The 76th season of Bowman Gray Stadium Racing is here and that means it’s time for Saturday’s Hayes Jewelers 200 in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
Qualifying took place Friday night for Saturday’s 200-lap race. And just like in many years past, 10-time Modified champ Burt Myers had the fastest lap at 13.393 seconds. The blazing time narrowly squeaked past defending Modified champion Brandon Ward, who clocked in at just 6-1000ths of a second behind Myers.
That sets a strong front row for the season-opening race.
“We’ve got one goal today and that was qualifying on the pole,” Myers said. “We’ve got one more (Saturday) and that’s to win the race. People ask me about points, talk about the championship. I said, our goal right now is to win races, qualify on the pole (and hopefully win the championship).”
Despite winning last year’s Modified title, Ward neither won a race nor qualified on the pole. Myers won three races last year, including last year’s 150-lap season finale in which Ward finished runner-up.
Since 1996 when Tim Brown won his first of 12 championships, Ward is just the fifth Modified champion in the past 27 years. Other than Brown and Myers, Junior Miller won in 2000 and 2003, and Danny Bohn won in 2014.
Ward, however, had 13 top-five finishes and 20 top-10 finishes last year. Myers, on the other hand, had 12 top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes.
The rest of the top 10 qualifiers Friday night for Saturday’s 200-lap race were Lee Jeffreys (13.408), Brown (13.412), Bohn (13.509), Chris Fleming (13.510), John Holleman (13.522), Jason Myers (13.576), Randy Butner (13.683), and Jordan Fleming, Chris’ son, rounded out the top-10 at 13.708.
Myers had his first practice of the season at Bowman Gray on Friday.
“Coming over here is like riding a bike,” he said. “…Today’s the first time all year and right off the truck I think we were the fastest in practice. We were on tires left over from last year.”
In addition to Saturday’s Hayes Jewelers 200 in the Modified Series, there will be a 40-lap race in Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series, and either one or two 15-lap races in Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.
There were 13 drivers who qualified on Friday for the 40-lap Sportsman Series race, but that was just to guarantee a spot in Saturday’s field. More drivers are likely to qualify on Saturday. In addition, there is a full-field redraw for the 40-lap race once it is determined how many drivers will be in the field.
Of the 13 drivers who qualified in the Sportsman Series, Chase Robertson, the defending points championship had the fastest qualifying lap at 14.613 seconds. Rounding out the top five was Tommy Neal (14.699), Zack Ore (14.703), Sterling Plemmons (14.741), and Michael Adams (14.768).
Ticket gates open at 6:00, and the first race is at 8:00. Tickets are available on-site and online at www.bowmangrayracing.com.
Qualifying Results
Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
First Qualifying Session for the Hayes Jewelers 200
RANK | TIME | CAR | DRIVER | HOMETOWN |
1 | 13.393 | 1 | Burt Myers | Kernersville, NC |
2 | 13.399 | 04 | Brandon Ward | Winston-Salem, NC |
3 | 13.408 | 75 | Lee Jeffreys | Wallburg, NC |
4 | 13.412 | 83 | Tim Brown | Tobaccoville, NC |
5 | 13.509 | 57 | Danny Bohn | Mooresville, NC |
6 | 13.510 | 16 | Chris Fleming | Mount Airy, NC |
7 | 13.522 | 69 | John Holleman IV | Winston-Salem, NC |
8 | 13.576 | 4 | Jason Myers | Walnut Cove, NC |
9 | 13.683 | 5 | Randy Butner | Pfafftown, NC |
10 | 13.708 | 13 | Jordan Fleming | Mount Airy, NC |
11 | 13.709 | 51 | Drew Moffitt | Lexington, NC |
12 | 13.715 | 6 | Slate Myers | Kernersville, NC |
13 | 13.760 | 92 | Kyle Southern | Walnut Cove, NC |
14 | 14.002 | 81 | Zack Clifton | Walkertown, NC |
15 | 14.002 | 07 | Riley Neal | Walkertown, NC |
16 | 14.014 | 45 | Lee Stimpson | Winston-Salem, NC |
17 | 14.186 | 39 | Gerald Robinson Jr. | Winston-Salem, NC |
18 | 14.296 | 18 | Andy Noto | Burgaw, NC |
19 | 14.513 | 72 | Bryant Robertson | Lexington, NC |
20 | 16.247 | 99 | William Smith | Mount Airy, NC |
Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series
Qualifying for Opening Night 40-lap race
RANK | TIME | CAR | DRIVER | HOMETOWN |
1 | 14.613 | 31 | Chase Robertson | Winston-Salem, NC |
2 | 14.699 | 21 | Tommy Neal | Rural Hall, NC |
3 | 14.703 | 55 | Zack Ore | Winston-Salem, NC |
4 | 14.741 | 03 | Sterling Plemmons | Winston-Salem, NC |
5 | 14.768 | 19 | Michael Adams | Yadkinville, NC |
6 | 14.771 | 54 | Braden Mills | Winston-Salem, NC |
7 | 14.795 | 2 | Amber Lynn | Walkertown, NC |
8 | 14.874 | 7 | Connor Branch | Lexington, NC |
9 | 14.909 | 12 | Justin Taylor | King, NC |
10 | 14.977 | 22 | Wesley Thompson | Advance, NC |
11 | 15.013 | 38 | Mitch Gales | Thomasville, NC |
12 | 15.154 | 43 | Brandon Brendle | Tobaccoville, NC |
13 | 15.378 | 24 | A.J. Bernys | Mooresville, NC |
14 | 19.372 | 15 | T. Dawson | Lexington, NC |
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