Photo Credit: CMS/HHP Photo
Burt Myers scored his second victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday night in the UNOH Southern Slam 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race as he was the benefactor of some bad luck for then race leader Ryan Preece.
Myers was running second to Preece when, on lap 136, Preece slowed suddenly and went to the pits, the victim of a flat tire. Myers inherited the lead and held on to win by two seconds over second place finisher Kyle Ebersole.
“It was a little bit unexpected there when the 41 (Preece) quit,” said Myers. “But when you are sitting in victory lane, it’s the best you can get. The guys never stopped working. We adjusted on the car all the way until time for the race and qualifying. We were a little bit skeptical. This was the first time we have been here and didn’t bring our Bowman Gray car. I was a little bit worried about that. But, the car was really, really good. We were a little bit off from the 41 (Preece) but here we are.”
Rounding out the top-five were George Brunnhoelzl III, who claimed his fourth series championship by finishing third, followed by Tim Brown and Danny Bohn.
The race was slowed by several early caution periods and one red flag as Preece led from early on and was the car to beat. The race also featured a mid-race break so the teams could all pit for adjustments. Preece had built up a comfortable three-second advantage before trouble struck.
DRIVER QUOTES
Burt Myers (Winner, UNOH Southern Slam 150): (The win) was a little bit unexpected when the 41 quit, but a man told me one time whatever’s sitting in Victory Lane is the best you
can get. The guys never stopped working. We adjusted on the car all the way up to the start of the race. This place is similar to Bowman Gray, and this is the first time we’ve been here and we didn’t bring our Bowman Gray car. I was a little bit worried about that because the Bowman Gray car is usually the old faithful. But the car was really, really good. We were a little bit off from the 41, but here we are.
(How is this like Bowman Gray?) It’s not. The flat part of it, and the way you have to charge the corner and really brake hard is similar to Bowman Gray. But I think the difference here is the transition onto the big track and then onto pit road. You have to make enough arc to where you can get a straight run off the corner so that you can run straight across the transition. I hope none of my competitors hear that because that’s a trick I learned in 2010. Even though it is a flat quarter-mile, it’s an apple and an orange. They’re both a fruit, but it’s an apple and an orange. My years of racing at Bowman Gray on a flat, tight race track and close-quarters racing probably benefits me a little bit on a race like this. As much as I’d like to sit here and say I’m a six-time champion at Bowman Gray and that’s why I won tonight, that’s not it, because this is different than anywhere else we go.
Kyle Ebersole – 2nd Position (N0. 5 Ebersole Excavating Ford) “The start was a little crazy. We got third, so it was good night in all. For the year, our goal was to win a race. We accomplished that and beyond that was a lot of fun. I’m happy with second in the points.”
George Brunnhoelzl III – 3rd Position (No. 28 Epox-Z/Oval Speed Chevrolet) “It was all-in-all a great night. We got a little behind in qualifying but were able to make some moves early into fourth place and just kind of survived. Track position is everything here. (On winning four of the last five championships) Each year the competition has gotten tougher. We have had to improve our performance and step up our game.”
