Brunnhoelzl, III
“The specialist thing for us this year is the win at
Thompson. It was really cool with just the history
at that race track. It is the oldest paved track in
the US and my family and Howard have raced there in
the past for years. So for us to come together and
get a win there was pretty amazing.”
What are your
thoughts on changing the point system in 2012?
Andy Seuss
I do not know which was is better or worst for my
driving style and habits. I just do not know. I just
know that the best way to win a championship is to
go out and win all the races and let the points do
what they do. That is kind of what we always say. It
will be neat and we will probably relate to it more
now that the top three divisions are that way. It is
simpler. I will just be going out to get all the
bonus points that I can and hopefully at the end of
the season George will have the Sportsman Award and
I will have his Championship trophies.” |
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Source: Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: December
13, 2011 |
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