Official Site of Bowman Gray Racing

Brown Gains Momentum at Bowman Gray
Michael Clifton wins a 25-lapper, and Derek Stoltz wins biggest Sportsman race of 2012.

Tim Brown taking his victory lap after winning the first Modified race of last event. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) Although Tim Brown of Rural Hall has had a rough past few weeks, “The Rocket” seems to be hitting his stride now at Bowman Gray Stadium.
            Brown started off the season with some disappointing qualifying results, minor car issues, a few tough bumps from competitors – and to top it all off, a bout of pneumonia that lasted six weeks. But things have turned around: Brown’s qualified on the pole in the last two events and has begun racking up the victories in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
            “I definitely think our team has the momentum right now, and momentum’s a large part of racing,” said Brown. “We’ve won three out of the last four weekends, so I’m pretty proud about that.”
            After qualifying on the pole on Saturday, Brown led every lap in commanding fashion to take the checkered flag. “My car was really strong. Last weekend and this weekend too - it’s just been exceptionally strong,” said Brown.
            Danny Bohn finished in second, with Randy Butner of Pfafftown coming in third.
            The “Madhouse Scramble” sent Brad Robbins of Winston-Salem to the pole for the start of the second race. Tony Black of Lexington started beside him on the outside front row.

Michael Clifton in Winner’s Circle after winning the second Modified race of last event. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

             When the green flag waved, Robbins muscled his way into the lead. Michael Clifton of Walkertown moved up into second.
            Tommy Neal of Walkertown, who had a run-in with Robbins during the first Modified race of the evening, began to fall back through the field. As Robbins began to approach lapping Neal, the 21 car of Neal hugged the inside row, forcing Robbins to use the slower outside lane.
            After Robbins eventually passed by, Neal followed closely behind for a few laps – until ramming the rear bumper of Brad Robbins with just two laps to go. Robbins spun, and Michael Clifton capitalized on his chance to grab the lead.
            Clifton went on to take the checkered. “I didn’t really know what was going to happen – whether Tommy could get to him and do whatever he was going to do,” said Clifton. “We were just in the right place at the right time.”
            Robbins recovered quickly and held on to second place, finishing right behind Clifton. Jason Myers of Walnut Cove finished in third.

After winning the annual Whelen Sportsman 100, Derek Stoltz celebrates in Winner’s Circle. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

          Saturday was the Whelen Sportsman 100 for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Sportsman competitors. Gary Ledbetter of Lexington qualified on the pole with a blistering time. When the top six redrew for position, Kenny Bost of Lexington plucked the pole as his starting spot with Ledbetter starting in second.
          Ledbetter grabbed the lead right off the bat and looked to be in a strong position to stay there the entire 100 laps. He successfully defended his lead during the first double-file restart, but disaster struck for the Ledbetter team during the second caution.
          While still under caution on lap 38, smoke began to pour from Ledbetter’s engine. His motor blew, taking him out of the lead and the race. Kenny Bost moved up to take his place.
          Bost fought against outside row challenges from Zack Clifton of Walkertown, Jeff Garrison of Arcadia, Ryan Robertson of Winston-Salem, and several attempts from Taylor Branch of Lewisville.
          But problems were in store for Bost as his left front tire began to lose air. Bost held on as long as he could for the final laps of the 100-lapper. But when the race was extended several extra laps due to cautions, Bost’s luck ran out.
          Taylor Branch began to power past Bost to claim the lead during a restart. As the two fought for the lead, they collided – allowing Derek Stoltz of Walkertown to take over the top spot. Stoltz went on to earn the victory.
“I told then on the radio it was going to happen,” said Stoltz, referring to the incident with Branch and Bost. “Kenny had a left front tire down, and it worked to my favor.”
          Kyle Southern of King, who started in the very rear of the field, finished in second. Michael Tilley of Winston-Salem took third.
          John Holleman of Winston-Salem brought home the win in the Q104.1 New Country Street Stock Series, with Billy Gregg of Winston-Salem finishing right behind him in second. Donnie Martin of Winston-Salem came in third.
          In the Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series, Chuck Wall of Lexington won the first 15-lapper, with Tyler Burke of Winston-Salem claiming the checkered in the second 15-lap race.

Race Results

Brad's Golf Cars Modified Series
First Modified Race: 25 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	83	Tim Brown	Rural Hall, NC
2	65	Danny Bohn	Huntersville, NC
3	5	Randy Butner	Pfafftown, NC
4	22	Jonathan Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
5	75	Robert Jeffreys	Wallburg, NC
6	71	Dean Ward	Winston-Salem, NC
7	25	John Smith	Mount Airy, NC
8	53	Brian Loftin	Lexington, NC
9	40	Chris Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
10	77	Lee Jeffreys	Wallburg, NC
11	1	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
12	4	Jason Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
13	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
14	50	Michael Clifton	Walkertown, NC
15	05	Tony Black	Lexington, NC
16	48	Brad Robbins	Winston-Salem, NC
17	64	Steven Truell	Winston-Salem, NC
18	72	Brent Elliott	Denton, NC
19	3	Danny Propst	Monroe, NC
20	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
21	70	Noah Triplett	Lexington, NC
22	7	Matt Cotner	Rural Hall, NC
23	81	Austin Pack	Walkertown, NC
24	69	Junior Miller	Danbury, NC

