By Tommy Bowman/ JOURNAL REPORTER
Lucky seven was Tim Brown's magic number last night.
Brown wrapped up his seventh Bowman Gray Stadium championship -- and picked up his seventh victory of the season to go along with it -- with a win in the season-ending Carolina Farm Credit 150.
He managed to avoid a closing-lap skirmish between Burt Myers and Junior Miller to get the win. Myers led the first 143 laps but Miller sent him spinning with a slam from behind, opening the door to victory for Brown. Myers then retaliated by wrecking Miller and ramming into his car repeatedly.
"I don't care what they do as long as they leave me out of it," Brown said. "Seven wins and seven championships, that's awesome."
Brown entered last night's finale with a 28-point lead against Myers in season standings for the featured Modified Division. Myers faced the task of having to finish eight spots ahead of Brown to win the title.
"It was a hard-fought season and that No. 1 car (Myers) is awfully tough," Brown said. "Winning this race just topped off a great season for us."
Brown said it was his best season ever.
"Seven wins, nine poles and a seventh championship -- that's definitely the best yet," Brown said.
Ronnie Clifton won a seventh straight championship in the Sportsman Division. Ryan Nelson and Johnny Burke wrapped up titles in the Street Stock and Stadium Stock divisions.
Myers won the pole position for the 150-lap Modified race with a qualifying lap of 13.309 seconds (67.6 mph) on the quarter-mile track. Brown was second fastest and started beside him on the front row.
Myers had no problem taking the lead at the start, and set a somewhat slow pace that continued for much of the race with Brown patiently running second.
Miller, who started seventh, began working his way to the front and got past a willing Brown with 18 laps left.
"Burt had me slowed down and Junior caught me and gave me a shot in the corner," Brown said. "He got up to my door and I was thinking, ‘OK, we'll be third and win the points.' "
With six laps left, Miller sent leader Myers spinning in the south turn. Brown maneuvered past both of them and rolled on to victory from there.
"When Junior spun Burt, I just cut left and went by them," Brown said. "Then I was thinking, ‘Hey, we've got a shot to win a race and the championship.' "
Myers slowed on the final lap, waiting for Miller, and crashed into Miller, who slid sideways across the finish line in second place. Myers then rammed Miller's car against the guardrail in the south turn.
Both left the track, escorted by policemen.
John Horton, the NASCAR director for racing at Bowman Gray Stadium, said that penalties will likely be coming. He said: "NASCAR is going to review the situation. We're going to talk about penalties in the coming week."
"That's why I try not to get into those peeing matches because it hurts you at the worst time," Brown said, referring to a bumping match between Miller and Myers earlier this season. "I think Burt probably lost his cool and run into Junior down there but you get caught up in the heat of the moment and that's what happens. I'm just glad we stayed out of trouble, won the race and won our seventh championship."
Tommy Neal won for the first time this season in the Sportsman Division. He tapped leader Scott Hall, who went spinning with two laps left in a 40-lap race.
Clifton finished sixth, high enough to secure another season championship.
"We didn't have the best car by any means, but we kept the hammer down and did the best we could," said Clifton, who won his eighth title overall -- including a Street Stock title in 1990.
Kenny Bost, the closest to Clifton in season standings, had to finish 10 positions ahead of Clifton to unseat him. Bost started 23rd and charged his way to third place.
Ethan Stoltz won for the third time this season in the Street Stock Division. Nelson wrapped up his first season title with a fourth-place finish.
A.J. Sanders got his fourth victory of the season in the Stadium Stock Division. Johnny Burke finished 10th, good enough to take his second season title.
