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Ward Grabs Hard-Won Victory at Bowman Gray
Brent Elliott wins second Modified race; A.J. Sanders wins Craftsman Stadium Stock 50.

Dean Ward taking his victory lap after winning the first Modified race. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) It may have seemed like just another checkered flag to the fans at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday, but Dean Ward’s win in the first Modified race was a pinnacle moment in his racing career.
            Ward, of Winston-Salem, qualified on the pole and led all the way in the 25-lapper for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series. “We’ve won three races now, but the others have been because we drew up there,” said Ward. “We’ve earned them any way we could get them, but this one I can really say we earned.”
            The key to victory on Saturday was Ward’s fastest qualifying lap – the first time that he had ever claimed the pole. “We’ve been inching up on it. I think we’ve finally got a few things together,” said Ward.
            After securing the lead on the initial restart, Ward never looked back. With no caution, he sailed ahead for 25 green flag laps to grab his third career win.

Brent Elliott (72) defending his lead from Chris Fleming (40). photo by Eric Hylton Photography

            And Ward was happy to not see a caution: he had extra driving challenges due a broken thumb. “I really didn’t want a restart,” said Ward, who had to compensate for the injury by driving and switching gears with his right hand.
            “On the initial start, I had my broken thumb up on the steering wheel so I could shift gears. And when I jerked it down, I hit the seat,” said Ward. “And then it just throbbed. I just thought, ‘Don’t miss your mark – forget the pain.’”
            Tim Brown of Rural Hall finished second, with Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg taking third.
            The “Madhouse Scramble” sent Brent Elliott of Denton to the pole for the start of the second race. Chris Fleming of Mount Airy started on the outside front row. Fleming, who was bumped out of the lead just one week prior, was hoping to turn around his luck and land up in Victory Lane.
            When the green flag dropped, Elliott and Fleming battled side-by-side for over a lap until Fleming decided to settle into second place. The #40 of Fleming immediately began delivering strong taps to the rear bumper of Elliott.
            Lap after lap, Fleming applied the pressure to Elliott. But Elliott, a veteran Stadium driver, held off Fleming for 25 laps to bring home the win. “I made sure I got right in the corner and checked up good – as long as you do that, it’s hard to spin a man out,” said Elliott.
            Fleming finished right behind him in second. Junior Miller of Danbury finished in third.

A.J. Sanders in Winner’s Circle after winning the Craftsman Stadium Stock 50. photo by Eric Hylton Photography

            In the first 20-lap race for the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Zack Clifton of Walkertown took his first win ever in the Sportsman Division. He soared ahead of Rich Hunter of Winston-Salem, who finished in second, and Evan Duggins of Rural Hall, who claimed third.
            In the second race, Gary Ledbetter of Lexington bumped Michael Tilley of Winston-Salem out of the lead in the final laps of the race. Ledbetter went on to win with Jeff Garrison of Arcadia coming in second. “He blocked for 19 laps. I figured that was enough,” said Ledbetter about Tilley. “We didn’t come over here to make friends.”
            15-year old John Holleman of Winston-Salem claimed victory in the Q104.1 New Country Street Stock Series. David Sumner of Trinity finished second.
            Saturday was the Craftsman Stadium Stock 50 – the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series. Charlie Curry qualified on the pole, but it was A.J. Sanders who climbed his way forward to take the win.
            Sanders took the lead with a daring outside-row challenge on lap 25. And when the checkered flag waved, emotions rushed over him. “If you know what happened last year, I didn’t get to run this race. I about got killed,” said Sanders, who was struck by a car near his home last year and was hospitalized. “This means a lot,” said Sanders.

