Official Site of Bowman Gray Racing

Smith Battles Loftin for Win at Bowman Gray

John Smith smiling in Winner’s Circle. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) “It’s been a long time coming,” said John Smith about his victory in Saturday’s Kevin Powell Motorsports 100 at Bowman Gray Stadium. It had been nearly five years since Smith had taken the checkered in the GMAC Insurance Modified Series.
            But Smith seemed at home as he sailed ahead of the pack.
            “We had a really great car tonight,” said Smith, a resident of Mount Airy. After drawing the pole as his starting position, Smith never relinquished the lead – holding off outside row challenges from Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg, Dean Ward of Winston-Salem, and Brian Loftin of Lexington.
            Loftin did make Smith sweat, though. “Everything was good until we caught those lapped cars with about 10 laps to go,” said Smith. The #25 of Smith had to navigate the slower traffic while Loftin was looking for any weakness to pounce on.
            “I thought I was going to ride behind the lapped cars – but when Brian hit me, I realized I had no time. I had to make a move. It was really hairy those last few laps,” said Smith.

Brian Loftin (23) trying to cut to the inside of John Smith (25) to grab the lead. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

           “I was just trying to use what I could,” said Loftin about his strategy around the lapped cars. “He had a good enough race car to win, and we were just trying to use every outlet we could to get that checkered flag.”
            “I’m a little frustrated because I wanted to win - but coming from 17th to 2nd isn’t exactly a bad night,” said Loftin, who utilized the double-file “choice” restarts to climb through the field. “I like to go to the outside every time I can - I think on every restart we went forward.”
            Tim Brown of Rural Hall, who qualified on the pole, drew 18th for his starting position and charged up to a seventh place finish. Michael Clifton of Walkertown moved from 14th up to 3rd, and Defending Champ Burt Myers climbed from 22nd to 4th.
            In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, the results were unofficial pending technical inspections. The results stood, and Derek Stoltz of Walkertown and Kevin Neal of Walkertown each claimed the checkered on Saturday.
            Darren Cotner of King had a dream night in the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series. After dealing with mechanical issues in practice, Cotner and team turned things around – qualifying on the pole and taking the checkered in the USG Street Stock 50. “It was looking bad and it’s like pulling a miracle out of a hat,” said Cotner about victory in the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Street Stock cars.
            His brother, Matt Cotner of Rural Hall, finished right behind him in second. David Sumner of Trinity and Jody Fritts of Winston-Salem came in third and fourth.
            In the Freeman’s Auto Center Stadium Stock Series, Chuck Wall of Clemmons brought home the win in the first 15-lapper with Jordan Fleming of Mount Airy winning the second race.

Race Results

GMAC Insurance Modified Series
Kevin Powell Motorsports 100: 100 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	25	John Smith	Mount Airy, NC
2	23	Brian Loftin	Lexington, NC
3	50	Michael Clifton	Walkertown, NC
4	1	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
5	4	Jason Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
6	53	Jonathan Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
7	83	Tim Brown	Rural Hall, NC
8	13	Chris Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
9	48	Brad Robbins	Winston-Salem, NC
10	6	Kevin Wilson	Elkin, NC
11	64	Steven Truell	Winston-Salem, NC
12	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
13	81	Austin Pack	Walkertown, NC
14	5	Randy Butner	Pfafftown, NC
15	28	Joseph Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
16	75	Robert Jeffreys	Winston-Salem, NC
17	59	Danny Bohn	Huntersville, NC
18	04	Brandon Ward	Winston-Salem, NC
19	71	Dean Ward	Winston-Salem, NC
20	45	Lee Stimpson	Lewisville, NC
21	7	Bobby Reed	Clemmons, NC
22	12	Mike Norman	Lewisville, NC
23	69	Junior Miller	Danbury, NC
24	77	Lee Jeffreys	Wallburg, NC

Webb Heating and A/C Co. Sportsman Series:
First Sportsman race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
2	68	Robbie Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
3	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
4	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
5	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
6	12	Evan Duggins	Rural Hall, NC
7	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
8	18	Kenny Bost	Kernersville, NC
9	3	Jeff Garrison	Clemmons, NC
10	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
11	05	Kyle Edwards	King, NC
12	1	Ryan Nelson	Winston-Salem, NC
13	17	Kevin Neal	Walkertown, NC
14	30	Cody Evans	King, NC
15	79	John Lain	Germanton, NC
16	92	Kyle Southern	King, NC
17	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
18	22	Todd Gray	Lexington, NC
19	16	Matt Hill	Yadkinville, NC
20	07	Danny Cornwell	Clemmons, NC
21	60	Jeff McCrary	Linwood, NC
22	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC
23	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
24	9	David Adams	Yadkinville, NC

