Burt Myers Dodges Bullets at Bowman Gray
 

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) Bowman Gray Stadium is known for testing competitors’ reflexes. With so many cars on such a tight track, it seems that everything – from passes to wrecks – happens at an accelerated pace.
            And sometimes, events unfold so quickly that they’re impossible to miss. Traffic gets cluttered, and the only difference between winning and hitting the wall is good, old fashioned luck.
            In last event’s twin 50-lappers, Burt Myers of Walnut Cove combined good fortune and good driving to emerge with an increased points lead in the GMAC Insurance Modified Series. In the first race, Myers was leading and was bumped hard by Jonathan Brown of Winston-Salem. Although Myers relinquished the lead, he maintained control of his car and was able to steer back into second place.
            In the second race, Myers fought forward from a 15th place start to finish third, luckily avoiding major collisions that took out several other competitors. “It’s obvious that right now we’ve got the best car out there – it’s just a matter of catching the right breaks,” said Myers. “Tonight we didn’t catch a break in the first race, but I think points-wise we came out pretty good in the second race.”
            “We come over here to win the race - not get a good points night. We ended up with a good points night, but we came out here to win both 50 lappers,” said Myers. “But all in all, no matter what happens finish-wise, I consider this team to be winners.”
            With just a few weeks left before the 2011 championships are concluded, Myers seems to only get stronger. After trying a new car setup for qualifying, he turned the fastest lap of the season two weeks ago. On Saturday, he grabbed the pole with another strong lap.
            But he knows that anything can still happen before the championship is decided. “You never know over here, you just have to race as hard as you can every week,” said Myers. “Everybody else out there to me is just another number. This is Bowman Gray Stadium, and you’ve got to get what you can get when you can get it. And we got what we could get tonight. We’ll go home and regroup.”
            Tim Brown of Rural Hall finished third in the first race, but involvement in a wreck relegated him to a 15th place finish in the second race. He maintains his second place points ranking, but the gap between him and Myers widens further. Chris Fleming of Mount Airy holds on to a third place points standing.
            In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Robbie Brewer of Winston-Salem finished second and eighth to maintain the points lead. Kyle Edwards of King moves up to only one point behind Brewer, with Tommy Neal of Walkertown currently ranked third.
            John McNeal of Winston-Salem held strong in the 104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series, finishing 11th on Saturday to stay on top of the points ladder. Brothers Darren Cotner of King and Matt Cotner of Rural Hall rank second and third respectively.
            In the Freeman’s Auto Center Stadium Stock Series, Chuck Wall of Clemmons won on Saturday to boost him into the points lead, tying Drew Moffitt of Winston-Salem. Michael Wells of Mocksville drops down to a fourth place ranking, with Chris Lawing of King moving up to third.
            This weekend will be a double-dose of racing action – it’s Strutmasters.com weekend, with racing on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the Modifieds race in twin 50-lappers, as well as racing for the Stadium Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros, and Classic Modifieds. And you can see the action for only $2 with a printed coupon: visit www.bowmangrayracing.com/coupon for details.
            Then on Saturday, the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour competes in the Strutmasters.com 199. The Sportsman, Street Stock, and Stadium Stock Divisions will also duke it out, and there will be an on-track autograph session before the racing gets going. Regular adult admission for Saturday is $12 for adults, $1 for children 6-11, and free for children under 6.
            Gates open at 6:00 for practice, and the first race is at 8:00 on both Friday and Saturday. Ticket prices, directions, and more information can be found online at www.bowmangrayracing.com or by calling (336) 723-1819.

 

GMAC Insurance Modified Series Current Points Standings

RANK	CAR	DRIVER	POINTS	GAINED LAST EVENT
1	1	Burt Myers	573	47
2	83	Tim Brown	498	34
3	13	Chris Fleming	489	29
4	53	Jonathan Brown	486	35
5	4	Jason Myers	473	41
6	28	Joseph Brown	442	37
7	71	Dean Ward	396	29
8	23	Brian Loftin	363	0
9	81	Austin Pack	360	27
10	69	Junior Miller	348	26
11	48	Brad Robbins	337	6
12	25	John Smith	329	37
13	50	Michael Clifton	326	0
14	59	Danny Bohn	315	38
15	77	Lee Jeffreys	308	30

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

RANK	CAR	DRIVER	POINTS	GAINED LAST EVENT
1	68	Robbie Brewer	517	42
2	05	Kyle Edwards	516	44
3	21	Tommy Neal	485	18
4	70	Gary Ledbetter	461	45
	86	Taylor Branch	461	42
6	72	Bryant Robertson	440	29
7	13	Luke Fleming	423	40
8	02	Derek Stoltz	392	0
9	19	Michael Adams	388	42
10	18	Kenny Bost	374	44
11	3	Jeff Garrison	373	31
12	38	Mitch Gales	337	21
13	9	David Adams	308	30
14	50	Barry Edwards	301	0
	12	Evan Duggins	301	29

104.1 WTQR Street Stock Series Current Points Standings

RANK	CAR	DRIVER	POINTS	GAINED LAST EVENT
1	99	John McNeal	570	30
2	9	Darren Cotner	484	42
3	27	Matt Cotner	472	48
4	4	John Holleman	446	46
5	22	Brian Wall	440	6
6	00	Donnie Martin	420	40
7	25	Johnny Arnder	418	18
8	1	David Sumner	380	44
9	32	Craig West	372	22
10	98	Billy Gregg	370	50
11	66	Whitney Clifton	332	24
12	23	Kris Hoots	326	28
13	55	Stephen Baker	310	34
14	21	Justin Taylor	298	36
15	13	Kevin Gilbert	284	12

Freeman's Auto Center Stadium Stock Series Current Points Standings

RANK	CAR	DRIVER	POINTS	GAINED LAST EVENT
1	69	Drew Moffitt	520	44
	81	Chuck Wall	520	50
3	34	Chris Lawing	514	46
4	21	Michael Wells	510	32
5	39	Jimmy Absher	506	42
6	22	Jason Tutterow	500	28
7	01	Jason Keaton	486	22
8	61	Charlie Curry	440	48
9	13	Jordan Fleming	434	0
10	26	Derek Taylor	404	38
11	56	Johnny Burke	382	0
12	23	Kenny Dixon	378	24
13	55	Tyler Burke	362	40
14	1H	Chase Hunt	360	36
15	60	Ted Mickalowski	358	26