MODIFIED DIVISION
Carolina Farm Credit Modified
153-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Tim Brown (Cana, Va.) $2,100
2. Junior Miller (Danbury) 1,000
3. Jonathan Brown (Kernersville) 775
4. Robert Jeffreys (Winston-Salem) 735
5. Brad Robbins (Winston-Salem) 575
6. Brent Elliott (Denton) 535
7. Joseph Brown (Winston-Salem) 495
8. Chris Fleming (Mount Airy) 555
9. Bobby Hutchens (Lexington) 525
10. Jason Myers (Walnut Cove) 405
11. Burt Myers (Walnut Cove) 690
12. Brody Jones (Statesville) 370
13. Alfred Hill (Jonesville) 350
14. Randy Butner (Pfafftown) 430
15. Andrew Durham (Roaring River) 310
16. Lee Jeffreys (High Point) 390
17. Michael Clifton (Walkertown) 480
18. Lee Stimpson (Lewisville) 270
19. Stan Welborn (Germanton) 260
20. Kevin Powell (Winston-Salem) 350
SPORTSMAN DIVISION
40-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Tommy Neal (Walkertown) $560
2. Keith McMichael (Belews Creek) 360
3. Kenny Bost (Kernersville) 280
4. Derek Stoltz (Walkertown) 220
5. Robbie Brewer (Winston-Salem) 190
6. Ronnie Clifton (Walkertown) 245
7. Daniel Beeson (Kernersville) 150
8. Taylor Branch (Lewisville) 130
9. Michael Adams (Yadkinville) 110
10. Mike Evans (King) 100
11. Kyle Edwards (King) 90
12. Steven Berrier (Germanton) 80
13. Mitch Gales (Lexington) 70
14. Todd Hunt (Lexington) 60
15. Gary Ledbetter (Lexington) 50
16. Scott Hall (Walkertown) 50
17. Gene Pack (Walkertown) 50
18. Barry Edwards (Pinnacle 50
19. Chad Brooks (Winston-Salem) 50
20. Brad Smith (Winston-Salem) 50
21. John Gregg (Winston-Salem) 50
22. Tate Henley (Winston-Salem) 50
23. Brian Doty (Winston-Salem) 50
24. David Adams (Yadkinville) 50
STREET STOCK DIVISION
20-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Ethan Stoltz (Walkertown) $160
2. Doug Wall (Pfafftown) 110
3. Ryan Nelson (Winston-Salem) 80
4. David Sumner (Trinity) 65
5. Tim Vaden (Kernersville) 55
6. John McNeal (Winston-Salem) 95
7. Richard Reeves (Cooleemee) 40
8. Donnie Martin (Wallburg) 35
9. Brian Wall (Winston-Salem) 30
10. Randy Larimore (Walkertown) 25
11. Johnny Arnder (Mount Airy) 25
12. Reggie Doub (Germanton) 25
13. Michael Nichols (Trinity) 25
14. K.J. Stimpson (Lewisville) 25
15. Willie Wall (Lexington) 25
16. Leon Hutchens (Winston-Salem) 25
17. Kevin Gilbert (Mocksville) 20
18. David Conner (Sandy Ridge) 20
19. Scott Lashley (Lexington) 20
20. Allen Henkel (Trinity) 20
21. Matt Fletcher (Walkertown) 20
STADIUM STOCK DIVISION
FIRST 15-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. A.J. Sanders (Mocksville) $160
2. Gary Brewer (Germanton) 110
3. Steven Truell (Midway) 80
4. Matt Hill (Yadkinville) 65
5. Kevin L. Neal (Walkertown) 55
6. Darren Cotner (King) 45
7. Rob Young (Winston-Salem) 40
8. Glenn Hamilton (Winston-Salem) 35
9. Wayne Hill (Kernersville) 30
10. Johnny Burke (Midway) 25
11. Gerald Robertson (Germanton) 25
12. Dale Barneycastle (Mocksville) 25
13. Adam Baker (Winston-Salem) 25
14. Andrew Sanders (Mocksville) 25
15. Chris Allison (Mocksville) 25
16. V.L. Richardson (Pilot Mountain) 25
17. Travis Brewer (Germanton) 20
18. Kenny Dixon (Pfafftown) 20
19. Jason Keaton (Mocksville) 20
20. Charlie Curry (Winston-Salem) 20
21. Chuck Wall (Clemmons) 20
22. A.J. Quakenbush (Winston-Salem) 20
23. Shaun Cockerham (East Bend) 20
24. Kevin C. Neal (Danbury) 20
STADIUM STOCK DIVISION
SECOND 15-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Billy Cameron Jr. (Salisbury) $105
2. Bobby Yountz (Clemmons) 80
3. Phillip Wright (King) 55
4. Ken Bridges (King) 45
5. K.C. Myers (Lexington) 40
6. William Chilton (Eden) 35
7. Danny Sink (Lexington) 30
8. Rodney Sears (Lexington) 30
9. John Patterson (Welcome) 30
10. David Nicholson (Winston-Salem) 25
11. D.J. Moore (Germanton) 25
12. Kevin Hedgecock (Thomasville) 25
13. Steven Sanders (Mocksville) 25