Race Results

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

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

Second Modified Race: 25 laps

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

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

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
2	71	Rich Hunter	Winston-Salem, NC
3	12	Evan Duggins	Rural Hall, NC
4	79	John Lain	Kernersville, NC
5	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
6	3	Jeff Garrison	Arcadia, NC
7	9	David Adams	Yadkinville, NC
8	26	Michael Tilley	Winston-Salem, NC
9	92	Kyle Southern	King, NC
10	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
11	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
12	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
13	03	Jordan Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
14	8	Bobby Reed	Clemmons, NC
15	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
16	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC
17	55	Zack Ore	Winston-Salem, NC
18	99	T.J. Moran	Yadkinville, NC
19	18	Kenny Bost	Lexington, NC
20	22	Stacey Miller	Kernersville, NC
21	07	Danny Cornwell	Clemmons, NC

Second Sportsman race: 20 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	70	Gary Ledbetter	Lexington, NC
2	3	Jeff Garrison	Arcadia, NC
3	79	John Lain	Kernersville, NC
4	12	Evan Duggins	Rural Hall, NC
5	81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC
6	92	Kyle Southern	King, NC
7	13	Luke Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
8	19	Michael Adams	Yadkinville, NC
9	02	Derek Stoltz	Walkertown, NC
10	18	Kenny Bost	Lexington, NC
11	8	Bobby Reed	Clemmons, NC
12	9	David Adams	Yadkinville, NC
13	07	Danny Cornwell	Clemmons, NC
14	55	Zack Ore	Winston-Salem, NC
15	72	Bryant Robertson	Lexington, NC
16	38	Mitch Gales	Thomasville,NC
17	03	Jordan Fleming	Mount Airy, NC
18	22	Stacey Miller	Kernersville, NC
19	26	Michael Tilley	Winston-Salem, NC
20	71	Rich Hunter	Winston-Salem, NC
21	99	T.J. Moran	Yadkinville, 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	1	David Sumner	Trinity, NC
3	9	Darren Cotner	King, NC
4	55	Stephen Baker	Kernersville, NC
5	98	Billy Gregg	Lexington, NC
6	8	K.J. Stimpson	Lewisville, NC
7	12	Doug Wall	Pfafftown, NC
8	22	Brian Wall	Winston-Salem, NC
9	44	Daniel Fishel	Greensboro, NC
10	66	Whitney Clifton	Walkertown, NC
11	88	Nick Brill	Lewisville, NC
12	33	David Thomas	Walkertown, NC
13	18	Tim Vaden	Kernersville, NC
14	26	Frank Myers	Haram, GA
15	16	Allen Henkel	Trinity, NC
16	00	Donnie Martin	Winston-Salem, NC
17	94	Jeffery Wood	Southmont, NC
18	21	Justin Taylor	King, NC

Summer Shootout Stadium Stock Series
Craftsman Stadium Stock 50: 50 laps

FINISH	CAR	DRIVER	HOMETOWN
1	24	A.J. Sanders	Mocksville, NC
2	26	Derek Taylor	Yadkinville, NC
3	61	Charlie Curry	Lexington, NC
4	69	Drew Moffitt	Winston-Salem, NC
5	17	Andy Southern	Winston-Salem, NC
6	31	Zack Staley	Lexington, NC
7	62	Kevin Hedgecock	Thomasville, NC
8	89	Joseph Swanson	Rural Hall, NC
9	3	Rik Newsom	East Bend, NC
10	59	Shane Tuttle	Winston-Salem, NC
11	02	Wesley Thompson	Mocksville, NC
12	1H	Daniel Yates	Lexington, NC
13	76	Billy Cameron Jr	Salisbury, NC
14	8	Shane Southard	Yadkinville, NC
15	72	Roger Vogler	Winston-Salem, NC
16	22	Jason Tutterow	Advance, NC
17	60	Ted Mickalowski	Mocksville, NC
18	16	Stephen Sanders	Winston-Salem, NC
19	13	Chase Hunt	Lexington, NC
20	01	Jason Keaton	Mocksville, NC
21	81	Chuck Wall	Lexington, NC
22	1	Rob Young	Winston-Salem, NC
23	42	Phillip Wright	King, NC
24	55	Tyler Burke	Winston-Salem, NC
25	44	Andrew Durham	Mocksville, NC