By Tommy Bowman / JOURNAL REPORTER
Published:August 8, 2009
After persistent urging from his crew, Jason Myers finally ditched the gold paint on his car in an attempt to change his fortunes.
The result glittered, as Myers got his first victory in three years with a win in last night's first 25-lap race for the featured Modified Division at Bowman Gray Stadium.
And Kevin Powell had a breakthrough of this own in the second race, leading all the way for his first Bowman Gray victory.
Myers is a seven-time winner in the stadium's top division, but he hadn't won since 2006 when he finished first in that year's NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race. He had finished no higher than fourth this season.
That called for a change, and Myers, who drives a car owned by his father, Gary, showed up last night with an exclusively black-and-orange paint scheme that matched the car of his brother and fellow driver Burt Myers.
Jason Myers credited crew member Ronnie "Monk" Holbrook for the idea to get the gold off the car.
"Monk had been pushing it for about a year and a half to get that gold off there," Myers said. "I said, ‘Guys, that doesn't have anything to do with it.' Now I'm getting a bunch of ‘I told you so's.'
"Monday morning at the shop we made the decision. We stripped the gold off. Daddy does the painting and Burt does the striping, so we put the flames on it. They put about three days work into it and it paid off. No more gold. We're black and orange from here on out."
Myers, the fastest qualifier for the second time this season, with a lap of 13.377 seconds (67.3 mph) on the quarter-mile track, started from the pole position and led all the way.
Powell, who has been trying for five years to etch his name in Bowman Gray's list of top-division winners, benefitted from a draw to start from the pole in the second race.
Dean Ward, who would have started outside Powell on the front row, got sidelined with a broken spindle on his car. Matt Caldwell moved up front and Powell fended him off for the lead at the start. Powell then held off Gene Pack in the closing laps for his first victory.
"This is what I've come over here for," said Powell, the owner of a Ford dealership in Pilot Mountain who shares ownership of a Modified car with former Bowman Gray champion Johnny Johnson.
"We've won everywhere across the country (mostly on dirt tracks) in every type of car you can sit down in but I really wanted my name in that Bowman Gray record book so bad."
Tim Brown, trying for an eighth Modified title, kept his lead in season standings entering next Saturday's 150-lap, double-points finale, but had it trimmed a bit. He was caught to the outside in both races and finished fifth in the first race and 13th in the second.
Burt Myers, who finished second and ninth, closed the season deficit from 51 to 44 points. Jonathan Brown trails by 49. Burt Myers and Jonathan Brown would need to finish 13 spots ahead of Tim Brown in next Saturday's race to overtake him in final standings.
Ronnie Clifton's hopes for an eighth straight season title in Bowman Gray's Sportsman Division were lifted.
Clifton benefitted from a draw for the starting lineup for the second Sportsman race -- which left season leader Gary Ledbetter back in the pack -- and trimmed his deficit from 22 to 10 points.
Clifton will need to finish three positions ahead of Ledbetter in next Saturday's 40-lap final race to overtake Ledbetter.
Kyle Edwards and Scott Hall won 20-lap races for the Sportsman Division.
Edwards and Hall both led all the way and got their third victories of the season.
Clifton finished ninth and second in the two races. Ledbetter was 12th and 11th.
Randy Larimore led all the way for his first victory of the season in a 20-lap Street Stock race. David Sumner has a 10-point lead over Matt Cotner and a 12-point lead over Joseph Brown entering next Saturday's 20-lap race.
Jimmy Absher won the 15-lap main race for the Stadium Stock Division, and closed the gap a bit in standings for that division. He trails Dale Barneycastle, who finished seventh, by 22 points heading into next Saturday's finale.
Two drivers, Ricky Knapp and Rick Tatum, competed for the first time at Bowman Gray and both did so in the Modified Division. Knapp finished 21st and 19th. Tatum finished 22nd in the first race, and Junior Miller drove the car in the second race.
Knapp, originally from Rochester, N.Y., has a fabrication shop in Mooresville and is a former SK Modified competitor.
