06/10/12 - Ward Grabs Hard-Won Victory at Bowman Gray

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Brent Elliott wins second Modified race; A.J. Sanders wins Craftsman Stadium Stock 50.

It may have seemed like just another checkered flag to the fans at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday, but
Dean Ward’s win in the first Modified race was a pinnacle moment in his racing career.

Ward, of Winston-Salem, qualified on the pole and led all the way in the 25-lapper for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series. “We’ve won
three races now, but the others have been because we drew up there,” said Ward. “We’ve earned them any way we could get them, but this one I can
really say we earned.”

The key to victory on Saturday was Ward’s fastest qualifying lap – the first time that he had ever claimed the pole. “We’ve been inching
up on it. I think we’ve finally got a few things together,” said Ward.

After securing the lead on the initial restart, Ward never looked back. With no caution, he sailed ahead for 25 green flag laps to grab
his third career win.

And Ward was happy to not see a caution: he had extra driving challenges due a broken thumb. “I really didn’t want a restart,” said Ward, who had
to compensate for the injury by driving and switching gears with his right hand.

“On the initial start, I had my broken thumb up on the steering wheel so I could shift gears. And when I jerked it down, I hit the seat,” said
Ward. “And then it just throbbed. I just thought, ‘Don’t miss your mark – forget the pain.’”

Tim Brown of Rural Hall finished second, with Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg taking third.

The “Madhouse Scramble” sent Brent Elliott of Denton to the pole for the start of the second race. Chris Fleming of Mount Airy started on the
outside front row. Fleming, who was bumped out of the lead just one week prior, was hoping to turn around his luck and land up in Victory Lane.

When the green flag dropped, Elliott and Fleming battled side-by-side for over a lap until Fleming decided to settle into second place. The #40
of Fleming immediately began delivering strong taps to the rear bumper of Elliott.

Lap after lap, Fleming applied the pressure to Elliott. But Elliott, a veteran Stadium driver, held off Fleming for 25 laps to bring home the
win. “I made sure I got right in the corner and checked up good – as long as you do that, it’s hard to spin a man out,” said Elliott.
Fleming finished right behind him in second. Junior Miller of Danbury finished in third.

In the first 20-lap race for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Zack Clifton of Walkertown took his first win ever in the Sportsman
Division. He soared ahead of Rich Hunter of Winston-Salem, who finished in second, and Evan Duggins of Rural Hall, who claimed third.

In the second race, Gary Ledbetter of Lexington bumped Michael Tilley of Winston-Salem out of the lead in the final laps of the race. Ledbetter
went on to win with Jeff Garrison of Arcadia coming in second. “He blocked for 19 laps. I figured that was enough,” said Ledbetter about Tilley.
“We didn’t come over here to make friends.”

15-year old John Holleman of Winston-Salem claimed victory in the Q104.1 New Country Street Stock Series. David Sumner of Trinity finished
second.

Saturday was the Craftsman Stadium Stock 50 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series.
Charlie Curry qualified on the pole, but it was A.J. Sanders who climbed his way forward to take the win.

Sanders took the lead with a daring outside-row challenge on lap 25. And when the checkered flag waved, emotions rushed over him. “If you know
what happened last year, I didn’t get to run this race. I about got killed,” said Sanders, who was struck by a car near his home last year and
was hospitalized. “This means a lot,” said Sanders.

(continued)

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Race Results

Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
1st Modified Race: 25 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 71 Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC
2 83 Tim Brown Rural Hall, NC
3 77 Lee Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
4 22 Jonathan Brown Winston-Salem, NC
5 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
6 25 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
7 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
8 53 Brian Loftin Lexington, NC
9 69 Junior Miller Danbury, NC
10 2 Joseph Brown Winston-Salem, NC
11 40 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
12 72 Brent Elliott Denton, NC
13 48 Brad Robbins Winston-Salem, NC
14 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
15 50 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
16 05 Tony Black Lexington, NC
17 65 Danny Bohn Huntersville, NC
18 81 Austin Pack Walkertown, NC
19 75 Robert Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
20 66 Ronnie Clifton Walkertown, NC
21 64 Steven Truell Winston-Salem, NC
22 70 Noah Triplett Lexington, NC
23 3 Danny Propst Monroe, NC

2nd Modified Race: 25 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 72 Brent Elliott Denton, NC
2 40 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
3 69 Junior Miller Danbury, NC
4 2 Joseph Brown Winston-Salem, NC
5 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
6 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
7 77 Lee Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
8 71 Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC
9 22 Jonathan Brown Winston-Salem, NC
10 05 Tony Black Lexington, NC
11 53 Brian Loftin Lexington, NC
12 25 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
13 83 Tim Brown Rural Hall, NC
14 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
15 48 Brad Robbins Winston-Salem, NC
16 65 Danny Bohn Huntersville, NC
17 81 Austin Pack Walkertown, NC
18 66 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
19 64 Steven Truell Winston-Salem, NC
20 70 Noah Triplett Lexington, NC
21 3 Danny Propst Monroe, NC
22 75 Robert Jeffreys Wallburg, NC

