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SMT: Series Caraway preview

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour News & Notes The Firecracker 150 at Caraway Speedway Myers Looks For Win At One Of His Favorite Tracks Firecracker 150 Means An End To Summer Break Bristol Race To Air On SPEED Myers Ready To Visit Victory ...

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour News & Notes

The Firecracker 150 at Caraway Speedway
Myers Looks For Win At One Of His Favorite Tracks
Firecracker 150 Means An End To Summer Break
Bristol Race To Air On SPEED

Myers Ready To Visit Victory Lane At Caraway Burt Myers (No. 1 Capital Bank Ford) is no stranger to success in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. In fact, Myers is no stranger to success in any type of race car. That's why it seems a little unusual for the Walnut Cove, N.C., driver to not have a win in 2009. But then again, there have been only four races thus far and Myers is ready to be heard from as the season gets back underway this Friday night at Caraway Speedway.

Myers is the most successful driver in the history of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour who has yet to win a championship and if he has his way, this will no longer be used to introduce him next year.

"We are ready to get back to racing in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour," said Myers. "I love running at (Bowman-Gray) Stadium, but I am ready to get to Caraway this weekend."

Myers has won three races at 'The Stadium' while on break from the Tour and has also spent his free time preparing for the first-ever visit by the Whelen Modifieds to Bristol Motor Speedway.

"I went there and tested a couple of weeks ago and that was the most fun I have ever had in a race car," said Myers. "You can treat the track like a big speedway because when you make changes to the car, you can tell a big difference when you go back out on the track."

Myers is chasing current NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader George Brunnhoelzl III, Andy Seuss and defending Tour champion Brian Loftin as the four are separated by less than 40 points. However, Myers adds there is plenty of racing yet to be done this year.

"Unfortunately, we should be about six or seven races into our season but Mother Nature decided not to cooperate with us in the spring," he said. "We have about 10 or so races left and that is plenty of time to catch the guys and get the lead."

Myers has five career wins on the Tour and has never finished lower than ninth in the final standings. He currently holds or shares six NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour records. Among them is being the first full-time Whelen Southern Modified driver to win a race when he won the second race ever held in the history of the Tour on March 26, 2005 at Caraway.

The win in 2005 was the only time Myers visited Victory Lane at Caraway and he wants to make the second visit this Friday night.

"That track is a tough place to figure out sometimes," said Myers. "We race there so many times that you think you can figure out the right setup. But there have been times when we raced up front all night and ran well, then we come back a couple of weeks later and can't even get out of our own way."

Myers finished 10th the last time he raced at Caraway in the only race held at the track so far this season. While some drivers might be happy with a top-10 finish, Myers expects more from himself every week.

"We can run better at Caraway and I expect us to this weekend," said Myers. "Of course, the rest of the guys will be ready and it should be a typical Caraway race with about 10 or so cars capable of winning the race."

Some of those drivers he expects to challenge for the win include Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwarp/PT Ford), Andy Seuss (No. 47 Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/Stuart Auto Dodge), Brian Loftin (No. 23 L&R Transmissions Chevrolet) and L.W. Miller (No. 36 John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac). Seuss and Christopher are the only two drivers to visit Victory Lane this season.

News & Notes

The Track ... Caraway Speedway is a .455-mile paved oval and is considered the "home" track of the southern division of the modifieds. The track has hosted 24 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events, dating back to March 2005.

The Records ... Qualifying: George Brunnhoelzl III, April 11, 2009, 102.844 mph, 15.752 seconds; Race: Junior Miller, Sept. 9, 2006, 90.977 mph, 44 minutes 30 seconds. Caraway Winners ... Brian Loftin and L.W. Miller lead all winners at Caraway Speedway with six victories, respectively.

Other Caraway winners ... NASCAR veteran Junior Miller has won five times at Caraway while Tim Brown has won twice at Caraway. Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified champion Ted Christopher has won three times at Caraway in 2005 & 2006 and most recently in April of this year.

Pole Winners ... Burt Myers has collected eight of his NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-record 19 Coors Light Pole Awards at Caraway Speedway.

George Brunnhoelzl III won the pole at the most recent race held at the track in April.

Fast Facts

The Race: Firecracker 150
The Place: Caraway Speedway,

Asheboro, N.C.

The Date: Friday, July 3, 2009
The Time: 8 p.m. ET

Track Layout: .455-mile paved
Race Purse: $24,806

2009 Winner: Ted Christopher
2009 Pole: George Brunnhoelzl III

Schedule:
Friday, July 3
Practice 4:30-5:15 p.m.
Time Trials: 6:30 p.m.

Last Race Recap: Seuss Dominates In Georgia

George Brunnhoelzl III (No. 28 Oval Speed/Fibrwarp/PT Ford) entered the Lanier 150 looking to defend his race win from 2008, but the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader had nothing for Andy Seuss (No. 47 Advance Auto Parts/Q Racing Oil/Stuart Auto Dodge). In fact, no one had anything for the Hampstead, N.H., native.

Seuss, who started the season finishing last at Concord Speedway when mechanical problems ended his night just four laps into the race, has won two races and finished second in the three races since opening night.

"I wish we could keep racing next week," Seuss said in Victory Lane at Lanier. "We have really got a lot of momentum now and I wish we could keep racing instead of taking a break."

Seuss started the race seventh and moved up to second by Lap 20 to leader Ted Christopher (No. 00Sherm's Towing Chevrolet).

Seuss was able to pass Christopher on Lap 44 and remained out front the rest of the night and was never really challenged. L.W. Miller (No. 36 John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac) finished third with Brian Loftin (No. 23 L&R Transmissions/QMF Metal Solutions Chevrolet) and Jason Myers (No. 4 Capital Bank/Moorefield & Trantham Enterprises Ford).

The race was slowed just two times for caution with all 14 starters running at the end of the race. Defending tour rookie of the year Buddy Emory (No.02 RCS Construction Chevrolet) was sixth, followed by Christopher in seventh.

Bristol's UNOH Perfect Storm 150 to air on SPEED

Tour Review

NASCAR announced today that the inaugural NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour event at Bristol Motor Speedway will be broadcast on SPEED.

The UNOH Perfect Storm at Bristol, a 150-lap combination race between the two NASCAR Modified divisions, will mark the first appearance for both the Whelen and Whelen Southern Modified Tours at the "World's Fastest Half Mile" in Bristol, Tenn.

The UNOH Perfect Storm at Bristol is set to go green at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19 and SPEED will broadcast the event on a 45-minute tape-delay beginning at 7 p.m.

"With a heritage as NASCAR's oldest division, the Modifieds have long had some of the most passionate fansin the sport, and we are excited to provide the loyal fan base with an opportunity to follow all of the action," said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations.

"We appreciate the support of Whelen Engineering, the University of Northwestern Ohio and SPEED in helping to bring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours to a national television audience."

-credit: nascar

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