"This place is historic, and I've been wanting to race here," said Knapp, whose car served as a backup for Burt Myers if needed.
Tatum, from Kernersville, drove a car owned by driver Jonathan Brown. He competed in a stock-car race for the first time.
"This is something I've always wanted to do," said Tatum, who helps maintain cars owned by Melvin "Puddin'" Swisher. "We had been talking at the shop and they put me in one. I love it, and hope to do it next year."
MODIFIED DIVISION FIRST 25-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Jason Myers (Walnut Cove) $900
2. Burt Myers (Walnut Cove) 550
3. Lee Jeffreys (High Point) 375
4. Randy Butner (Pfafftown) 325
5. Tim Brown (Cana, Va.) 500
6. Robert Jeffreys (Winston-Salem) 375
7. Alfred Hill (Jonesville) 360
8. Jonathan Brown (Kernersville) 345
9. Brent Elliott (Denton) 330
10. Brad Robbins (Winston-Salem) 320
11. Matt Caldwell (Lexington) 210
12. Gene Pack (Walkertown) 200
13. Dean Ward (Winston-Salem) 195
14. Kevin Powell (Winston-Salem) 190
15. Stan Welborn (Germanton) 185
16. Lee Stimpson (Lewisville) 180
17. Chris Fleming (Mount Airy) 275
18. Michael Clifton (Walkertown) 220
19. Jeremy Stoltz (Walkertown) 165
20. Junior Miller (Danbury) 260
21. Ricky Knapp (Rochester, N.Y.) 110
22. Ricky Tatum (Kernersville) 110
MODIFIED DIVISION SECOND 25-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Kevin Powell (Winston-Salem) $650
2. Gene Pack (Walkertown) 400
3. Brad Robbins (Winston-Salem) 325
4. Jonathan Brown (Kernersville) 275
5. Matt Caldwell (Lexington) 250
6. Brent Elliott (Denton) 225
7. Robert Jeffreys (Winston-Salem) 210
8. Randy Butner (Pfafftown) 195
9. Burt Myers (Walnut Cove) 180
10. Lee Jeffreys (High Point) 170
11. Chris Fleming (Mount Airy) 160
12. Jason Myers (Walnut Cove) 150
13. Tim Brown (Cana, Va.) 145
14. Alfred Hill (Jonesville) 140
15. Jeremy Stoltz (Walkertown) 135
16. Lee Stimpson (Lewisville) 130
17. Stan Welborn (Germanton) 125
18. Junior Miller (Danbury) 120
19. Ricky Knapp (Rochester, N.Y.) 115
STADIUM STOCK DIVISION FIRST 15-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Jimmy Absher (Rural Hall) $105
2. Johnny Burke (Midway) 80
3. D.J. Moore (Germanton) 55
4. A.J. Sanders (Mocksville) 45
5. Dale Barneycastle (Mocksville) 40
6. Chris Allison (Mocksville) 35
7. Chris Lawing (King) 30
8. Robert Mabe (Winston-Salem) 30
9. Wayne Hill (Kernersville) 30
10. Kenny Dixon (Pfafftown) 25
11. Derek Taylor (Yadkinville) 25
12. T.J. Cox (Winston-Salem) 25
13. Adam Baker (Winston-Salem) 25
14. Gerald Robertson (Germanton) 20
15. Phillip Wright (King) 20
16. William Chilton (Eden) 20
17. Darren Cotner (King) 20
18. Jason Keaton (Mocksville) 20
19. Kevin Hedgecock (Thomasville) 20
20. Brandon Crotts (King) 20
21. Andrew Sanders (Mocksville) 20
STADIUM STOCK DIVISION SECOND RACE (11 of 15 laps)
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. K.C. Myers (Lexington) $105
2. Matt Keller (Advance) 80
3. Randy McElveen (Winston-Salem) 55
