Myers Takes First 2009 Win at Bowman Gray
After a string of bad luck, Myers takes home the checkered.

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) It must have been destiny. On May 16, 1998, Burt Myers of Walnut Cove won his first race at Bowman Gray Stadium. Exactly 11 years later to the day, Myers took the checkered again on Saturday  – ending the dry spell that has plagued the three-time champion so far in the 2009 season.
            Myers had a streak of fluke mechanical problems for the first few races of the season, giving him an 18th, 9th, and a 3rd place finish. “You start doubting – is it the team? Is it me?” said Myers. “I know better. These guys stand behind me. My family stands behind me.”
            In Saturday’s USG Modified 50 for the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series, the top 6 qualifiers drew for starting position to see which of the 6 starting spots would be theirs. Myers barely made the cutoff, qualifying in sixth. But Myers was the lucky one to pluck the pole as his starting position.
            As the green flag fell, Myers jumped into the lead with Tim Brown of Cana, Va. taking over second place. Brown gave a few taps to the rear bumper of the #1 car of Myers, but Myers defended his lead.
            Myers’ first real challenge for the lead came on lap 19 when a caution flag caused the first double-file restart. Tim Brown chose to take the outside lane, putting him on the outside front row beside Myers. Brown has two wins so far and is the points leader in 2009 by a fair margin, so Brown’s #83 car was surely one of the last ones Myers wanted to see pull up beside him.
            Myers beat Brown into turn one to defend the lead. Robert Jeffreys of Winston-Salem got a nose to the inside of Brown, but Brown was able to narrowly defend his position and stay behind Myers in second.
            Jason Myers of Walnut Cove, the younger of the Myers brothers, was not so fortunate and ended up getting caught on the outside lane. As Jason Myers tried to make his way back to the inside, he got a little too close for comfort with Jonathan Brown. The #53 car of Jonathan Brown lost control and hit the guard rail with a thunderous impact.
            The incident triggered the second caution and another chance for Tim Brown to go outside and challenge Burt Myers for the lead. Tim Brown, however, chose to play it safe and stay in the inside lane. The top five cars did the same, allowing Junior Miller of Danbury to jump from sixth to the outside front row.
            Miller has been a vocal advocate of the double-file restarts at Bowman Gray Stadium, and the Modified veteran has declared his intention to aggressively use his bumper to make the most of his position on the outside lane. Myers had to be worried about Miller refusing to budge – even if it meant wrecking both cars.
            As Miller and Myers played mind games with each other over the start, Miller stayed back as Myers hit the gas. Perhaps Miller was thinking that the green flag wouldn’t be thrown and that he would be the one to get the jump in the next restart. But the green flag did indeed fall, and Miller was left in turn four while Myers easily claimed the lead.
            Myers led the rest of the way to take the checkered with Tim Brown finishing in second and Robert Jeffreys in third.
            In the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series, Saturday night was the annual USG Street Stock 50 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Street Stock cars. Doug Wall of Pfafftown started out in the lead, relinquishing the lead to John McNeal of Winston-Salem on lap 39. But as Wall battled McNeal to reclaim the lead with just a few laps left, McNeal was sent spinning. Doug Wall took over the lead as the caution flag came out, with Joseph “Bobo” Brown of Winston-Salem behind Wall in second.
            The restart came on lap 49, leaving one final lap for Joseph Brown and Doug Wall to fight it out. Brown nearly spun Wall as they entered turn one, but the effort allowed Allen Henkel of Trinity to give a stout tap to the bumper of Brown. The #69 car of Brown was actually sideways as it skidded down the backstretch being pushed by the advancing car of Henkel.
            Somehow Joseph Brown was able to steer back in the right direction and maintain second place. Doug Wall soared ahead to take the lead and the win, with Allen Henkel finishing in third.
            Mike Evans of King won the first 20-lapper for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series. Steven Berrier of Germanton and Kyle Edwards of King came in second and third. Derek Stoltz of Walkertown won the second Sportsman race, with Tommy Neal of Walkertown claiming second and Luke Fleming of Mount Airy taking third.
            In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Glenn Hamilton of Winston-Salem won the first 15-lapper – one week after his car was totaled in a brutal collision at the Stadium. A.J. Sanders of Mocksville won the second 15-lap race on Saturday, Sanders’ third win this season.
            Race Director John Horton has suspended John McNeal for one event after McNeal’s temper got the best of him on track after he lost the lead in the 50-lap Street Stock race.

Race Results

Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series
USG Modified 50: 50 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	1	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
2	83	Tim Brown	Cana, VA
3	75	Robert Jeffreys	Winston-Salem, NC
4	50	Michael Clifton	Walkertown, NC
5	77	Lee Jeffreys	High Point, NC
6	4	Jason Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
7	13	Chris Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
8	5	Randy Butner	Pfafftown, NC
9	70	Alfred Hill	Jonesville, NC
10	3	Terry Gaither	Walkertown, NC
11	72	Brent Elliott	Denton, NC
12	40	Brad Robbins	Winston-Salem, NC
13	31	Gene Pack	Walkertown, NC
14	69	Junior Miller	Danbury, NC
15	12	Mike Norman	Lewisville, NC
16	53	Jonathan Brown	Kernersville, NC
17	45	Lee Stimpson	Lewisville, NC

