Burt Myers continued his hot streak Saturday night, and Jonathan Brown picked up his fifth win of the season as both drivers split the twin 50-lap races in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
In the first 50-lap race, Lee Jeffreys won the pole – and after the top-six qualifiers redrew for position, Jeffreys remained on the pole. Jason Myers and his brother Burt sat second and third, with Danny Bohn in fourth.
Burt Myers took the lead from Jeffreys with 20 laps left and led the rest of the way for his fourth win of the season, all since June 25.
“Just hard work,” Burt Myers said. “We won two in our old car. We got really close, and we got this PSR and we’ve been on fire.”
Burt Myers took second place early in the race and went side-by-side with Jeffreys before he made his move along the outside. The two cars clipped each other, and Jeffreys slid into the fence around turn 3. Burt Myers took the lead and led the rest of the way.
“It’s not up to you to decide,” Burt Myers said. “I kind of play it by ear. The restart before that, (Jeffreys) had a pretty good distance on me. The next restart, I got a better restart, so I was door-to-door with him. And when you go down into one door-to-door, it’s worth a shot.
“So, if you’re back a little bit you just gotta get back in line and wait for another restart. They said clear and I checked my spot man, and I was clear and I came down, and Lee did what he was supposed to and give me a shot.”
There were four cautions.
“(Jeffreys) isn’t happy with me for some reason. I don’t know why. I don’t know what I did wrong,” Burt Myers said. “But in the second race he used me up pretty good. I’m not mad. We’re happy with the result we had and look forward to the finale next week.”
Also, Burt Myers picked up 88th win, six behind all-time leader Tim Brown, who’s also the defending and 11-time champion. Brown, who hasn’t won all season and has won at least one race in every racing season since 1993, leads the points chase with just next week’s Carolina Farm Credit 150 left.
“This is the closest I’ve ever been,” Burt Myers said of Tim Brown. “Tim got about a four- or five-year head start on me, so I’m fortunate to be this close. You know, it is what it is. We’re just going to keep digging and try to win at least one more before the year’s out.”
After Burt Myers won the first 50-lap race, he drew 12 in the Madhouse Scramble. That inverted the field and put Jonathan Brown on the pole for the second race. Jonathan Brown took advantage and led every lap on his way to his fifth win of the season.
“We had a pretty good car in the first race, and me and Tim (Brown) just kind of got together and banged wheels. I ended up banging off the wall and losing the right-front tire, and then a shock, and all kinds of stuff,” Jonathan Brown said. “I didn’t realize we were on the pole for the second race. We just kind of threw some stuff at it and halfway eyeballed the tow and stuff.
“I told them we’ll start, run a few laps and pull over. There’s no need to ride around the back and tear the car up. We were backing up, and they said, ‘Hurry up, you’re on the pole.’ And I had no idea, so a whole different mindset. I was like, ‘Alright, we’ve got to get out front and maintain the best we can. We had a pretty decent car, I guess.”
There were five cautions during the second 50-lap race, but Jonathan Brown was unfazed by it. He just kept getting good restarts and maintained his lead.
“I think everybody else was just really tight,” Jonathan Brown said. “And my car was not. It was the exact opposite. It was really free, so I could get going and kind of get in there and roll the center really good between (turns) 1 and 2 and drive up off the bottom wheel straight. And I think that was the key to getting out front and giving me a decent gap there.”
Jonathan Brown also picked up his 25th career win, tying him with Max Berrier for 18th place all-time in the Modified Series. It was also his first win since June 25.
“It feels good to be in Victory Lane again. It’s been so long since I’ve been in Victory Lane,” Jonathan Brown said. “It’s the first time we’ve had this white car out, so we’ve had four of our five wins with this car. So, that’s pretty awesome. But man, it just feels good to show up over here. You know, we’re not really contending in the points or anything, but we’re right there in striking distance if those guys have bad luck.
“But the main thing is just to win races for myself, my crew, my family, for all these fans. And that’s the fun part. It’s better than the checkered flag.”
Tim Brown leads the points unofficially with 696 points, nine ahead of Brandon Ward. Chris Fleming is third with 654, followed by Jonathan Brown (644), Burt Myers (639), and Jason Myers (638).
Riley Neal crossed the finish line first in Saturday’s first 20-lapper for the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series. However, Neal was disqualified after post-race technical inspection and was stripped of the win.
Chase Robertson was awarded the victory, followed by Zack Clifton and Wesley Thompson..
In the second 20-lap Sportsman race, Justin Taylor led from start to finish to win his third race of the season.
There was one caution on lap 11, but Taylor continued to lead Zack Clifton. Clifton finished runner-up, Tommy Neal was third, and Mitch Gales was fourth.
“I knew (with them) behind me it was going to be hard,” Taylor said. “…I was hoping the 38 (Gales) could hang them out because they’ve got good race cars. I just wanted to get as far away as possible.”
With one week left and double points next week, Tommy Neal leads the points chase unofficially with 682 points, 26 ahead of Taylor. Clifton is third with 652, Chase Robertson is fourth with 637, and Michael Adams if fifth with 609.
In the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock race, Zack Staley was leading after 11 laps and was declared the winner after the 20-minute time limit expired.
There were four cautions, including the lap after Taylor Robbins, Nate Gregg, Billy Gregg, and Bryan Sykes were all involved in a colossal wreck coming around turn 1.
Staley was declared the winner, his first of the season. Kevin Gilbert was runner-up, Christian Joyce was third, and Craig Hartless was fourth.
“I needed that so bad,” Staley said. “I’m sorry for everybody who got stuck up behind me. I know I had the slower car. but I won the race.”
In the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series, A.J. Sanders, who is the points leader, continued his winning ways. He picked up his seventh win of the season after fending off runner-up Brandon Brendle, who is second in the points chase with one week left.
Chuck Wall was third and Blaine Curry was fourth. There were four cautions during the race.
“Nothing’s ever easy when you’ve got Brandon Brendle, Chuck Wall, and Curry behind you,” Sanders said. “I don’t care who it is, it’s not easy out here. When you start on the front row, the good Lord was with us tonight. I give Him all the praise every week.”
“We’ve got one more to go,” Sanders said. “I would love to have this championship. I’m getting old. Fifty-five, I mean 54 years old. I don’t know how old I am. Seven wins, that’s the most I’ve ever had.”
It’s hard to believe but the final night of racing is scheduled for this Saturday night with champions crowned in all four divisions. In addition, there will be double points. The featured race is the Carolina Farm Credit 150 for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series that will use the double-file restart on cautions. Also on the schedule is a 40-lap race for the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series, and a 15-lap race in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.
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