06/05/10 - Bowman Gray

Brown, Loftin, Ledbetter Take Big Wins at Bowman Gray.
Ledbetter wins biggest Sportsman race of the season.

Bowman Gray Stadium’s 2010 season continues to be a series of ups and downs for Tim Brown. The Cana, VA resident, who is reigning champion of the Bill Plemmons RV World Modified Series, claimed the checkered in the first Modified race on Saturday night – but ended his second race early with a mangled car and a heated temper.

Brown’s night started off strongly as he notched his fourth pole lap of the season – an impressive accomplishment considering the extra work his crew has done to repair the damage done on track in the last few weeks. “I’ve been wrecked like three weeks in a row here,” said Brown. “We come back and keep sitting on the pole with it, so my guys -they’re not giving up. They’re working hard.”

With the fastest lap, Brown started on the pole for the first race. Randy Butner of Pfafftown started beside him in second. Brown’s #83 car leaped out into the lead as the green fell and never looked back. Randy Butner finished second, with John Smith of Mount Airy finishing in third.

The Four Seasons Home Improvement “Madhouse Scramble” sent Brian Loftin of Lexington to the front for the start of the second race. Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT started on the outside pole. Preece races regularly in northern Modified events, but Saturday was his first time taking laps around the legendary quarter mile of Bowman Gray Stadium.

As they fought for the lead during the start of the race, Preece and Loftin got a little too close for comfort. Preece lost control, hitting Loftin and creating an incident that took out the third and fourth place cars of Alfred Hill of Jonesville and Zach Brewer of Winston-Salem.

“We both were fighting for ground and we picked up speed a little bit,” said Loftin about the run-in with Preece. “I guess he got loose. I don’t know if he bounced off the wall or not – but he got into my right rear and he about sent me into the fence too. So that was a little bit of a hairy start there.”

Loftin then had to deal with 25 long, caution-filled laps – but he triumphed in the end, taking the checkered. Chris Fleming of Mount Airy claimed second place, and John Smith of Mount Airy took third.

Tim Brown, who was gradually making his way up through the field during the second race, was hit hard by Stadium newcomer James Civali of Meriden, CT. The hit took Brown out of fourth and relegated him to the rear. Brown returned the favor to Civali, shoving him into the wall and sending both of their damaged cars to the pits.

Saturday was the Center for Clinical Research Sportsman 100 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series. The Sportsman cars qualified for position, and the Double-File “Choice” Restart rule was in effect.

Kevin Neal of Walkertown was the fastest qualifier. When the top six qualifiers drew for starting positions, Scott Hall of Walkertown plucked the pole as his beginning position with Kevin Neal on the outside-pole.

Neal and Hall fought hard for the lead side-by-side for nearly two full laps. But Neal couldn’t complete the pass and settled back into second. When the first caution came out on lap six, Neal chose to remain on the inside row during the double-file restart. Gary Ledbetter of Lexington moved to the outside to challenge Hall for the lead.

“I knew if I was third or worse, we’d definitely take the outside and give it a shot for the lead,” said Ledbetter. The decision was a wise one: Ledbetter ended up passing Hall and taking over the spot at the head of the pack.

Ledbetter then held off repeated challenges from Scott Hall, Barry Edwards of Pinnacle, Robbie Brewer of Winston-Salem, and Kyle Edwards of King. Ledbetter nearly lost his lead when Kyle Edwards pushed hard on the outside – but a slip from Edwards allowed Ledbetter to power back ahead.

Finishing behind Ledbetter was Robbie Brewer in second place. Kevin Neal claimed third.

Matt Cotner of Rural Hall took the checkered in the 20-lapper for the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series. Reggie Doub of Germanton and Kenneth Stimpson of Lewisville claimed second and third.

In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Jimmy Absher of Rural Hall won the first 15-lapper on Saturday. Andrew Sanders of Mocksville took the checkered in the second 15-lap race.

Race Results

Bill Plemmons RV World Modified Series

1st Modified race – 25 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 83 Tim Brown Cana, VA
2 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
3 25 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
4 13 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
5 11 Zach Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
6 70 Alfred Hill Jonesville, NC
7 36 Ryan Preece Berlin, CT
8 23 Brian Loftin Lexington, NC
9 19 James Civali Meridan, CT
10 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
11 77 Lee Jeffreys High Point, NC
12 69 Junior Miller Danbury, NC
13 75 Robert Jeffreys Winston-Salem, NC
14 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
15 40 Brad Robbins Winston-Salem, NC
16 99 Kevin Powell Winston-Salem, NC
17 72 Brent Elliott Denton, NC
18 81 Austin Pack Walkertown, NC
19 71 Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC
20 7 Bobby Reed Clemmons, NC
21 66 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
22 53 Jonathan Brown Kernersville, NC

