 A
winner nearly everywhere he has gone in his distinguished
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour career, two-time
champion George Brunnhoelzl III was missing one notable
notch on his belt: a win at Bowman Gray Stadium. On Saturday
in the Strutmasters.com 199, that notch was carved out.
Brunnhoelzl, from West Babylon, N.Y., took the lead from
polesitter and five-time Bowman Gray track champion Burt
Myers on Lap 26 and held on through nine restarts –
including a green-white-checker finish – for his first win
in five tries at the famed quarter mile.
Tim Brown crossed the finish line second and Cole Powell
joined him on the podium in third. Jason Myers and Andy
Seuss completed the top five.
Kyle Ebersole, Frank Fleming, Mike Norman, Burt Myers and
Danny Bohn brought home the top 10.
The victory was the fourth in six races this year for
Brunnhoelzl, the 2009 and 2011 titlist in the Whelen
Southern Modified Tour. He also extended his own record for
career tour wins to 15.
The win did not come easy for Brunnhoelzl, however. Not only
did he have to weather those restarts, but he had to hold
off Burt Myers and Ryan Preece, who waged a battle
throughout the event for the second position.
Preece and Myers tangled on Lap 194 to bring out the final
caution of the night, an event-record 13th yellow. Myers got
the worst of it at the time, but Preece later got tied up
with Seuss coming toward the checkered flag.
Before Preece and Myers got together, Brunnhoelzl and Preece
put on a spirited battle for the lead.
“We definitely had a good car and I kept my eye on Preece
because he is always good where ever he goes,” Burnnhoelzl
said. “We got together and beat and banged a little, but
from what I hear that is Bowman Gray racing, and I hope we
put on a good show for the fans because that is what we are
here to do.”
The win was also emotional for Brunnhoelzl, who celebrated
the birth of his daughter Riley a month ago. He and his wife
Heather were finally able to bring her home earlier this
week.
“Don’t get me wrong, wins are great, but to be able to bring
my daughter home, that takes the cake,” Brunnhoelzl said.
“Hands down that is better than anything I could ever ask
for [right now].”
The final restart of the race set up the two lap dash to the
finish, and after Preece and Seuss got together in Turn 3 on
the final lap, it allowed Brown to pick up a runner-up
finish despite not having his best night.
“That [last-lap accident] helped me because we had a fourth
or fifth-place car tonight,” Brown said. “Thank God I can
get around this place even when the car is not good because
we just missed it tonight.”
Following Brown through the carnage in Turn 4 was rookie
Cole Powell, who picked up his first top-five finish in just
his second start on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified
Tour.
The Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Canada driver made the 17-hour
commute with his family to the historic track and he enjoyed
every minute of it despite having to start the race from the
rear of the field.
“I am still blown away from this,” said Powell. “I went a
lap down and my crew kept telling me to not give up and kept
digging. I just can’t thank my sponsors enough, Tricar and
Copp’s Build All. Without them I wouldn’t be here.”
With his fourth win of the season, and third in a row since
April 21, Brunnhoelzl was able to add to his lead and now
sits in first place by 45 points over place Jason Myers
(267-222) who moved into second place by one point over L.W.
Miller.
“I can’t believe we came home fourth after the trouble we
had tonight with a penalty leaving the pits and falling back
on a restart,” said Myers. “We will keep digging and see
what happens the second half of the season.”
The race was slowed a series record 13 times by caution for
84 laps – also a series record in a points event since the
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour began operating under
NASCAR sanction in 2005.
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will return to
action with the fourth annual UNOH Perfect Storm 150
combination event with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at
Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Aug. 22.
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NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour-Strutmasters.com 199 Results
Saturday At Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC
Lap length: 0.25 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (2) George Brunnhoelzl, III, West Babylon, N.Y., 204 laps,
37.340 mph.
2. (3) Tim Brown, Cana, VA, 204.
3. (22) Cole Powell, Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Canada, 204.
4. (4) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., 204.
5. (12) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., 204.
6. (11) Kyle Ebersole, Hummelstown, PA, 204.
7. (7) Frank Fleming, Mount Airy, N.C., 204.
8. (16) Mike Norman, Lewisville, NC, 204.
9. (1) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, NC, 204.
10. (13) Danny Bohn, Freehold, NJ, 204.
11. (5) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., 203.
12. (21) Joe Scarbrough, Richmond, VA, 203.
13. (17) L W Miller, Dushore, PA, 201.
14. (20) Michael Speeney, Newtown, PA, 198.
15. (15) Bryan Dauzat, Alexandria, LA, 185.
16. (6) John Smith, Mount Airy, NC, 159, accident.
17. (8) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, Mass., 145, engine.
18. (14) Jonny Kievman, Deerfield Beach, Fla, 145, engine.
19. (24) Jeremy Gerstner, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 89, electrical.
20. (25) Brian Weber, Coram, NY, 73, handling.
21. (19) Gary Putnam, Concord, NC, 72, engine.
22. (9) Brian Loftin, Lexington, NC, 56, engine.
23. (10) Thomas Stinson, Chester, VA, 56, suspension.
24. (23) AJ Winstead, Richmond, VA, 35, accident.
25. (18) Brandon Ward, Winston-Salem, NC, 32, accident.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 21 minutes 57 seconds
Margin of Victory: 1.420 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: B.Myers (68.234 mph, 13.19 seconds)
Caution Flags: 13 for 84 laps.
Lead Changes: 1 among 2 drivers.
Lap Leaders: B. Myers 1-25; G. Brunnhoelzl,III 26-204.
Standings: 1. G. Brunnhoelzl,III, 267; 2. J. Myers, 222; 3. L.
Miller, 221; 4. D. Bohn, 220; 5. T. Brown, 212; 6. B. Myers, 207; 7. B.
Loftin, 201; 8. K. Ebersole, 201; 9. F. Fleming, 197; 10. A. Seuss, 190.. |
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