Jeffreys, Myers Claim Victory at Bowman Gray

After last week’s rainout at Bowman Gray Stadium, two familiar names dotted the marquee in the two 25-lap races in the Brad’s Golf Car’s Modified Series Saturday night.

Lee Jeffreys, who picked up his 26^th victory, won the first race, and Burt Myers, who has won 94 races and 10 points championships, won the second 25-lap race.

Jeffreys started on the pole for the first race after qualifying with the fastest lap of 13.340 seconds, just ahead of Tim Brown, who qualified at 13.380.

“To get one this early in the season is real good,” Jeffreys said. “People just don’t realize what’s went into the shop this winter. This car, we rebuilt it. I got a new car that I’m tinkering with, so we’re going to break it out here in a couple weeks.”

Midway through the race with Mike Speeney just behind Jeffreys, Speeney tapped him to try and swerve past him for first place. Jeffreys swerved after the bump, but he maintained his position.

“If you run over here long enough, you’re going to have to be able to take a pounding,” Jeffreys said. “I mean, he just hit me a few times. That’s what you’re supposed to do. He didn’t hit me to take me out. And I mean, we ran a race there.”

After maintaining his lead, toward the end of the race, Jeffreys got behind some lapped traffic, which allowed Speeney to inch closer. However, Jeffreys was able to slide to the win.

“It got a little hairy there at the end with lapped traffic, but he gave me a couple shots. I mean, that’s all you can ask for,” Jeffreys said. “And I mean when he’s in front me like that for a win I’ll be sure to remember that.”

Brown was third, Brandon Ward was fourth and Chris Fleming was fifth.

“We just like to come have fun each week,” Jeffreys said. “And we love the fans to come down to the pits and to support our sponsors. You know, we like the fans to support all the sponsors because I like I said before – if they don’t support them, there’ll be a lot of cars that can’t run. So, we appreciate all the help they can get.” 

After the race, Jeffreys drew 10 in the Madhouse Scramble, which inverted the field for the second 25-lap Modified race there. That put Riley Neal, who asked Burt Myers earlier on Saturday if he could race on his team in one of Myers’ son’s car, Slate, on the pole. With Neal on the pole ,Myers started second.

It was Myers’ third win of the season. 

“The first race (on Saturday), we got turned around there and knocked through the grass and kind of landed in a spot,” Burt Myers said. “It’s like I’ve been preaching to Slate, sometimes you’ve just got to take what it can give you and tonight it gave us a redraw. We were fortunate enough to win the race.”

After winning, Myers didn’t celebrate too much.

“It’s bittersweet because the 07 (Neal) came over to us earlier and wanted to know if he could drive our car,” Burt Myers said. “I knew he was racing Slate for rookie of the year. But we did the neighborly thing, the racer’s thing, and we let them drive the car, and it hurt Slate (who finished 15^th in the second race) tonight in rookie points and also hurt Jason (Myers, Burt’s brother) by us fixing the 6 car to run the second race.

“But we came to win and I wouldn’t expect my brother or anybody else that I race with to do anything any different than what we did. But it’s still hard when you mix business and family.

“I’m not going to put anymore dirty laundry on the line…This one feels a little different. But a win’s a win. I learned that a long time ago. Over here, you take ‘em how you can get ‘em.”

The only thing that kept Burt Myers from dominating the race and cruising to a win against runner-up Junior Snow was four cautions.

“I knew if we got going we were good,” Burt Myers said. “I wasn’t very good when we first fired off the first couple laps. And I’ve watched Junior’s car in practice, and I watched him in the first race. His car fires early. It’s quick early. It rotates and gets off the corner good. So, I had to try to plan a restart to where I could get enough gap on him. Once I got enough gap, I could run my line and pull away, but I just didn’t want to blow it and give him an opportunity to be able to run in there and be able to run into me.”

Picking up his third win of the season and 94^th of his Modified career, Burt Myers is just four wins behind Brown, the leader in all-time wins.

“We’re getting there. We’re getting there,” Burt Myers said. “We didn’t think at the beginning of the year… Me and Tim have had anywhere from a seven- to an eleven-race gap for years. And he’s got seven on me.

