JASON MYERS SCORES FIRST CAREER NASCAR WHELEN SOUTHERN MODIFIED TOUR VICTORY SATURDAY NIGHT AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 5, 2006) NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver Jason Myers picked up what he said was the biggest win of his racing career on Saturday night in the Advance Auto Parts 199 at Bowman Gray Speedway. It was the first Whelen Southern Modified Tour win for an emotional Myers who joined his older brother, Burt, as the only two drivers to have won the Advance Auto Parts 199.
I'd have to say this is by far the biggest win of my racing career, said Myers, whose brother leaned in the window in Victory Lane to hug him and offer his congratulations. It's my first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour win and to finally pull this off means the world to me. Anytime you can win a major NASCAR touring race like this is huge because there were 25 good cars out here tonight and it was tough. This is definitely my biggest win.
A lot of times you can't really do a lot of passing when you're not in the lead, so it felt good tonight to get out front with such a good car under me.
L.W. Miller finished in the runner-up position four seconds in arrears of Myers followed by the top-five of Bobby Hutchens, current Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver Junior Miller in fourth and Tim Brown in fifth. L.W. Miller thought he might have had something for Myers, but his efforts would ultimately be denied.
I'll take a second-place finish at Bowman Gray Stadium because this track isn't exactly one of the tracks I'm known for running that well at, Miller said. To come out of here with a runner-up finish says a whole lot for this team. Everybody has always said that L.W. Miller can't win at Bowman Gray but at least I showed them I can come close. I probably couldn't have passed Jason there at the end but I sure would have liked to have the shot to get alongside him.
The Top-10 was completed by Michael Clifton, Kevin Powell, Brian King, Brian Crammer and Frank Fleming. The race was just over an hour in length with the caution flag waving five times for 51 laps.
One of the toughest stories of the night came from Lee Jeffreys who took the lead on the first lap and led until his engine expired with 42 laps remaining which allowed Myers to slip by and take the lead for good.
Junior Miller extended his Whelen Southern Modified Tour lead by 103 points over Brown in second. Jason Myers sits third with L.W. Miller moving up to fourth while Gene Pack currently sits fifth after six races this year.
Burt Myers won the Bud Pole Award in Friday night qualifying but started fourth after the first eight cars redrew their starting positions. That put Jeffreys on the front row along with L.W. Miller in second for the 199-lapper.
Myers, the defending Advance Auto Parts 199 winner, couldn't get his luck from Friday to transfer into Saturday night's race as he was tagged in the first turn on the very first lap which sent him into the outside retaining wall. Myers drove away from the scene but not without damage to the right front of his No. 1 Chevrolet, sending him to the pits and ending any chances he had of repeating the Bowman Gray victory from a year ago. Meanwhile, Jeffreys was able to avoid the mayhem behind him to take the early lead with Jason Myers behind in second for the Lap 5 restart.
The second yellow flag of the night was thrown on Lap 33 when Al Hill went for a solo spin in the first turn. The third caution of the event came when Jay Hedgecock went for a harmless spin in the third turn. The ensuing yellow flag was also for Hedgecock as well as Jay Foley when the two made contact and came to rest in front of the flag stand.
Jeffreys, having the most successful run of his Whelen Southern Modified Tour career, led the first 157 laps before he retired from the event which turned the top spot over to Jason Myers with L.W. Miller, Bobby Hutchens and Junior Miller round out the top four positions.
In the end, it was Jason Myers taking advantage of Jeffreys' problems to earn his first career Whelen Southern Modified Tour victory for the Walnut Cove, N.C. resident.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified returns to action Sept. 2 at Martinsville ( Va. ) Speedway in the Made in America 300 in a combination race with the Whelen Modified Tour.
MORE RACE PHOTOS FROM BGS QUALIFYING
Race Results
Advance Auto Parts 199
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Bowman Gray Stadium August 5, 2006
Final leaders of Saturday's $22,912.00 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
1. (3) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, 45.079 mph, $2,000
2. (2) L.W. Miller, Mooresville N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $1,500
3. (5) Bobby Hutchens, Lexington N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $1,125
4. (7) Junior Miller, Pine Hall N.C. , Dodge, 199, $1,050
5. (8) Tim Brown, Cana Va. , Chevrolet, 199, $1,000
6. (12) Michael Clifton, Walkertown N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $1,050
7. (10) Kevin Powell, Winston-Salem N.C. , Ford, 199, $750
8. (13) Brian King, Burlington N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $690
9. (22) Brian Crammer, Howell N.J. , Chevrolet, 199, $790
10. (14) Frank Fleming, Mount Airy N.C., Pontiac, 199, $550
11. (19) Gene Pack, Myrtle Beach S.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $525
12. (25) Brandon Hire, Winston-Salem N.C. , Chevrolet, 199, $500
13. (17) Johnathon Brown, Winston-Salem N.C. , Chevrolet, 198, $485
14. (18) John Smith, Mount Airy N.C., Chevrolet, 198, $460
15. (21) Mike Herman Jr., Kannapolis N.C. , Chevrolet, 197, $445
16. (24) John Swartout, Stroudsburg Pa. , Chevrolet, 190, $430
17. (4) Burt Myers, Walnut-Cove N.C. , Chevrolet, 169, $620
18. (15) Randy Butner, Pfaffton N.C. , Chevrolet, 162, $410
19. (1) Lee Jeffreys, High Point N.C. , Chevrolet, 157, Brakes, $400
20. (9) Jay Foley, Stuart Va., Chevrolet, 132, Engine, $390
21. (6) Brian Pack, Walkertown N.C. , Chevrolet, 124, Steering, $380
22. (23) Jay Hedgecock, High Point N.C. , Chevrolet, 115, $360
23. (16) Johnny Sutton, Harrisburg N.C. , Chevrolet, 35, Accident, $340
24. (11) Al Hill, Jonesvillle N.C. , Chevrolet, 33, Accident, $320
25. (20) Jay Mize, Clemmons N.C. , Chevrolet, 0, Accident, $300
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 6 mins, 13 secs Average Speed: 45.079 mph Margin of Victory: 4 seconds.
BUD POLE AWARD: Burt Myers, 1 Kernersville Carpets/DMC Auto Exchange Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE 'MOST IMPROVED DRIVER': Michael Clifton, 50 Clifton Plumbing Chevrolet
POWERADE 'POWER MOVE OF THE RACE': Brian Crammer, 89 Ling Trucking Chevrolet
Caution Flags: Laps 2-9; 36-41; 110-113; 118-124; 177-182. 5 for 31 laps.
Lap Leaders: Lee Jeffreys 1-157, Jason Myers 158-199.
Total Laps Led: Lee Jeffreys 157, Jason Myers 42. 1 changes involving 2 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: Junior Miller 1015, Tim Brown 912, Burt Myers 832, Jason Myers 829, Bobby Hutchens 828, L.W. Miller 791, Gene Pack 782, Brian King 776, Brian Pack 771, Michael Clifton 747
Next Race: Martinsville ( Va. ) Speedway (Sept 2)
For More Information, Contact:
Jason Mitchell, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour at jmitchell@nascar.com