4. James Allison (Mocksville) 45
5. Jason Asbury (King) 40
6. Shane Southard (Yadkinville) 35
7. Bobby Harrison (Walkertown) 30
8. Bobby Smith, Jr. (Lexington) 30
9. Rodney Sears (Lexington) 30
10. Randy Lineberry (Winston-Salem) 25
11. Tyler Ziglar (Kernersville) 25
12. Steven Sanders (Mocksville) 25
13. Nolan Marshall (Tobaccoville) 25
14. Ray Forrest (Winston-Salem) 20
15. Dale Patterson (Winston-Salem) 20
16. David Conner (Sandy Ridge) 20
17. Richard Brannock (King) 20
18. Robert Collins (Winston-Salem) 20
19. April Myers (Lexington) 20
20. Archie Sanders (Mocksville) 20
SPORTSMAN DIVISION FIRST 20-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Kyle Edwards (King) $280
2. Steven Berrier (Germanton) 180
3. Tommy Neal (Walkertown) 140
4. Daniel Beeson (Kernersville) 110
5. Robbie Brewer (Winston-Salem) 95
6. Mitch Gales (Thomasville) 85
7. Taylor Branch (Lewisville) 75
8. David Sell (Winston-Salem) 65
9. Ronnie Clifton (Walkertown) 55
10. Scott Hall (Walkertown) 50
11. Steve Holleman (Winston-Salem) 45
12. Gary Ledbetter (Lexington) 40
13. Michael Adams (Yadkinville) 35
14. Barry Edwards (Pinnacle) 30
15. Kenny Bost (Kernersville) 25
16. David Adams (Yadkinville) 25
17. Jeff Garrison (Winston-Salem) 25
18. T.J. Moran (East Bend) 25
19. Steve Truell (Midway) 25
20. Shaun Cockerham (East Bend) 25
21. Kevin Neal (Walkertown) 25
22. Keith McMichael (Belews Creek) 25
23. Derek Stoltz (Walkertown) 25
24. Mike Evans (King) 25
25. Darin Redmon (Walkertown) 25
SPORTSMAN DIVISION SECOND 20-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Scott Hall (Walkertown) $280
2. Ronnie Clifton (Walkertown) 180
3. Mitch Gales (Thomasville) 140
4. Daniel Beeson (Kernersville) 110
5. Steven Berrier (Germanton) 95
6. Taylor Branch (Lewisville) 85
7. Kyle Edwards (King) 75
8. Tommy Neal (Walkertown) 65
9. Robbie Brewer (Winston-Salem) 55
10. Derek Stoltz (Walkertown) 50
11. Gary Ledbetter (Lexington) 45
12. Kenny Bost (Kernersville) 40
13. David Adams (Yadkinville) 35
14. Steve Holleman (Winston-Salem) 30
15. Jeff Garrison (Winston-Salem) 25
16. Shaun Cockerham (East Bend) 25
17. Steve Truell (Midway) 25
18. T.J. Moran (East Bend) 25
19. Michael Adams (Yadkinville) 25
20. Barry Edwards (Pinnacle) 25
21. Keith McMichael (Belews Creek) 25
STREET STOCK DIVISION 20-LAP RACE
Driver (Hometown) Money
1. Randy Larimore (Walkertown) $160
2. Billy Gregg (Winston-Salem) 110
3. David Joyce (Kernersville) 80
4. Matt Cotner (Rural Hall) 65
5. Joseph Brown (Winston-Salem) 55
6. David Sumner (Trinity) 45
7. Jerry Helms (Winston-Salem) 40
8. Donnie Martin (Wallburg) 35
9. Doug Wall (Pfafftown) 30
10. Allen Henkel (Trinity) 25
11. Zack Clifton (Walkertown) 25
12. Michael Nichols (Trinity) 25
13. Justin Taylor (King) 25
14. K.J. Stimpson (Lewisville) 25
15. Daniel Fishel (Greensboro) 25
16. Tim Vaden (Kernersville) 25
17. Kevin Gilbert (Mocksville) 20
18. Richard Reeves (Cooleemee) 20
19. Reggie Doub (Germanton) 20
20. Billy Cotner (King) 20