Fleming Grabs Checkered with Wild Move at Bowman Gray
Fleming comes back from two laps down to win his first ever Tour race.

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) For 61 years, Modifieds have been flying around the historic quarter-mile of Bowman Gray Stadium – so it’s no surprise that the “Home of the Hot Modifieds” is one of the most prestigious stops for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
            The tour brings in drivers from all over the east coast who want to pit their skills against the weekly heroes of Bowman Gray Stadium – but in Saturday’s Advance Auto Parts 199, none of them could tame “the Madhouse.”
            In a wild roller-coaster ride of a race, Luke Fleming of Mount Airy took the checkered flag. Though Fleming has competed in scattered Modified races at the Stadium, Saturday was Fleming’s first time ever competing in the tour.
            The race started off with George Brunnhoelzl III of West Babylon, NY claiming the early lead with Burt Myers of Walnut Cove slipping into second place behind him. As the two raced hard on lap 27, they became entangled. John Smith of Mount Airy took over the lead.
            With several cautions bringing out several double-file restarts, Smith had his hands full as he was forced to defend the lead again and again from outside row challenges from Brunnhoelzl.
            Meanwhile, Jason Myers of Walnut Cove was making his way up through the pack, eventually riding up to the rear bumper of Luke Fleming. Myers was delivering some nudges to the bumper of Fleming, and a stout tap on lap 79 sent the #13 car of Fleming spinning. Fleming lost two laps as a result of the incident, but regained them both in short time due to the tour’s “Lucky Dog” rule.
            After over 100 laps of leading the race, disaster struck for John Smith on lap 144 as his car sputtered to a stop. “I don't know if it was the fuel filter or what,” said Smith. “It’s one of the biggest heartbreaks I’ve ever had. I had the car to beat tonight.”
            Brunnhoelzl reclaimed the lead, with Frank Fleming of Mount Airy getting a chance to challenge Brunnhoelzl, although unsuccessfully, from the outside. A few short laps later, another caution gave L.W. Miller of Dushore, PA the opportunity to line up on the outside.
            With both cars having limited Stadium experience and both cars giving it all they had to grab the lead, they collided as they exited turn two of the restart. The second row of cars ran straight into the situation – and in a split second, most of the front runners were wadded up into a colossal pileup.
            Luke Fleming, who was towards the back of the pack, was one of the few cars able to avoid the wreckage – grabbing the lead in an amazing dash to the inside.
            Fleming held off Brunnhoelzl and Gene Pack of Walkertown – the only other competitors on the lead lap after such a caution-filled race. Fleming took the checkered with Brunnhoelzl claiming second.
            “Pinch me because I’m not sure if this real,” said Fleming in Victory Lane. It was Fleming’s first win ever behind the wheel of a Modified at a Bowman Gray Stadium. “I’ve been to races with my family all my life, and this is all I know. This is all I’ve ever done, and this win is indescribable.”
            Brunnhoelzl had his hands full when an early race incident left him with a slightly damaged wheel – so the northern driver is pleased to even finish the race. “Coming out of here in second, I’m thankful,” said Brunnhoelzl. “I didn’t think the wheel was going to hold on the whole race.”
            But Brunnhoelzl is quick to admit that regardless of his wheel situation, Fleming would have been stout competition. “Even if I had a perfect situation car, the 13 would have been in front of us. He had a good enough of a car I wasn’t going to get around him unless I turned him around – and I wasn’t going to turn him around,” said Brunnhoelzl. “Congratulations to him. To win your first tour race out - that’s pretty impressive.”
            In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Kyle Edwards of King claimed the checkered in the 40-lapper on Saturday. Steven Berrier of Germanton finished second, and Gary Ledbetter of Lexington finished in third. The results of the race, however, are still unofficial, pending technical inspection.
            Joseph “Bobo” Brown of Winston-Salem grabbed his third win of the season in the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series. Trinity residents David Sumner and Allen Henkel finished in second and third.
            In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Glenn Hamilton of Winston-Salem took home the win. Johnny Burke of Midway grabbed second, with Jason Keaton of Mocksville rounding out the top three.

