RGeeProductions
05-31-2009, 08:24 PM
On-track fireworks and a little luck give the young driver his first win.
Victory Lane saw a unique contrast on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.
For the first 25-lapper for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series, Stadium veteran Junior Miller of Danbury took the checkered. Miller holds the record for most all-time wins at the Stadium; Saturday’s victory gives him a total of 71.
Then in the second 25-lap event, Jonathan Brown of Winston-Salem brought home the win. It was the young driver’s first ever victory in the Modified Division, adding his name as the 114th driver to win a feature event race in the 61-year history of the legendary quarter-mile.
Lee Jeffreys of High Point started off on the pole after being the fastest qualifier. Jeffreys’ lead was short-lived: as he battled with Jason Myers of Walnut Cove, Jeffreys ran onto the inner curb of the track. Jeffreys briefly lost control and relinquished the lead to Myers.
But right behind Myers was Junior Miller. The two drivers have had a few run-ins already this season, and Myers surely anticipated Miller would aggressively seek the lead.
Miller didn’t take long – he gave a strong tap to the bumper of Myers’ rear on lap six. The bump got Myers a little loose, giving Miller the lead and causing Myers to drop back to seventh.
The #69 car of Miller then held on to take the checkered – which came just in time. “I couldn’t believe it - we forgot to put gas in it. It was running out of gas in the last five laps,” said Miller. “It was a good thing it wasn’t 26 laps, because we were done. It stopped almost off of turn four on the last lap.”
Robert Jeffreys of Winston-Salem finished in second with Defending Champion Tim Brown of Cana, Va. taking third.
For the start of the second race, Alfred Hill of Jonesville was sent to the front of the pack by the “Madhouse Scramble.” After Hill was black-flagged for jumping the start, Brad Robbins of Winston-Salem took over the top spot. Right behind him was Burt Myers of Walnut Cove in second, with Jonathan Brown in third.
As the laps ticked by, Myers delivered several strong nudges to the bumper of Robbins. With a particularly good bump, Robbins slid to the outside and Myers grabbed the lead. “The 53 was hitting me as hard as he could every chance he got,” said Myers, referring to Jonathan Brown behind him in third. “So if I didn’t hurry Brad up a little, I was going to get wrecked - and I bumped him in the middle of the corner,” said Myers.
“He spun me out. He didn’t try to race me,” said Robbins, who decided to take retribution: Robbins slowed down and rammed the car of Myers as he passed by.
The on-track altercation between Myers and Robbins opened up the door for Jonathan Brown to assume the lead. “I hate it for Burt, I hate it for Brad – but at the same time it worked out good for me,” said Brown.
The #53 car of Brown led the rest of the way to take the checkered. “I’ve done everything and been so close. I just wasn’t getting there. Tonight, luck was on our side - and I’ll take luck over anything any day,” said an emotional Brown. “I was tearing up when the white flag came out - I was already tearing up. Now my name’s on that list with all those great drivers.”
Chris Fleming of Mount Airy came in second. Michael Clifton of Walkertown finished third.
In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Saturday was the MESCO Building Solutions Sportsman 100 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Sportsman cars. It’s also the only event where Sportsman cars qualify to determine their position, and for the first time ever the Double-File “Choice” Restart Rule was used to decide the lineups after cautions.
Scott Hall of Walkertown was the fastest qualifier – and when the top six drew for position, Robbie Brewer of Winston-Salem plucked the pole as his starting spot. Brewer claimed the lead in the early race despite fierce outside-row challenges from Gary Ledbetter of Lexington.
On lap 11, Kenny Bost of Kernersville slipped to the inside of Robbie Brewer to steal the lead. “His car was real loose. My spotter kept telling me to work him and then get under him,” said Bost.
With four more double-file restarts, Bost had four more trials where competitors could drag-race him from the outside lane. Derek Stoltz of Walkertown, Tommy Neal of Walkertown, and Gary Ledbetter all took their chances at stealing Bost’s lead. None were successful.
“It’s Bowman Gray. If you can stay on the bottom, most of the time you’ll prevail,” said Bost.
Gary Ledbetter finished in second. Tommy Neal took third.
Richard Reeves of Cooleemee won the 20-lap race for the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series, the first win in many years for Reeves. David Sumner of Trinity and Joseph “Bobo” Brown of Winston-Salem finished in second and third.
In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Glenn Hamilton of Winston-Salem and Dale Barneycastle of Mocksville each won a 15-lapper on Saturday.
