ASHEBORO, N.C. -- George Brunnhoelzl III capped off his first NASCAR championship a victory in the Fall Classic 150 at Caraway Speedway, the final race of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season.
Brunnhoelzl needed to only start the finale to clinch the championship. He assured himself of that by claiming his sixth Coors Light Pole Award of the season. He went on to claim his fifth win of the season and third at Caraway.
He started fifth after the post-qualifying redraw of the top six, and took over the lead on Lap 73 when Brian Loftin came down pit road under caution. He briefly lost the lead to John Smith at the line on a Lap 142 restart, before retaking the point.
Smith got under Brunnhoelzl on the final lap and the two drag-raced out of Turn 4, with Brunnhoelzl taking the win. Jason Myers followed in third, followed by Frank Fleming and Burt Myers.
Brunnhoelzl's best points finish was seventh last year. The 27-year-old West Babylon, N.Y., native entered 2009 with one win in 25 career starts over three seasons. In addition to his five wins this year, he had 13 top fives in 14 races.
As a touring series champion, Brunnhoelzl earned a protected starting position in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to be held on Jan. 29-30 at California's Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. The seventh running of the event, which is run in NASCAR Camping World Series cars, brings together the top racers from across North America for the “Daytona 500 of short-track racing.”
Next up for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour teams is the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala in Concord, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at which Brunnhoelzl and the rest of the touring series champions will be honored.
CARAWAY SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS 10/24/2009
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Fin |
Str |
Car # |
Driver |
Team |
Laps |
Points |
Total Award |
Status |
1 |
5 |
28 |
George Brunnhoelzl III |
Oval Speed/ Fibrwrap/PT Ford |
150 |
180 |
$2,350 |
Running |
2 |
2 |
25 |
John Smith |
Tutterow Surveying/Rick's Home Improvement |
150 |
170 |
1,500 |
Running |
3 |
3 |
4 |
Jason Myers |
Capital Bank/Moorefield & Trantham Ent. Ford |
150 |
165 |
1,125 |
Running |
4 |
7 |
40 |
Frank Fleming |
Jerry Hunt Auto & Truck Sales Pontiac |
150 |
160 |
1,300 |
Running |
5 |
9 |
1 |
Burt Myers |
Capital Bank/JRC Investments Ford |
150 |
155 |
1,300 |
Running |
6 |
4 |
47 |
Andy Seuss |
Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/AutoTech |
150 |
150 |
850 |
Running |
7 |
8 |
18 |
Zach Brewer |
DMC Auto Exchange |
150 |
146 |
750 |
Running |
8 |
1 |
23 |
Brian Loftin |
L & R Transmissions/QMF Metal Solutions |
149 |
142 |
690 |
Running |
9 |
6 |
44 |
Jonathan Brown |
Don&Dee Stone/Kook's Custom Headers |
147 |
138 |
590 |
Accident |
10 |
11 |
97 |
Bryan Dauzat |
O.B. Builders Chevrolet |
135 |
134 |
550 |
Parked |
11 |
10 |
81 |
Lee Jeffreys |
Comtech Solutions/Wings-N-Things Chevrolet |
135 |
130 |
525 |
Parked |
12 |
12 |
51 |
Thomas McCann Jr. |
RimzOne Activate Chevrolet |
48 |
127 |
500 |
Engine |
13 |
13 |
12 |
Jay Hedgecock |
Combs Wholesale Produce/Gary's Lawn |
4 |
124 |
485 |
Suspension |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: George Brunnhoelzl III, Time: 16.004 Seconds, Speed: 102.349 mph
Time of Race: 51 mins, 0 secs Average Speed: 80.294 mph Margin of Victory: 0.160 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 71-75 (Debris); 88-94 (# 97 Spins on backstretch); 97-99 (#97 Spins in Turn 2); 137-142 (#23 & #97 Spin in Turn 2). 4 for 21 laps.
Lap Leaders: Brian Loftin 1-73, George Brunnhoelzl III 74-142, John Smith 143, George Brunnhoelzl III 144-150.
Total Laps Led: George Brunnhoelzl III 76, Brian Loftin 73, John Smith 1. 3 changes involving 3 drivers.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Burt Myers, 1 Capital Bank/JRC Investments Ford
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: George Brunnhoelzl III, 28 Oval Speed/ Fibrwrap/PT Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Frank Fleming, 40 Jerry Hunt Auto & Truck Sales Pontiac