 

Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series
1st Sportsman Race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	30	Mike Evans	King, NC
2	79	Steven Berrier	Germanton, NC
3	05	Kyle Edwards	King, NC
4	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
5	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
6	18	Kenny Bost	Kernersville, NC
7	77	Keith McMichael	Belews Creek, NC
8	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
9	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
10	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
11	3	Jeff Garrison	Winston-Salem, NC
12	5	Brad Smith	Winston-Salem, NC
13	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
14	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
15	10	Tate Henley	Winston-Salem, NC
16	64	Steve Truell	Midway,NC
17	44	Daniel Beeson	Kernersville, NC
18	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
19	28	Robbie Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
20	00	Shaun Cockerham	East Bend, NC
21	75	Chad Brooks	Winston-Salem, NC
22	38	Mitch Gales	Lexington, NC
23	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
24	23	Scott Hall	Walkertown, NC

2nd Sportsman Race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
2	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
3	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
4	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
5	77	Keith McMichael	Belews Creek, NC
6	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
7	18	Kenny Bost	Kernersville, NC
8	05	Kyle Edwards	King, NC
9	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
10	79	Steven Berrier	Germanton, NC
11	30	Mike Evans	King, NC
12	3	Jeff Garrison	Winston-Salem, NC
13	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
14	44	Daniel Beeson	Kernersville, NC
15	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
16	28	Robbie Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
17	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
18	38	Mitch Gales	Lexington, NC
19	64	Steve Truell	Midway,NC
20	5	Brad Smith	Winston-Salem, NC
21	00	Shaun Cockerham	East Bend, NC
22	75	Chad Brooks	Winston-Salem, NC
23	23	Scott Hall	Walkertown, NC
24	10	Tate Henley	Winston-Salem, NC

 

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series: 50 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	12	Doug Wall	Pfafftown, NC
2	69	Joseph Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
3	16	Allen Henkel	Trinity, NC
4	06	Leon Hutchens	Winston-Salem, NC
5	8	K.J. Stimpson	Lewisville, NC
6	27	Matt Cotner	Rural Hall, NC
7	22	Willie Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
8	44	Daniel Fishel	Greensboro, NC
9	14	Randy Larimore	Walkertown, NC
10	99	John McNeal	Winston-Salem, NC
11	15	Jerry Helms	Winston-Salem, NC
12	11	Richard Reeves	Cooleemee, NC
13	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
14	97	Hal Seats	Yadkinville, NC
15	1	David Sumner	Trinity, NC
16	13	Kevin Gilbert	Mocksville, NC
17	3	Michael Nichols	Trinity, NC
18	20	Donnie Martin	Wallburg, NC
19	18	Tim Vaden	Kernersville, NC
20	60	Ethan Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
21	17	Brian Doty	Winston-Salem, NC
22	25	Johnny Arnder	Mount Airy, NC

 

Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series
1st Stadium Stock race: 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	68	Glenn Hamilton	Winston-Salem, NC
2	39	Jimmy Absher	Rural Hall, NC
3	22	Dale Barneycastle	Mocksville, NC
4	4	Andrew Sanders	Mocksville, NC
5	1	Rob Young	Winston-Salem, NC
6	44	Michael Wells	Yadkinville, NC
7	32	Roger Vogler	Winston-Salem, NC
8	67	Jason Asbury	King, NC
9	42	Phillip Wright	King, NC
10	78	K.C. Myers	Lexington, NC
11	3	Mike McKnight	Pfafftown, NC
12	50	David Conner	Sandy Ridge, NC
13	28	Robert Mabe	Winston-Salem, NC
14	36	William Chilton	Eden, NC
15	86	Tim Smith	Kernersville, NC
16	62	Kevin Hedgecock	Thomasville, NC
17	73	April Myers	Lexington, NC
18	83	A.J. Quakenbush	Winston-Salem, NC
19	60	Ted Mickalowski	Mocksville, NC
20	20	Jack Rash	Clemmons, NC
21	13	Jordan Fleming	Mount Airy, NC

2nd Stadium Stock race: 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	24	A.J. Sanders	Mocksville, NC
2	11	Wayne Hill	Kernersville, NC
3	01	Jason Keaton	Mocksville, NC
4	99	Matt Hill	Yadkinville, NC
5	56	Johnny Burke	Midway, NC
6	23	Kenny Dixon	Pfafftown, NC
7	00	Adam Baker	Winston-Salem, NC
8	70	D.J. Moore	Germanton, NC
9	71	Archie Sanders	Mocksville, NC
10	41	Bobby Yountz	Clemmons, NC
11	98	T.J. Cox	Winston-Salem, NC
12	21	Kevin L. Neal	Walkertown, NC
13	26	Derek Taylor	Yadkinville, NC
14	30	Tommy Stewart	Winston-Salem, NC
15	77	Randy McElveen	Winston-Salem, NC
16	95	Billy Cameron Jr	Salisbury, NC
17	72	Gerald Robertson	Germanton, NC
18	49	Rodney Sears	Lexington, NC
19	90	Brandon Crotts	King, NC
20	79	Chris Allison	Mocksville, NC
21	2	Nolan Marshall	Tobaccoville, NC
22	03	Ray Forrest	Winston-Salem, NC