Season Finale this Saturday at Bowman Gray
Every division’s points race tightened going into final event.

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) This Saturday will be crunch time for the competitors at Bowman Gray Stadium: it will be the 2009 season finale with one final race for each division before the champions are crowned. And the action on last Saturday paved the way for a dramatic season-ender, as every division’s points race tightened up.
            In the Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series, points leader Tim Brown of Cana, VA qualified second fastest and started on the outside front row. Starting in first and third were brothers Jason Myers and Burt Myers of Walnut Cove.
            The Myers brothers didn’t allow Brown to claim the lead as the green flag fell for the first 25-lapper. They rocketed through the first turn, closing the door on Brown and giving him no room on the inside groove.
            With Brown caught on the outside, Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg claimed third and Randy Butner of Pfafftown took over fourth. The situation could have been potentially disastrous for Brown, but he kept a cool head and settled into fifth the first chance he got.
            The Myers brothers sailed ahead to finish one and two in the first race. Tim Brown finished fifth. Jonathan Brown of Kernersville had a brief run-in with his own teammate but was still able to finish eighth.
            After the “Madhouse Scramble” inverted part of the field for the start of the second 25-lap race, Tim Brown again had problems getting caught on the outside. Brown started 10th and fell back to finish 13th Burt Myers started 13th and fought his way up to 9th. Jonathan Brown started 7th and finished 8th.
            After the dust cleared, Burt Myers was able to gain seven points on Tim Brown, reducing Tim’s points lead from 51 to 44. Jonathan Brown, who was tied with Burt Myers for second in the points entering the event, fell back to third – although he is only one point under Myers.
            With double points being awarded on Saturday, Burt Myers would need to finish 11 positions ahead of Brown to grab the championship. Jonathan Brown would need a 12 position lead to take the crown.
            While Tim Brown’s points lead is hardly insignificant, year after year has proven that anything can happen during the season finale at Bowman Gray Stadium. This season will be no different.
            The final Modified race of the season will be the Carolina Farm Credit 150. Starting lineup will be based strictly on qualifying, and all restarts after caution will be single-file – making the last Modified race a heads-up, white-knuckled battle for all 150 laps.
            In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Ronnie Clifton of Walkertown gains some ground on points leader Gary Ledbetter of Lexington. Just a few short weeks ago, Clifton found himself 51 points out of the lead. Now, that gap is a mere 10 points – meaning Clifton needs to only finish 3 positions ahead of Ledbetter to grab the Sportsman crown.
            The three points contenders in the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series had their work cut out for them on Saturday. David Sumner of Trinity started 19th, Joseph “Bobo” Brown of Winston-Salem started 18th, and Matt Cotner of Rural Hall started 17th.
            The race was a roller-coaster ride for the competitors: they traded positions back and forth, were nearly involved in several wrecks, and Brown ended up crossing the finish line with a severely damaged car that wouldn’t have lasted another lap.
            Cotner finished fourth, Brown fifth, and Sumner sixth – keeping Sumner in the points lead but leaving only a mere 12 points separating the three in the points battle.
            In the Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series, Dale Barneycastle of Mocksville finished fifth to stay in the top spot on the points ladder. But a victory from Jimmy Absher of Rural Hall, who is second in the points, reduces Barneycastle’s points lead from 34 points to 26.
            All the points battles will be decided this Saturday. The Modifieds race in the Carolina Farm Credit 150, with racing for the Sportsman, Street Stock, and Stadium Stock races rounding out the schedule. Gates open at 6:00 for practice, qualifying begins at 7:20, and the first race begins at 8:00 PM – this Saturday night. Ticket prices, directions, and more information can be found online at www.bowmangrayracing.com or by calling (336) 723-1819.

Farm Bureau Insurance Modified Series Current Points Standings

RANK

CAR

DRIVER

POINTS

GAINED LAST EVENT

1

83

Tim Brown

700

34

2

1

Burt Myers

656

41

3

53

Jonathan Brown

655

40

4

5

Randy Butner

638

40

5

4

Jason Myers

586

39

6

40

Brad Robbins

549

39

7

70

Alfred Hill

528

31

8

69

Junior Miller

516

14

9

75

Robert Jeffreys

514

39

10

13

Chris Fleming

505

24

11

50

Michael Clifton

474

8

12

77

Lee Jeffreys

471

39

 

72

Brent Elliott

471

37

14

31

Gene Pack

430

38

15

45

Lee Stimpson

273

20

Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series Current Points Standings

RANK

CAR

DRIVER

POINTS

GAINED LAST EVENT

1

70

Gary Ledbetter

607

29

2

66

Ronnie Clifton

597

41

3

02

Derek Stoltz

564

19

4

21

Tommy Neal

549

41

5

18

Kenny Bost

548

25

6

50

Barry Edwards

546

18

7

79

Steven Berrier

509

45

8

23

Scott Hall

505

41

9

68

Robbie Brewer

488

38

10

44

Daniel Beeson

472

44

11

05

Kyle Edwards

452

44

12

30

Mike Evans

439

2

13

86

Taylor Branch

432

39

14

77

Keith McMichael

425

9

15

3

Jeff Garrison

387

20

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series Current Points Standings

RANK

CAR

DRIVER

POINTS

GAINED LAST EVENT

1

1

David Sumner

702

40

2

27

Matt Cotner

692

44

3

69

Joseph Brown

690

42

4

15

Jerry Helms

624

38

5

25

Johnny Arnder

552

0

6

12

Doug Wall

524

34

7

11

Richard Reeves

520

16

8

00

Donnie Martin

518

36

9

13

Kevin Gilbert

456

18

10

16

Allen Henkel

450

32

11

81

Zack Clifton

442

30

12

2

Willie Wall

440

0

13

44

Daniel Fishel

436

22

14

18

Tim Vaden

434

20

15

04

Reggie Doub

414

14

Time Warner Cable Stadium Stock Series Current Points Standings

RANK

CAR

DRIVER

POINTS

GAINED LAST EVENT

1

22

Dale Barneycastle

688

42

2

39

Jimmy Absher

662

50

3

24

A.J. Sanders

624

44

4

11

Wayne Hill

510

34

5

00

Adam Baker

492

26

6

1

Rob Young

488

0

7

21

Kevin L. Neal

484

0

8

56

Johnny Burke

476

48

9

23

Kenny Dixon

460

32

10

4

Andrew Sanders

458

10

11

68

Glenn Hamilton

456

0

12

70

D.J. Moore

446

46

13

44

Michael Wells

440

0

14

72

Gerald Robertson

402

24

15

34

Chris Lawing

372

38