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RACING
NEWS
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| Myers Works to Stay in Points Race at Bowman Gray |
100-lap restart rule saves Myers’ day.
 by Loren Pinilis(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) Bowman Gray Stadium’s Defending Champion Burt Myers is quickly becoming a fan of a 2008 rule change he was initially hesitant about.
Many drivers started the season off by expressing their distaste of a new double-file restart rule for 100-lappers for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series. Restarts after a caution will now have double-file lineups – but the twist is that drivers get to choose whether they will take the inside or outside as their starting row. Drivers could play it safe and stick to the inside, or risk the outside – potentially gaining or losing many positions.
Points leader Tim Brown of Cana, Va. is a vocal opponent of the rule, feeling that it creates a high-speed Demolition Derby. Walnut Cove resident Burt Myers, however, showed how the rule can empower drivers to race through the field.
 Myers drew third as his starting position for Saturday’s Tucson 100. Although the high starting spot had Myers licking his chops, he had stout competition around him – Junior Miller of Danbury was in front of him with Bobby Hutchens of Lexington to his outside.
As the green flag fell, Hutchens tried to dart past Myers and slip into the inside row. As they struggled for position, the two rubbed tires and fenders. Hutchens went on, but Myers was forced to pit due to a flat tire.
The crew of Myers flew into high gear to give the #1 Modified a quick tire change, and Myers was able to get back onto the track without losing a lap. Although he was still on the lead lap, the pit sent Myers to the back of the pack.
During the next caution, Myers chose to take the outside lane. The bold move allowed him to leap from 17th to 8th. But Myers’ bad luck wasn’t over: after another pit stop and a tap to the rear bumper that sent him spinning, Myers was once again at the rear of the field.
The restart gave Myers an opportunity to again jump to the outside, but he was unable to capitalize significantly. A few laps later, though, he was given another chance for a double-file restart. This time, Myers again chose the outside – quickly climbing his way from 18th up to 6th. In the last few laps of the race, Myers fought further to get up to a fifth place finish.
When Junior Miller was penalized and stripped of the win in the Tucson 100, Myers was moved up to a fourth place finish. The performance kept Myers on the second spot on the points ladder.
Tim Brown, on the other hand, had a more stable strategy. He chose to take the outside for the final two cautions but was not plagued with the pit troubles and spin-outs that hurt Myers. Brown racked up a second place finish, giving him a little extra margin in his points lead.
Bobby Hutchens, who finished 14th after a late-race flat tire, dropped from third in the points down to fourth. Lee Jeffreys of High Point took advantage of Hutchens’ stumble and climbed up to third in the points rankings.
Ronnie Clifton of Walkertown took the checkered in the first race for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series. Added to his 8th place finish in the second race, Clifton earned more points than any other Sportsman competitor on Saturday. But the feat wasn’t enough to get him out of second place on the points ladder: Kernersville resident Kenny Bost’s 5th and 7th place finishes keep him in the lead.
In the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series, Ryan Nelson of Winston-Salem spun in the 20-lapper on Saturday as he was racing hard with Ethan Stoltz of Walkertown. Nelson was only able to manage a 9th place finish, causing him to fall from the points lead down to second. Tim Vaden of Kernersville took advantage of the opportunity, finishing second and claiming the points lead.
Jimmy Absher of Rural Hall continued his hot streak, racking up a third place finish which maintained his points lead. Johnny Burke, however, finished right in front of him in second – and Burke gets bumped from fourth in the points up to second. Matt Hill of Yadkinville finishes 13th and drops to third in the points. Wayne Hill of Kernersville scored an initial second-place finish but post-race inspection revealed that he did not meet minimum weight requirements. He was dropped back to last place, slipping from third in the points to fourth.
This Saturday night is Savage Energy Drink Night with racing for all divisions, a jump by the Green Beret Parachute Team, and the always wild Chain Race. And as a special added bonus, adults can get $2 off admission with a Savage Energy Drink bottle cap. Ticket gates open at 6 PM for practice runs, qualifying is at 7:10 PM, and the first race is at 8:00 PM this Saturday night. For directions, schedules, and other information, log on to www.bowmangrayracing.com.
2008 Current Points Standings
Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 83 Tim Brown 349 48 0
2 1 Burt Myers 331 44 0
3 77 Lee Jeffreys 314 38 +1
4 14 Bobby Hutchens 305 24 -1
5 81 Brian Pack 286 46 +1
6 5 Randy Butner 274 36 +1
7 40 Brad Robbins 265 42 +2
8 50 Michael Clifton 256 32 0
9 4 Jason Myers 248 0 -4
10 75 Robert Jeffreys 241 30 0
11 70 Al Hill 239 34 0
12 47 Andrew Durham 216 26 0
13 20 Jeremy Stoltz 204 40 0
14 99 Kevin Powell 154 22 +2
15 72 Brent Elliott 149 12 0
Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 18 Kenny Bost 373 40 0
2 66 Ronnie Clifton 367 43 0
3 9 David Adams 331 17 0
05 Kyle Edwards 331 28 +1
5 02 Derek Stoltz 315 36 +1
6 26 Jim Shoaf 313 40 +1
7 30 Mike Evans 312 20 -2
8 21 Tommy Neal 307 39 0
9 68 Robbie Brewer 284 36 0
10 1 Gene Pack 251 36 0
11 79 Steven Berrier 240 26 0
12 7 Ronnie Barron 223 24 +1
13 50 Barry Edwards 215 14 -1
14 23 Scott Hall 209 35 +1
77 Keith McMichael 209 21 0
104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 18 Tim Vaden 354 48 +1
2 31 Ryan Nelson 342 34 -1
3 1 David Sumner 334 44 0
4 12 Doug Wall 330 46 0
5 27 Matt Cotner 320 50 0
6 60 Ethan Stoltz 272 28 +1
7 25 Johnny Arnder 264 0 -1
8 04 Reggie Doub 246 40 +2
9 8 K.J. Stimpson 244 36 0
10 99 John McNeal 238 12 -2
11 69 Joseph Brown 234 30 0
12 00 Donnie Martin 204 8 0
13 13 Kevin Gilbert 202 32 +1
14 74 Leon Hutchens 196 18 -1
15 11 Richard Reeves 194 24 -1
Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 39 Jimmy Absher 344 46 0
2 56 Johnny Burke 320 48 +2
3 98 Matt Hill 314 26 -1
4 11 Wayne Hill 290 8 -1
5 01 Jason Keaton 286 16 0
6 21 Kevin L. Neal 276 12 0
99 Shaun Cockerham 276 24 +1
8 23 Kenny Dixon 266 40 +1
9 72 Gerald Robertson 256 38 +2
10 22 Dale Barneycastle 250 0 -2
11 33 Gary Brewer 248 44 +2
12 64 Steven Truell 240 30 0
13 83 A.J. Quakenbush 238 42 +1
14 68 Glenn Hamilton 236 14 -4
15 24 A.J. Sanders 232 50 +5
###
Legendary Bowman Gray Stadium is NASCAR’s longest running weekly race track. Known as “The Home of the Hot Modifieds,” Bowman Gray continues its 60 year tradition of providing exciting racing action at family friendly prices.
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