Burt Myers Claims Pole Start at Bowman Gray
Myers hopes to start season with victory in Hayes Jewelers 200.
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Burt Myers preparing to start his qualifying run. photo by Eric Hylton Photography |
(Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC) Burt Myers turned the fastest lap in last night’s qualifying session for the Hayes Jewelers 200. He’ll start on the pole for the longest and most prestigious race of the season for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
There have been a few changes to Myers’s team in 2012: his former crew chief, Scott Widener, went to work for a Sprint cup team. But Myers was unphased. “Scott was crew chief by title. But it’s my team, and most of the stuff passes by me anyway,” said Myers.
Starting order for tonight’s 200-lapper is decided strictly by qualifying, so competitors were working all Friday to prepare for their time trials.
But while other race teams took practice lap after practice lap in an effort to fine tune their cars, Myers took a different approach. “I think a lot of people were putting on new tires and making mockup runs, and we never did that. We basically went off of what we did last year,” said Myers.
Ironically, that worked out to his advantage. “I think the biggest thing that really helped us was this afternoon - the track was really greasy. And we didn’t spend a lot of time on the track.”
Lee Jeffreys of Wallburg will start on the outside front row beside Myers. George Brunnhoelzl from Babylon, NY made the trip from New York to try his hand at Modified racing at Bowman Gray Stadium. He qualified third. Jason Myers of Walnut Cove will start fourth, with Tim Brown of Rural Hall starting in fifth.
Like other long-distance races at Bowman Gray Stadium, the Hayes Jewelers 200 will use the double-file restart rule, meaning that Myers and the other front-runners will have to fight constantly to defend their positions. “There will be plenty of restarts with a full field of cars – there’s going to be a lot of cautions,” predicted Myers.
“You need to stay in the front – hopefully that’s the safest place,” said Myers. “But I’ve been coming over here long enough to know that you can’t make a plan.”
The top 10 qualifiers locked in their starting position last night. There will be another round of qualifying tonight to determine positions 11 through 24. Competitors may choose to stand on their times from last night or scrap their time and requalify tonight.
In the Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series, Gary Ledbetter of Lexington turned the fastest qualifying lap for tonight’s 40-lap Sportsman race.
Ticket gates open at 6:00 for practice. The first race starts at 8:00. For more information, visit www.bowmangrayracing.com.
Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
April 27 Qualifying Results for the Hayes Jewelers 200.
The top 10 positions are locked in. Remaining competitors have the option of requalifying tonight.
RANK |
TIME |
CAR |
DRIVER |
HOMETOWN |
1 |
13.250 |
1 |
Burt Myers |
Walnut Cove, NC |
2 |
13.282 |
77 |
Lee Jeffreys |
Wallburg, NC |
3 |
13.364 |
09 |
George Brunnhoezl III |
West Babylon, NY |
4 |
13.372 |
4 |
Jason Myers |
Walnut Cove, NC |
5 |
13.422 |
83 |
Tim Brown |
Rural Hall, NC |
6 |
13.465 |
66 |
Ronnie Clifton |
Walkertown, NC |
7 |
13.471 |
75 |
Robert Jeffreys |
Winston-Salem, NC |
8 |
13.478 |
5 |
Randy Butner |
Pfafftown, NC |
9 |
13.491 |
20 |
Jeremy Stoltz |
Walkertown, NC |
10 |
13.493 |
25 |
John Smith |
Mount Airy, NC |
11 |
13.577 |
50 |
Michael Clifton |
Walkertown, NC |
12 |
13.614 |
28 |
Mike Adams |
Winston-Salem, NC |
13 |
13.648 |
53 |
Brian Loftin |
Lexington, NC |
14 |
13.658 |
65 |
Danny Bohn |
Huntersville, NC |
15 |
13.659 |
22 |
Jonathan Brown |
Winston-Salem, NC |
16 |
13.713 |
40 |
Chris Fleming |
Mount Airy, NC |
17 |
13.762 |
04 |
Kevin Powell |
Winston-Salem, NC |
18 |
13.780 |
81 |
Austin Pack |
Walkertown, NC |
19 |
13.897 |
69 |
Junior Miller |
Danbury, NC |
20 |
13.921 |
48 |
Brad Robbins |
Winston-Salem, NC |
21 |
13.968 |
12 |
Mike Norman |
Lewisville, NC |
22 |
13.976 |
70 |
Noah Triplett |
Lexington, NC |
23 |
14.006 |
21 |
Tommy Neal |
Walkertown, NC |
24 |
14.013 |
05 |
Tony Black |
Lexington, NC |
25 |
14.066 |
64 |
Steven Truell |
Winston-Salem, NC |
26 |
14.230 |
2 |
Joseph Brown |
Winston-Salem, NC |
27 |
14.262 |
68 |
Robbie Brewer |
Winston-Salem, NC |
28 |
14.284 |
37 |
Thomas Ferrando |
Rians, France |
Webb Heating & A/C Co. Sportsman Series
April 27 qualifying results for tonight’s 40-lapper to determine which drivers would compete. Starting lineup yet to be determined by random draw.
RANK |
TIME |
CAR |
DRIVER |
HOMETOWN |
1 |
14.889 |
70 |
Gary Ledbetter |
Lexington, NC |
2 |
15.105 |
19 |
Michael Adams |
Yadkinville, NC |
3 |
15.175 |
86 |
Taylor Branch |
Lewisville, NC |
4 |
15.252 |
13 |
Luke Fleming |
Mount Airy, NC |
5 |
15.254 |
02 |
Derek Stoltz |
Walkertown, NC |
6 |
15.303 |
79 |
John Lain |
Germanton, NC |
7 |
15.306 |
3 |
Jeff Garrison |
Clemmons, NC |
8 |
15.342 |
7 |
Ronnie Barron |
Lexington, NC |
9 |
15.370 |
81 |
Zack Clifton |
Walkertown, NC |
10 |
15.409 |
31 |
Ryan Nelson |
Winston-Salem, NC |
11 |
15.456 |
26 |
Michael Tilley |
Winston-Salem, NC |
12 |
15.458 |
8 |
Bobby Reed |
Winston-Salem, NC |
13 |
15.470 |
0 |
Rich Hunter |
Winston-Salem, NC |
14 |
15.488 |
20 |
Jake Creed |
Ararat, NC |
15 |
15.498 |
03 |
Jordan Fleming |
Mount Airy, NC |
16 |
15.543 |
72 |
Bryant Robertson |
Lexington, NC |
17 |
15.650 |
50 |
Barry Edwards |
Pinnacle, NC |
18 |
15.700 |
92 |
Kyle Southern |
King, NC |
19 |
15.950 |
07 |
Danny Cornwell |
Clemmons, NC |
20 |
16.269 |
55 |
Zack Ore |
Winston-Salem, NC |
21 |
16.271 |
18 |
Kenny Bost |
Kernersville, NC |
22 |
16.284 |
22 |
Stacey Miller |
Kernersville, NC |
23 |
16.553 |
52 |
David Sell |
Winston-Salem, NC |
24 |
17.010 |
5 |
Billy Jack |
Winston-Salem, NC |
25 |
18.124 |
14 |
Rudy Ruddock |
High Point, NC |
26 |
33.573 |
9 |
David Adams |
Yadkinville, NC |