2nd Modified race – 25 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 23 Brian Loftin Lexington, NC
2 13 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
3 25 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
4 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
5 77 Lee Jeffreys High Point, NC
6 69 Junior Miller Danbury, NC
7 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
8 99 Kevin Powell Winston-Salem, NC
9 75 Robert Jeffreys Winston-Salem, NC
10 71 Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC
11 36 Ryan Preece Berlin, CT
12 66 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
13 40 Brad Robbins Winston-Salem, NC
14 81 Austin Pack Walkertown, NC
15 7 Bobby Reed Clemmons, NC
16 70 Alfred Hill Jonesville, NC
17 72 Brent Elliott Denton, NC
18 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
19 19 James Civali Meridan, CT
20 83 Tim Brown Cana, VA
21 11 Zach Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
22 53 Jonathan Brown Kernersville, NC

Webb Heating and A/C Co. Sportsman Series

Center for Clinical Research Sportsman 100 – 100 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 70 Gary Ledbetter Lexington, NC
2 68 Robbie Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
3 17 Kevin Neal Walkertown, NC
4 05 Kyle Edwards King, NC
5 50 Barry Edwards Pinnacle, NC
6 23 Ryan Robertson Winston-Salem, NC
7 86 Taylor Branch Lewisville, NC
8 18 Kenny Bost Kernersville, NC
9 66 Ronnie Clifton Walkertown, NC
10 36 Scott Hall Walkertown, NC
11 26 Jim Shoaf Lexington, NC
12 72 Bryant Robertson Lexington, NC
13 79 Steven Berrier Germanton, NC
14 31 Ryan Nelson Winston-Salem, NC
15 7 Ronnie Barron Lexington, NC
16 44 Daniel Beeson Kernersville, NC
17 38 Mitch Gales Thomasville,NC
18 13 Luke Fleming Mount Airy, NC
19 64 Steven Truell Midway,NC
20 39 Jeff Garrison Clemmons, NC
21 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
22 71 D.J. Moore Germanton, NC
23 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
24 21 Tommy Neal Walkertown, NC
25 1 Brad Smith Winston-Salem, NC

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series

20 lap race
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 27 Matt Cotner Rural Hall, NC
2 04 Reggie Doub Germanton, NC
3 07 Kenneth Stimpson Lewisville, NC
4 18 Tim Vaden Kernersville, NC
5 10 Jody Fritts Winston-Salem, NC
6 12 Doug Wall Pfafftown, NC
7 98 Billy Gregg Winston-Salem, NC
8 1 David Sumner Trinity, NC
9 9 Darren Cotner King, NC
10 78 K.C. Myers Linwood, NC
11 99 John McNeal Winston-Salem, NC
12 81 Zack Clifton Walkertown, NC
13 41 Frank Fritts Kernersville, NC
14 11 Richard Reeves Cooleemee, NC
15 15 Jerry Helms Winston-Salem, NC
16 23 Kris Hoots Mocksville, NC
17 97 Hal Seats Yadkinville, NC
18 05 Spencer Martin Winston-Salem, NC
19 3 Michael Nichols Trinity, NC
20 22 Brian Wall Winston-Salem, NC
21 44 Daniel Fishel Greensboro, NC
22 13 Kevin Gilbert Pfafftown, NC

Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series

1st Stadium Stock race – 15 laps

Official Results Forthcoming, pending recheck of NASCAR scoring.

2nd Stadium Stock race - 15 laps
FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 4 Andrew Sanders Mocksville, NC
2 55 Tyler Burke Winston-Salem, NC
3 58 Brandon Brendle Winston-Salem, NC
4 09 Gene Adams Lexington, NC
5 51 Matt Brelsford Salisbury, NC
6 02 Wesley Thompson Mocksville, NC
7 97 Todd Myers Walnut Cove, NC
8 7 James Allison Mocksville, NC
9 89 Joseph Swanson Rural Hall, NC
10 42 Phillip Wright King, NC
11 47 Kevin C. Neal Danbury, NC
12 33 Gary Brewer Germanton, NC
13 45 Dennis Weaver East Bend, NC
14 86 Tim Smith Kernersville, NC
15 90 Brandon Crotts King, NC
16 38 Wes Athan Winston-Salem, NC
17 74 Jose Gonzalez Winston-Salem, NC
18 49 Rodney Sears Lexington, NC
19 29 Cody Arrington Mount Airy, NC
20 19 Jeremy Stainback Winston-Salem, NC
21 6 Dale Patterson Winston-Salem, NC
22 10 Chad Hopkins Winston-Salem, NC
23 13 Jordan Fleming Mount Airy, NC

Loren Pinilis