August 1

Tear-Filled Win for Brown at Bowman Gray  
    On July 19, Tim Brown and his crew were having fun and celebrating their win in the first 25-lapper for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series. Less than two weeks later, one of Brown’s longtime crew-members, Jerry Boger, lost his life to pancreatic cancer. 
  “Two weeks ago, we didn’t know he was sick. He was down there having fun, and we won the race that night. Every time I went to the hospital, that’s what he’d say – ‘at least I won the last race with you.’ I never dreamed that’d be the last race with him,” said Brown on Friday night at Bowman Gray Stadium. 
  Brown took the pole for the 50-lapper on Friday night for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series and declared that he would be really tough to beat. His crew worked tirelessly with tears in their eyes, motivated to honor the memory of their departed comrade. Brown wanted to take the win so he could give the pole trophy and the victory trophy to the families of Boger and also Brian Pack, a fellow Modified competitor who was killed in a tragic motorcycle crash just one week earlier. 
  The #83 car shot out into the lead as the green flag fell. Behind him, there was constant commotion as the pack fought for position with each other. Burt Myers of Walnut Cove worked his way up from a 10th place finish to claim third. Myers was delivering some vicious taps to the rear bumper of Lee Jeffreys of High Point, but Jeffreys was able to hang on to take second. 
  But Brown soared ahead of the pack, leading every lap and taking the checkered. “The car was hooked up, and it was just meant to be. This is probably the best race I’ve had over here. I didn’t even have to drive that hard to win. I know that Brian Pack and Jerry Boger were with me - and God was on my side tonight,” said Brown. 
  The night was truly an emotional roller-coaster for Brown. He was tearing up as he accepted the Bud Pole Award before the race. In Victory Lane, Brown’s tears met with a spurt of anger as he shouted to a few fans in the stands who were booing and jeering him. 
  “I want to apologize for losing my cool with the fans there. I’m not that type of guy,” said Brown after the race. 
  Friday night was also the qualifying session for the Advance Auto Parts 199 for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The 199-lap race will take place later tonight. 
  Burt Myers claimed the pole for the Tour event with a time of 13.289. The 8 fastest qualifiers redrew for starting position, placing Brian Loftin of Lexington on the pole for the start of the race. Brian King of Gibsonville starts on the outside pole. 
  In the Bandolero Bandits race, Dillon Bassett of Winston-Salem won, with Sean Hooven of Orlando, FL taking second and Tanner Rumberg of Beaverdam finishing in third. 
  In the Bandolero Young Guns/Outlaws Division, Tyler Lester of Dallas, NC took the win. Corey Gordon of Charlotte finished second, while Robert Poole of Davidson took third. 
  In the Semi-pro Legends Division, Evan Swilling of Cohutta, GA Michael won. Scott Hensley of Olive Branch, MS finished second, and Austin Hill of Winston, GA took third. 
  In the Pro/Master Legends Division, Daniel Hemric of Kannapolis won. Hoyt Demis of Archdale took second, with Chris Buescher of Prosper, TX taking third. 
  In the East Coast Flathead Ford race, James Rogers of Ridgeway, VA won the Sportsman class with Rik Newsome of Rural Hall winning the Modified class.