Second Modified Race: 25 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	50	Michael Clifton	Walkertown, NC
2	48	Brad Robbins	Winston-Salem, NC
3	4	Jason Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
4	66	Ronnie Clifton	Walkertown, NC
5	05	Tony Black	Lexington, NC
6	77	Lee Jeffreys	Wallburg, NC
7	25	John Smith	Mount Airy, NC
8	1	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
9	71	Dean Ward	Winston-Salem, NC
10	22	Jonathan Brown	Winston-Salem, NC
11	40	Chris Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
12	53	Brian Loftin	Lexington, NC
13	75	Robert Jeffreys	Wallburg, NC
14	83	Tim Brown	Rural Hall, NC
15	65	Danny Bohn	Huntersville, NC
16	5	Randy Butner	Pfafftown, NC
17	64	Steven Truell	Winston-Salem, NC
18	72	Brent Elliott	Denton, NC
19	7	Matt Cotner	Rural Hall, NC
20	21	Tommy Neal	Walkertown, NC
21	69	Junior Miller	Danbury, NC
22	70	Noah Triplett	Lexington, NC
23	3	Danny Propst	Monroe, NC

Webb Heating and A/C Co. Sportsman Series:
Whelen Sportsman 100: 123 laps (race extended due to caution)

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
2	92	Kyle Southern	King, NC
3	26	Michael Tilley	Winston-Salem, NC
4	31	Ryan Nelson	Kernersville, NC
5	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
6	79	John Lain	Kernersville, NC
7	3	Jeff Garrison	Arcadia, NC
8	11	Wayne Hill	Winston-Salem, NC
9	07	Danny Cornwell	Clemmons, NC
10	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC
11	18	Kenny Bost	Lexington, NC
12	22	Stacey Miller	Kernersville, NC
13	9	David Adams	Yadkinville, NC
14	86	Taylor Branch	Lewisville, NC
15	12	Evan Duggins	Rural Hall, NC
16	1	Ryan Robertson	Winston-Salem, NC
17	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
18	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
19	03	Jordan Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
20	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
21	20	Jacob Creed	Ararat, NC
22	55	Zack Ore	Winston-Salem, NC
23	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
24	50	Barry Edwards	Pinnacle, NC
25	8	Bobby Reed	Clemmons, NC

Q104.1 New Country Street Stock Series
Street Stock race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	4	John Holleman	Winston-Salem, NC
2	98	Billy Gregg	Lexington, NC
3	00	Donnie Martin	Winston-Salem, NC
4	1	David Sumner	Trinity, NC
5	18	Tim Vaden	Kernersville, NC
6	44	Daniel Fishel	Greensboro, NC
7	12	Doug Wall	Pfafftown, NC
8	55	Stephen Baker	Kernersville, NC
9	66	Whitney Clifton	Walkertown, NC
10	16	Allen Henkel	Trinity, NC
11	25	Johnny Arnder	Mount Airy, NC
12	88	Nick Brill	Lewisville, NC
13	02	Bobby Whiteman	Pelham, NC
14	9	Darren Cotner	King, NC
15	94	Jeffery Wood	Southmont, NC
16	8	K.J. Stimpson	Lewisville, NC
17	22	Brian Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
18	05	Spencer Martin	Winston-Salem, NC
19	21	Justin Taylor	King, NC

Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series
First Stadium Stock race: 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	81	Chuck Wall	Lexington, NC
2	01	Jason Keaton	Mocksville, NC
3	44	Andrew Durham	Mocksville, NC
4	60	Ted Mickalowski	Mocksville, NC
5	42	Phillip Wright	King, NC
6	1	Rob Young	Winston-Salem, NC
7	1H	Daniel Yates	Lexington, NC
8	74	Jose Gonzalez	Winston-Salem, NC
9	14	Ken Bridges	King, NC
10	54	Jeremy Smith	Rural Hall, NC
11	72	Roger Vogler	Winston-Salem, NC
12	70	Tyler Lalone	Thomasville, NC
13	24	A.J. Sanders	Mocksville, NC
14	16	Stephen Sanders	Winston-Salem, NC
15	22	Jason Tutterow	Advance, NC
16	31	Zack Staley	Lexington, NC
17	69	Drew Moffitt	Winston-Salem, NC
18	26	Derek Taylor	Yadkinville, NC
19	66	Eric Hockett	Thomasville, NC

Second Stadium Stock race: 15 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	55	Tyler Burke	Winston-Salem, NC
2	8	Shane Southard	Yadkinville, NC
3	02	Wesley Thompson	Mocksville, NC
4	17	Andy Southern	Winston-Salem, NC
5	13	Chase Hunt	Lexington, NC
6	7	Chris Allison	Mocksville, NC
7	62	Kevin Hedgecock	Thomasville, NC
8	61	Charlie Curry	Lexington, NC
9	39	Johnny Burke	Winston-Salem, NC
10	98	T.J. Cox	Winston-Salem, NC
11	76	Billy Cameron Jr	Salisbury, NC
12	19	Jeremy Stainback	Winston-Salem, NC
13	59	Shane Tuttle	Winston-Salem, NC
14	3	Rik Newsome	East Bend, NC
15	29	Cody Arrington	Mount Airy, NC
16	18	Gary Brewer	Germanton, NC
17	96	Casey Kirkman	Winston-Salem, NC
18	9	Robbie Shrewsbury	Walnut Cove, NC