“But here we’ve won three and he’s still shutout. But it’s not likely that I’ll get to 100 before him just because their team is so good. But hey, we’re on the right track to do it.”

Justin Taylor did something he hadn’t not done all season Saturday night in the Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series. He won a race in the first 20-lap race of the night.

Taylor started second behind Nate Gregg, but Taylor quickly took the lead and won after three cautions.

“We struggled all last year. We struggled the beginning of this year, I owe it to my guys, man,” Joyce said. “They didn’t give up on me. The best car we’ve had all year was a 12^th-place and here we are. It’s completely different than the last time we raced. Man, they worked their tails off and I’m so proud of them.”

Gregg finished runner-up, followed by Wesley Thompson, Brandon Brendle, and Chase Robertson.

The winner of the second 20-lap Sportsman Series is new to the series, but he’s certainly not new to Bowman Gray Stadium Racing. Jonathan Brown, a 25-time winner in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series, started on the pole after Taylor drew 12 in the Madhouse Scramble after the first race, and won the race.

The car that Brown won in is owned by fellow Sportsman driver Tommy Neal.

“I miss this place,” Brown said. “And I’m going to tell you what, I’ve been praying about this for a while. I’ve been wanting to come run some Sportsman. I’m going to tell you why I won. Jesus put me right here to tell everybody he’s my Lord and Savior. He can be yours too. I’m going to give all the glory to Him. He’s my No. 1 sponsor today.”

Brendle finished runner-up in the second race, followed by Michael Adams, Taylor, and Robertson.

Emilee Lewis won her first race Saturday night after winning the 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series.

Not only did Lewis win, she beat her father, Brad Lewis, who finished runner-up. Emilee Lewis started second behind her father and quickly took the lead.

“There’s not many people that can say they get to do this with their Old Man, so I’m proud of that one,” Emilee Lewis said. “I’ve got to thank my parents first because I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. They’re awesome people and they let me do this.  

“Next up, I’ve got to thank Dylan Ward. This man sets this car up. It’s a bullet. He’s an awesome guy. He’s in my ear every week. I wouldn’t made it through it without him, so he’s a great guy.”

Hayden Hall was third, Nick Wall was fourth, and Christian Joyce was fifth.

In the first 15-lap race in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series race, Chuck Wall continued his dominance this season with his third win in four tries. It’s also his 33^rd career win.

Wall started second, took the lead on lap 1, and led until lap 5. On lap 5, Grayson Keaton briefly took the lead, but Wall jumped back in front and led the rest of the way despite three cautions.

“You can’t complain about a batting average like that,” Wall said.

Isaac Harris finished runner-up, followed by Connor Keaton, Grayson Keaton, and Brad Mickalowski.

A.J. Sanders won his second race of the season Saturday night after winning the second 15-lap race in the Stadium Stock Series. Sanders started second behind his son, Blaze Sanders, but A.J. Sanders quickly took the lead for the win.

But in order to win, A.J. Sanders had to maneuver his way through some lapped traffic.

“It’s kind of bad because I didn’t want to wreck him, but I was going to move him if I had to,” A.J. Sanders said. “Don’t come up in front of the leaders when they come up to lap you.”

Brandon Crotts finished runner-up, followed by Tyler McDonald, Chris Allison, and DJ Dean.

Next week’s racing at Bowman Gray is highlighted by the Elite Underground Utility 100 presented by Real Rock 105.7 in the Brad’s Golf Car’s Modified Series. As part of the race, the Fans’ Challenge will be back with a chance for daring drivers to win $3,000.

There will be a full-field draw for position. Before the draw, the top four qualifiers have the opportunity to go to the back of the field. If any of those drivers elect to go to the back of the field, and finish in the top four of the 100-lap race, the driver or drivers will win all or part of $3,000. Danny Bohn won $3,000 by finishing fourth in the first 100-lap Modified race this season.

In addition to the 100-lap Modified race there will be twin 20-lap races in the Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series, and one or two 15-lap races in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.  

BGS Racing PR