Race Results

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Advance Auto Parts 199: 199 Laps

FINISH	Car	Driver	Hometown
1	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
2	28	George Brunnhoelzl III	West Babylon, NY
3	31	Gene Pack	Walkertown, NC
4	36	L.W. Miller	Dushore,PA
5	97	Bryan Dauzat	Midland,NC
6	71	Dean Ward	Winston-Salem, NC
7	40	Frank Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
8	5	Randy Butner	Pfafftown, NC
9	23	Brian Loftin	Lexington, NC
10	14	Bobby Hutchens	Lexington, NC
11	49	Scott Rigney	Mount Airy, NC
12	1	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
13	25	John Smith	Mount Airy, NC
14	47	Andy Seuss	Hampstead, NH
15	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
16	44	Rich Kuiken, Jr	Staffordville, NJ
17	4	Jason Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
18	02	Buddy Emory	Petersburg, VA
19	18	Zach Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
20	72	Brent Elliott	Denton, NC

Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series
Sportsman Race: 40 laps
Results Unofficial Pending Technical Inspection

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	05	Kyle Edwards	King, NC
2	79	Steven Berrier	Germanton, NC
3	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
4	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
5	44	Daniel Beeson	Kernersville, NC
6	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
7	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
8	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
9	23	Scott Hall	Walkertown, NC
10	0	Steve Holleman	Winston-Salem, NC
11	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
12	18	Kenny Bost	Kernersville, NC
13	68	Robbie Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
14	30	Mike Evans	King, NC
15	3	Jeff Garrison	Winston-Salem, NC
16	64	Steve Truell	Midway,NC
17	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
18	35	David Sell	Winston-Salem, NC
19	9	David Adams	Yadkinville, NC
20	00	Shaun Cockerham	East Bend, NC
21	17	Kevin Neal	Walkertown, NC
22	99	T.J. Moran	East Bend, NC
23	29	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
24	77	Keith McMichael	Belews Creek, NC
25	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC

 

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series
Street Stock Race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	69	Joseph Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
2	1	David Sumner	Trinity, NC
3	16	Allen Henkel	Trinity, NC
4	8	K.J. Stimpson	Lewisville, NC
5	00	Donnie Martin	Wallburg, NC
6	15	Jerry Helms	Winston-Salem, NC
7	13	Kevin Gilbert	Mocksville, NC
8	11	Richard Reeves	Cooleemee, NC
9	27	Matt Cotner	Rural Hall, NC
10	3	Michael Nichols	Trinity, NC
11	21	Justin Taylor	King, NC
12	22	Brian Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
13	14	Randy Larimore	Walkertown, NC
14	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
15	18	Tim Vaden	Kernersville, NC
16	99	Billy Gregg	Winston-Salem, NC
17	04	Reggie Doub	Germanton, NC
18	20	Brian Doty	Winston-Salem, NC
19	2	Willie Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
20	44	Daniel Fishel	Greensboro, NC
21	06	Leon Hutchens	Winston-Salem, NC
22	25	Johnny Arnder	Mount Airy, NC

 

Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series
Stadium Stock Race: 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	68	Glenn Hamilton	Winston-Salem, NC
2	56	Johnny Burke	Midway, NC
3	01	Jason Keaton	Mocksville, NC
4	83	A.J. Quakenbush	Winston-Salem, NC
5	70	D.J. Moore	Germanton, NC
6	22	Dale Barneycastle	Mocksville, NC
7	34	Chris Lawing	King, NC
8	39	Jimmy Absher	Rural Hall, NC
9	23	Kenny Dixon	Pfafftown, NC
10	4	Andrew Sanders	Mocksville, NC
11	79	Chris Allison	Mocksville, NC
12	11	Wayne Hill	Kernersville, NC
13	28	Robert Mabe	Winston-Salem, NC
14	00	Adam Baker	Winston-Salem, NC
15	33	Gary Brewer	Germanton, NC
16	24	A.J. Sanders	Mocksville, NC
17	72	Gerald Robertson	Germanton, NC
18	60	Ted Mickalowski	Mocksville, NC
19	62	Kevin Hedgecock	Thomasville, NC
20	1	Rob Young	Winston-Salem, NC
21	26	Derek Taylor	Yadkinville, NC
22	03	Ray Forrest	Winston-Salem, NC
23	98	T.J. Cox	Winston-Salem, NC
24	78	K.C. Myers	Lexington, NC