Loren Pinilis
Victory Lane saw a unique contrast on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.
For the first 25-lapper for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series, Stadium veteran Junior Miller of Danbury took the checkered. Miller holds the record for most all-time wins at the Stadium; Saturday’s victory gives him a total of 71.
Then in the second 25-lap event, Jonathan Brown of Winston-Salem brought home the win. It was the young driver’s first ever victory in the Modified Division, adding his name as the 114th driver to win a feature event race in the 61-year history of the legendary quarter-mile.
Lee Jeffreys of High Point started off on the pole after being the fastest qualifier. Jeffreys’ lead was short-lived: as he battled with Jason Myers of Walnut Cove, Jeffreys ran onto the inner curb of the track. Jeffreys briefly lost control and relinquished the lead to Myers.
But right behind Myers was Junior Miller. The two drivers have had a few run-ins already this season, and Myers surely anticipated Miller would aggressively seek the lead.
Miller didn’t take long – he gave a strong tap to the bumper of Myers’ rear on lap six. The bump got Myers a little loose, giving Miller the lead and causing Myers to drop back to seventh.
The #69 car of Miller then held on to take the checkered – which came just in time. “I couldn’t believe it - we forgot to put gas in it. It was running out of gas in the last five laps,” said Miller. “It was a good thing it wasn’t 26 laps, because we were done. It stopped almost off of turn four on the last lap.”
Robert Jeffreys of Winston-Salem finished in second with Defending Champion Tim Brown of Cana, Va. taking third.
For the start of the second race, Alfred Hill of Jonesville was sent to the front of the pack by the “Madhouse Scramble.” After Hill was black-flagged for jumping the start, Brad Robbins of Winston-Salem took over the top spot. Right behind him was Burt Myers of Walnut Cove in second, with Jonathan Brown in third.
As the laps ticked by, Myers delivered several strong nudges to the bumper of Robbins. With a particularly good bump, Robbins slid to the outside and Myers grabbed the lead. “The 53 was hitting me as hard as he could every chance he got,” said Myers, referring to Jonathan Brown behind him in third. “So if I didn’t hurry Brad up a little, I was going to get wrecked - and I bumped him in the middle of the corner,” said Myers.
“He spun me out. He didn’t try to race me,” said Robbins, who decided to take retribution: Robbins slowed down and rammed the car of Myers as he passed by.
The on-track altercation between Myers and Robbins opened up the door for Jonathan Brown to assume the lead. “I hate it for Burt, I hate it for Brad – but at the same time it worked out good for me,” said Brown.
The #53 car of Brown led the rest of the way to take the checkered. “I’ve done everything and been so close. I just wasn’t getting there. Tonight, luck was on our side - and I’ll take luck over anything any day,” said an emotional Brown. “I was tearing up when the white flag came out - I was already tearing up. Now my name’s on that list with all those great drivers.”
Chris Fleming of Mount Airy came in second. Michael Clifton of Walkertown finished third.
In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Saturday was the MESCO Building Solutions Sportsman 100 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Sportsman cars. It’s also the only event where Sportsman cars qualify to determine their position, and for the first time ever the Double-File “Choice” Restart Rule was used to decide the lineups after cautions.
Scott Hall of Walkertown was the fastest qualifier – and when the top six drew for position, Robbie Brewer of Winston-Salem plucked the pole as his starting spot. Brewer claimed the lead in the early race despite fierce outside-row challenges from Gary Ledbetter of Lexington.
On lap 11, Kenny Bost of Kernersville slipped to the inside of Robbie Brewer to steal the lead. “His car was real loose. My spotter kept telling me to work him and then get under him,” said Bost.
With four more double-file restarts, Bost had four more trials where competitors could drag-race him from the outside lane. Derek Stoltz of Walkertown, Tommy Neal of Walkertown, and Gary Ledbetter all took their chances at stealing Bost’s lead. None were successful.
“It’s Bowman Gray. If you can stay on the bottom, most of the time you’ll prevail,” said Bost.
Gary Ledbetter finished in second. Tommy Neal took third.
Richard Reeves of Cooleemee won the 20-lap race for the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series, the first win in many years for Reeves. David Sumner of Trinity and Joseph “Bobo” Brown of Winston-Salem finished in second and third.
In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Glenn Hamilton of Winston-Salem and Dale Barneycastle of Mocksville each won a 15-lapper on Saturday.
Loren Pinilis