It’s been over 21 months since the last race at Bowman Gray Stadium, but it’s as if nothing has changed in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
Qualifying was held Friday night at Bowman Gray for Saturday’s Hayes Jewelers 200, the first and longest race of the season in the Modified Division. And it turned out
to be the two winningest drivers in Modified history on the front row for Saturday’s race with Burt Myers on the pole, and Tim Brown next to him on the front row.
Myers, who is a 10-time Modified champion, qualified at 13.745, 8-thousandths faster than Brown at 13.753.
“I had no idea what (Brown) actually ran,” Myers said. “The 104 (Brandon Ward) was behind me and he cranked his car, so I had no idea what Tim ran. And when I took the
line and it showed up 74, I said well, ‘We’ll see where that puts us.’
“And they said it was the pole, so I had no idea at the time. I just knew I had to go out and get all I could get. I’ve never been one to really care what everybody
else did. I’m going to do what I can regardless. But here we are again, me and Tim on the front row.”
Despite not qualifying on the pole Brown wasn’t too upset at his result.
“It’s a brand-new race car,” he said. “We’ve tested it a few times. That’s the first time we’ve had a qualifying attempt with it. So, it’s different when you put a new
set of tires on it and do a mock qualifying run – and actually have time to do it.
“The car wasn’t very good qualifying. Still to be second, I just know we’ve got a pretty good hot rod.”
Twenty-four cars qualified Friday night for Saturday’s race, and Brown was the 20th car to take a qualifying lap. Myers followed in 21st.
Jason Myers, Burt’s brother, qualified third at 13.824, followed by Danny Bohn at 13.843, and John Holleman IV at 13.905. The top-10 qualifiers from Friday night are
locked into their positions.
Frank Fleming qualified sixth at 13.918, Lee Jeffreys was seventh at 13.939, Randy Butner was eighth at 13.942, James Civali was ninth at 13.945, and John Smith was
10th at 13.960. Anybody who finished out of the top-10 can choose Saturday night to requalify, but they would still be out of the top-10 regardless of their result.
“It’s me and the 1 car (Myers) again on the front row, like for the last 25 years,” said Brown, who has won 91 races. “I know it shows that we work hard, and we have
good equipment. You know, we can get around here.”
Myers, who is tied with Brown for 10 championships and is second in wins behind Brown with 83, has won the last four championships since Brown last won in 2015. Burt
Myers also gathered his sixth pole for the Hayes Jewelers 200, and if history means anything Burt Myers will win Saturday’s 200-lap race because he won the previous
five times he started on the the pole.
“I think a day like (Friday) probably comes down to experience, not just necessarily behind the wheel, but the whole package,” Burt Myers said. “You know, we’ve done
this for so many years — knowing your car, knowing what to expect.
“One-lap qualifying is hard, I don’t care who you are. So, I think that boils down to a lot of it.”
Brown has won the pole for the opening 200-lap race 13 times, but he’s only won it four times.
“With this brand-new car I haven’t found that feel that I want yet,” he said. “Especially to go out there and run second, qualify second the first time out is pretty
good. And that is just one lap. (Saturday’s) 200 laps, so in the long runs I feel we’ve got a really good car. I know Burt will be hard to beat. Jason, Lee, Civali, all
these guys will be hard to beat. Those 200-lappers — it’s the Hayes Jewelers 200.”
Burt Myers knows he has his work cut out for him in order to maintain the pole and win Saturday’s race.
“The cream usually rises to the top,” he said. “The bottom line is, is this weekend’s kind of like Daytona. Anybody could win this race with all the strategies, and
with the laps. The way this race will probably play out tomorrow night — the car count, the track conditions, the heat, the fact that it’s been a year and a half since
we’ve been over here. If I was a fan I’d the be the first one over here tomorrow night.”
After missing all of last season because of COVID-19, this season was originally scheduled to start April 17. However, that was pushed back until this weekend.
“(Friday) hasn’t felt any different than if we were starting on April 17,” Burt Myers said. “It’s just we got here and we did our thing. Our hard work paid off
(Friday). It’s not just me, but this whole group. We came over here with a purpose (Friday) and that was to set on the pole. We’re coming (Saturday) with a purpose and
that’s to win the race.”
Not to be outdone, Jason Myers (who is tied for 11th in Modified wins with Robert Jeffreys with 33) qualified on the second row with Bohn.
“Hopefully we can finish 1 and 2,” Burt Myers said. “I hope I’m in the front, but if I can’t I hope he is.”
In addition to Saturday’s Hayes Jewelers 200, there is also racing in the three other divisions. The first race will be a 40-lapper for the McDowell Heating & Air
Sportsman Series, followed by the Hayes Jewelers 200, a 20-lap race for the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series, followed by one or two 15-lap contests for
the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.
Gates open at 6 p.m. for Saturday’s races with practice going until 7 p.m. The second round of Modified qualifying will start at 7:10 with the first race starting at 8
p.m. Ticket prices, directions, and more information can be found online at www.bowmangrayracing.com or by calling (336) 723-1819.
Qualifying Results
Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
First Qualifying Session for the Hayes Jewelers 200
RANK QUALIFYING CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 13.745 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
2 13.753 83 Tim Brown Tobaccoville, NC
3 13.824 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
4 13.843 65 Danny Bohn Huntersville, NC
5 13.905 69 John Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
6 13.918 40 Frank Fleming Winston-Salem, NC
7 13.939 75 Lee Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
8 13.942 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
9 13.945 79 James Civali Davidson, NC
10 13.960 17 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
11 14.108 44 Daniel Beeson Kernersville, NC
12 14.115 16 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
13 14.147 31 Zach Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
14 14.181 04 Brandon Ward Winston-Salem, NC
15 14.196 11 Brian Loftin Winston-Salem, NC
16 14.226 3 Danny Propst Monroe, NC
17 14.280 6 Chris Williams Martinsville, VA
18 14.316 53 Andy Jankowiak Tonawanda. NY
19 14.361 18 Daniel Yates Lexington, NC
20 14.368 51 Drew Moffitt Lexington, NC
21 14.383 07 Dennis Holdren Roanoke, VA
22 14.424 8 Darin Redmon Walnut Cove, NC
23 14.498 55 Jeremy Gerstner Wesley Chapel, FL
24 14.700 45 Lee Stimpson Lewisville, NC
McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series
Qualifying for Opening Night 40-lap race
RANK QUALIFYING CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 14.893 21 Tommy Neal Walkertown, NC
2 15.009 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
3 15.021 12 Justin Taylor Kernersville, NC
4 15.022 2 Amber Lynn Walkertown, NC
5 15.065 08 Jacob Creed Dobson, NC
6 15.081 05 Spencer Martin Wallburg, NC
7 15.088 92 Kyle Southern Rural Hall, NC
8 15.120 31 Chase Robertson Winston-Salem, NC
9 15.163 55 Zack Ore Winston-Salem, NC
10 15.290 6 Kirk Sheets Lexington, NC
11 15.404 68 Robbie Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
12 15.439 38 Mitch Gales Thomasville, NC
13 15.450 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
14 15.567 03 Sterling Plemmons Winston-Salem, NC
15 15.788 54 Braden Mills Wallburg, NC
Bowman Gray Stadium PR