Webb Heating and A/C Co. Sportsman Series:
1st Sportsman Race: 20 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 81 Zack Clifton Walkertown, NC
2 71 Rich Hunter Winston-Salem, NC
3 12 Evan Duggins Rural Hall, NC
4 79 John Lain Kernersville, NC
5 70 Gary Ledbetter Lexington, NC
6 3 Jeff Garrison Arcadia, NC
7 9 David Adams Yadkinville, NC
8 26 Michael Tilley Winston-Salem, NC
9 92 Kyle Southern King, NC
10 72 Bryant Robertson Lexington, NC
11 13 Luke Fleming Mount Airy, NC
12 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
13 03 Jordan Fleming Mount Airy, NC
14 8 Bobby Reed Clemmons, NC
15 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
16 38 Mitch Gales Thomasville,NC
17 55 Zack Ore Winston-Salem, NC
18 99 T.J. Moran Yadkinville, NC
19 18 Kenny Bost Lexington, NC
20 22 Stacey Miller Kernersville, NC
21 07 Danny Cornwell Clemmons, NC

2nd Sportsman Race: 20 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 70 Gary Ledbetter Lexington, NC
2 3 Jeff Garrison Arcadia, NC
3 79 John Lain Kernersville, NC
4 12 Evan Duggins Rural Hall, NC
5 81 Zack Clifton Walkertown, NC
6 92 Kyle Southern King, NC
7 13 Luke Fleming Mount Airy, NC
8 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
9 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
10 18 Kenny Bost Lexington, NC
11 8 Bobby Reed Clemmons, NC
12 9 David Adams Yadkinville, NC
13 07 Danny Cornwell Clemmons, NC
14 55 Zack Ore Winston-Salem, NC
15 72 Bryant Robertson Lexington, NC
16 38 Mitch Gales Thomasville,NC
17 03 Jordan Fleming Mount Airy, NC
18 22 Stacey Miller Kernersville, NC
19 26 Michael Tilley Winston-Salem, NC
20 71 Rich Hunter Winston-Salem, NC
21 99 T.J. Moran Yadkinville, NC

Q104.1 New Country Street Stock Series
Street Stock Race: 20 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 4 John Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
2 1 David Sumner Trinity, NC
3 9 Darren Cotner King, NC
4 55 Stephen Baker Kernersville, NC
5 98 Billy Gregg Lexington, NC
6 8 K.J. Stimpson Lewisville, NC
7 12 Doug Wall Pfafftown, NC
8 22 Brian Wall Winston-Salem, NC
9 44 Daniel Fishel Greensboro, NC
10 66 Whitney Clifton Walkertown, NC
11 88 Nick Brill Lewisville, NC
12 33 David Thomas Walkertown, NC
13 18 Tim Vaden Kernersville, NC
14 26 Frank Myers Haram, GA
15 16 Allen Henkel Trinity, NC
16 00 Donnie Martin Winston-Salem, NC
17 94 Jeffery Wood Southmont, NC
18 21 Justin Taylor King, NC

Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series
Craftsman Stadium Stock 50: 50 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 24 A.J. Sanders Mocksville, NC
2 26 Derek Taylor Yadkinville, NC
3 61 Charlie Curry Lexington, NC
4 69 Drew Moffitt Winston-Salem, NC
5 17 Andy Southern Winston-Salem, NC
6 31 Zack Staley Lexington, NC
7 62 Kevin Hedgecock Thomasville, NC
8 89 Joseph Swanson Rural Hall, NC
9 3 Rik Newsom East Bend, NC
10 59 Shane Tuttle Winston-Salem, NC
11 02 Wesley Thompson Mocksville, NC
12 1H Daniel Yates Lexington, NC
13 76 Billy Cameron Jr Salisbury, NC
14 8 Shane Southard Yadkinville, NC
15 72 Roger Vogler Winston-Salem, NC
16 22 Jason Tutterow Advance, NC
17 60 Ted Mickalowski Mocksville, NC
18 16 Stephen Sanders Winston-Salem, NC
19 13 Chase Hunt Lexington, NC
20 01 Jason Keaton Mocksville, NC
21 81 Chuck Wall Lexington, NC
22 1 Rob Young Winston-Salem, NC
23 42 Phillip Wright King, NC
24 55 Tyler Burke Winston-Salem, NC
25 44 Andrew Durham Mocksville, NC

Loren Pinilis