Daring Move Costs Myers in Points Race.

by Loren Pinilis (Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) With double the points being awarded in last Saturday’s races at Bowman Gray Stadium, the points ladders were in for some shaking. And in one of the most exciting nights of the season, the competitors didn’t disappoint.
It was the Farm Bureau Insurance 100 for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series on Saturday – and in a stroke of good luck, Burt Myers of Walnut Cove drew the pole as his starting position. But starting on the outside pole was Myers’ old rival, Junior Miller of Danbury.
Myers got past Miller to claim the lead as the green flag fell. But in turns three and four of the very first lap, Miller bumped the #1 car of Myers out of the lead. Myers was able to maintain control and fall in behind Miller in second.
With Myers entering the race second in the points, with Saturday being a Double Points Night, and with Miller’s well-known reputation as an aggressive competitor, most drivers in Myers’ position would have taken the safe road and not pushed the issue with Junior Miller.
But Myers is not one to play it safe. One half-lap after Miller punted him out of the way, Myers gave a hard tap to Junior Miller – causing Miller to spin out and giving the lead back to Myers.

Although the spin sent Junior Miller to the rear, the double-file restart rule assisted Miller in working his way up back to the front. Meanwhile, Tim Brown of Cana, Va. and Burt Myers were battling for the lead. Myers was able to fend off Brown’s bumps.
But with less than 20 laps to go, Junior Miller pulled to the outside to challenge Burt Myers for the lead during a restart. Tim Brown backed off and left the two of them to settle whatever they were going to settle.
In classic Junior Miller style, the “King of the Southern Modifieds” returned the favor and bumped Burt Myers out of the way. This time, it was Myers spinning and Miller taking the lead. Miller went on to win.
Miller’s win was disputed due to a controversial call made by NASCAR officials while Miller was in the lead. Miscommunication between officials led to Miller heading to the pits. NASCAR officials immediately corrected their mistake and put Miller back in the lead.
“Inadvertently, he was sent to the pits – which was our mistake. We gave him his position back where he rightfully belonged,” said NASCAR Race Director John Horton. At the request of Horton, the call was reviewed by NASCAR. “There was a misunderstanding between officials, and I agree with John Horton’s decision to take the time to correct it before moving on,” said Jerry Cook, NASCAR Competition Administrator.
Tim Brown’s smart driving kept him out of trouble and gave him a second place finish. Burt Myers ended up finishing 7th, keeping him in second in the points but widening the margin separating him from Brown.
“I would have definitely liked to win the race for sure,” said Brown. “But looking at the big picture – with all that happened, we still gained in the points. That’s the big picture. I still would have liked to win. But you just got to take it and go with it.”
Myers realizes the results of the race hurt his championship chances. “It’s to the point now where Tim’s going to have to have some trouble for me to get back in it,” said Myers. “Tim is consistent enough, he’s going to have to have problems.”
In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Kenny Bost of Kernersville worked hard to finish well in the first race and was on his way to finishing high in, and possibly even winning, the second 20-lap race. But as he fought for position with Derek Stoltz of Walkertown, Kenny Bost spun – giving him a disappointing 14th place finish. Bost drops from the points lead down to second.
Meanwhile, six-time Champion Ronnie Clifton of Walkertown finished fifth and sixth in the two 20-lappers. Clifton’s goal to win a seventh championship gets closer as he jumps from second in the points into the points lead.
Tim Vaden of Kernersville couldn’t catch a break on Saturday. Vaden was second in the points for the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series entering last event. But after mechanical problems forced him to jump into a backup car, his backup car was also plagued by engine difficulties. Vaden had to pit early after his car’s ignition failed. He dropped to fifth in the points.
Ryan Nelson of Winston-Salem, who was the points leader entering Saturday, was involved in a collision, giving him a ninth place finish and dropping him back to second in the points. David Sumner of Trinity moves up to the points lead after avoiding a three-car collision which took out the front of the pack in the race.
In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Jimmy Absher of Rural Hall stays in the points lead, Johnny Burke of Midway stays second in the points, and Matt Hill of Yadkinville remains third on the points ladder. But the margins tightened significantly between the contenders: Now, only four points separate third from the lead.
This Saturday night is the Racers Against Underage Drinking “Night of Destruction.” There will be a Monster Truck Car-Crushing Exhibition, a 109 U-Pull-It Demolition Derby, and racing for all four divisions. 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 488 96 0
2 1 Burt Myers 450 76 0
3 77 Lee Jeffreys 446 92 0
4 14 Bobby Hutchens 415 68 0
5 81 Brian Pack 407 84 0
6 50 Michael Clifton 371 72 +2
7 5 Randy Butner 343 28 -1
8 40 Brad Robbins 338 32 -1
9 20 Jeremy Stoltz 332 88 +3
10 70 Al Hill 323 44 -1
11 47 Andrew Durham 315 80 +2
12 75 Robert Jeffreys 295 24 -2
13 4 Jason Myers 270 0 -2
14 69 Junior Miller 235 100 +3
15 72 Brent Elliott 212 40 -1

Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 66 Ronnie Clifton 479 82 +1
2 18 Kenny Bost 465 52 -1
3 05 Kyle Edwards 439 66 0
4 26 Jim Shoaf 435 76 +1
5 9 David Adams 429 60 -1
6 21 Tommy Neal 427 86 +1
7 30 Mike Evans 416 80 +1
8 02 Derek Stoltz 393 42 -2
9 1 Gene Pack 367 72 +1
10 68 Robbie Brewer 354 54 -1
11 7 Ronnie Barron 337 82 0
12 38 Mitch Gales 314 80 +2
13 23 Scott Hall 295 86 +3
14 79 Steven Berrier 280 32 -2
15 19 Michael Adams 275 38 -2

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 1 David Sumner 472 96 +1
2 31 Ryan Nelson 456 68 -1
3 27 Matt Cotner 440 72 +2
4 12 Doug Wall 430 56 0
5 18 Tim Vaden 412 36 -3
6 25 Johnny Arnder 396 92 +1
7 60 Ethan Stoltz 370 48 -1
8 04 Reggie Doub 364 80 0
9 99 John McNeal 352 100 +2
10 74 Leon Hutchens 312 88 +4
11 69 Joseph Brown 306 52 -1
12 33 Matt Fletcher 304 84 +3
13 8 K.J. Stimpson 302 24 -4
14 11 Richard Reeves 270 44 -2
15 13 Kevin Gilbert 266 40 -3

Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series
Rank Car # Driver Points Gained Last Event Rank Change
1 39 Jimmy Absher 434 60 0
2 56 Johnny Burke 432 84 0
3 98 Matt Hill 430 92 0
4 11 Wayne Hill 390 64 0
5 72 Gerald Robertson 386 96 +5
6 21 Kevin L. Neal 384 68 0
7 24 A.J. Sanders 382 100 +4
8 22 Dale Barneycastle 378 80 +1
9 99 Shaun Cockerham 360 52 -1
10 23 Kenny Dixon 344 32 -3
10 01 Jason Keaton 344 20 -5
12 64 Steven Truell 330 72 +3
13 83 A.J. Quakenbush 312 48 0
14 68 Glenn Hamilton 308 28 -2
15 4 Andrew Sanders 300 88 +8
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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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