Second Sportsman race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	17	Kevin Neal	Walkertown, NC
2	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
3	05	Kyle Edwards	King, NC
4	3	Jeff Garrison	Clemmons, NC
5	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
6	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
7	30	Cody Evans	King, NC
8	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC
9	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
10	68	Robbie Brewer	Winston-Salem, NC
11	22	Todd Gray	Lexington, NC
12	18	Kenny Bost	Kernersville, NC
13	12	Evan Duggins	Rural Hall, NC
14	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
15	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
16	07	Danny Cornwell	Clemmons, NC
17	1	Ryan Nelson	Winston-Salem, NC
18	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
19	16	Matt Hill	Yadkinville, NC
20	79	John Lain	Germanton, NC
21	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series
USG Street Stock 50 – 58 laps (race extended due to caution)

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	9	Darren Cotner	King, NC
2	27	Matt Cotner	Rural Hall, NC
3	1	David Sumner	Trinity, NC
4	10	Jody Fritts	Winston-Salem, NC
5	00	Donnie Martin	Winston-Salem, NC
6	99	John McNeal	Winston-Salem, NC
7	18	Tim Vaden	Kernersville, NC
8	4	John Holleman	Winston-Salem, NC
9	22	Brian Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
10	66	Whitney Clifton	Walkertown, NC
11	55	Stephen Baker	Kernersville, NC
12	21	Justin Taylor	King, NC
13	39	David Thomas	Walkertown, NC
14	32	Craig West	Walkertown, NC
15	31	Brad Lewis	Stanleyville, NC
16	25	Johnny Arnder	Mount Airy, NC
17	13	Kevin Gilbert	Pfafftown, NC
18	14	Randy Larimore	Walkertown, NC
19	28	Jimmy Gregg	Winston-Salem, NC
20	11	Richard Reeves	Cooleemee, NC
21	50	Austin Edwards	Winston-Salem, NC
22	23	Kris Hoots	Mocksville, NC

Freeman’s Auto Center Stadium Stock Series
First Stadium Stock race – 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	81	Chuck Wall	Clemmons, NC
2	01	Jason Keaton	Mocksville, NC
3	22	Jason Tutterow	Advance, NC
4	55	Tyler Burke	Winston-Salem, NC
5	6	Dale Patterson	Winston-Salem, NC
6	26	Derek Taylor	Yadkinville, NC
7	95	Billy Cameron Jr	Salisbury, NC
8	27	Joey Long	Midway, NC
9	24	A.J. Sanders	Mocksville, NC
10	48	Bobby Smith	Lexington, NC
11	17	Andy Southern	Winston-Salem, NC
12	02	Wesley Thompson	Mocksville, NC
13	77	Randy McElveen	Winston-Salem, NC
14	60	Ted Mickalowski	Mocksville, NC
15	37	Steve Smith	Kannapolis, NC
16	93	Robert Collins	Winston-Salem, NC
17	05	Dave Surry	Winston-Salem, NC
18	54	Jeremy Smith	Rural Hall, NC
19	66	Eric Hockett	Thomasville, NC
20	74	Jose Gonzalez	Winston-Salem, NC
21	46	Allan Lipford	Lexington, NC

2nd Stadium Stock race - 12 laps of 15 completed (due to 15-minute time limit)

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	13	Jordan Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
2	56	Johnny Burke	Winston-Salem, NC
3	58	Brandon Brendle	Winston-Salem, NC
4	1H	Chase Hunt	Lexington, NC
5	61	Charlie Curry	Lexington, NC
6	34	Chris Lawing	King, NC
7	21	Michael Wells	Walkertown, NC
8	1	Rob Young	Winston-Salem, NC
9	69	Drew Moffitt	Winston-Salem, NC
10	42	Phillip Wright	King, NC
11	62	Kevin Hedgecock	Thomasville, NC
12	86	Tyler Ziglar	Kernersville, NC
13	64	Ricky Wall	East Bend, NC
14	96	Casey Kirkman	Winston-Salem, NC
15	23	Kenny Dixon	Pfafftown, NC
16	20	Bobby Harrison	Lexington, NC
17	16	Stephen Sanders	Midway, NC
18	39	Jimmy Absher	Rural Hall, NC
19	92	Kadi Murphy	Kernersville, NC
20	14	Ken Bridges	King, NC
21	75	Brent Brown	Thomasville, NC
22	36	William Chilton	Eden, NC
23	90	Ike Roberts	Pinnacle, NC