Week 3 of the Bowman Gray Stadium schedule was Father’s Day weekend, and Jason Myers paid tribute to his father after winning the Kevin Powell Motorsports 100 in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
Myers didn’t have the lead until the final five laps, but he was able to overtake Lee Jeffreys, who led most of the 100-lap race. It was Myers’ 34th win, tying him for 10th all-time with Billy Hensley – and his first victory since Aug. 4, 2018. Following the race, he praised his father, Gary, who won 38 races as a Modified driver at Bowman Gray.
“You ask me again when I get that big 38 that my old man has,” Jason Myers said. “I told you what, if I could win one race it be on Father’s Day weekend because this man (Gary Myers) right here is what makes it happen.”
Myers started fifth and Lee Jeffreys started first to the inside of Daniel Beeson. Jeffreys had the stronger car for much of the night, but Jason Myers slipped past Jeffreys on the outside with five laps left.
“The whole race was tough,” Jason Myers said. “Every one of these restart, that’s where you win or lose these, races. If it hadn’t have been for double-file restarts I never would’ve been able to get around Lee.
“We both had good race cars, and we were pretty even. And you just keep going around the outside hoping the man makes a mistake or spins his tires.”
Jeffreys was in a similar situation as Jason Myers. Jeffreys hadn’t won since July 27, 2019.
“I got beat on the restart,” Jeffreys said. “Jason had a good car, and I knew he was good on the outside – but I wasn’t about to go to the outside and let him have the inside. Hey, I got beat, but the old car is pretty good, though.”
Each Modified driver qualified for the race, but there was a full-field draw, which occurs on 100-lap races. Also, the top four qualifiers — Tim Brown, John Holleman IV, Jonathan Brown, and Burt Myers, Jason’s brother, had the option of taking the Fans’ Challenge, which meant they could go to the back of the field in hopes of climbing into the top four for all or part of $3,000. Holleman was the only driver of the four who chose to accept the Challenge and start in the rear. It paid off, and he came from 16th to finish third to win all of the $3,000.
Danny Bohn finished fourth.
“Our thinking was, we had the draw anyway, so if there was a chance we were going to start at the rear you might as well get paid to do it,” Holleman said. “Man, we took the right place on the restarts every time. We kept going to the outside. I think I started on the inside once the whole race. We just kept fighting.”
But it was a night for Jason Myers and the Myers family.
“(Jeffreys) had the preferred line,” Myers said. “So the only way to pass the man in the preferred line is to get the edge on him. And I kept trying. I tried to get around him one time, but they threw the (caution) flag. You know, you do all you can to beat a guy clean. We ran three laps for the lead and never touched each other. There’s only about three people over here I can race like that with.”
Jeffreys agreed with what Jason Myers said.
“Everybody knows me,” Jeffreys said. “I race everybody clean. I’m probably one of the cleanest over here… Me and Jason’s raced over here for years, and we always run clean.”
Just getting a win after nearly three years felt good for Jason Myers.
“I’ve spent a couple years without winning a race, but I’ve been real close several times,” he said. “And I had a good enough car to win, but at Bowman Gray Stadium you’ve got to be more than fast. You’ve got to be lucky. You’ve got to put yourself in the situation to win.”
In the first 20-lap McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series race, Jacob Creed won after starting on the pole. Creed fended off Michael Adams, who finished runner-up.
“I told my wife this morning, ‘I haven’t ever won at Bowman Gray on Father’s Day weekend,'” Creed said. “A win for my old man (David Creed) is pretty cool tonight.”
Tommy Neal won the second 20-lap McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman race, which was his 50th career win. It’s also Neal’s second this season after winning on June 5, which was opening weekend.
“It was a big win,” Neal said. He defeated Justin Taylor for second, Amber Lynn for third and Kyle Southern for fourth.
In the 20-lap Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series race, Brian Wall sat on the pole and dominated en route to a win.
There was a caution on lap 14 after Chris Allison spun out on turn 2, but Wall jumped out after the restart and held off Gerald Robinson, Jr. for the win. Taylor Robbins was third and Christian Joyce was fourth.
“Eleven years to the date we won our very first race over here,” Wall said.
Justin Owens won his first career race after winning the first 15-lap Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series. Owens held off Shawn Hayes for second, Blaine Curry for third, and Brandon Crotts for fourth. “It’s huge,” Owens said. “It’s the closest we’ve come to winning and got it done. Thanks to Shawn for driving me clean.”
Brandon Brendle keeps on with his winning ways this season at Bowman Gray. Brendle won the second 15-lap Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series race after holding off runner-up Chuck Wall. It’s Brendle’s second win of the season and 17th of his career. “We’ve got a fast race car,” Brendle said. “I spend more time on this thing than I do my own job.”
Saturday’s fourth week of the season is highlighted by the Great Clips Sportsman 100, which is presented by REAL ROCK 105.7. There will also be twin 25-lap races in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modfied Series, a 20-lap Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series race, and twin 15-lap races in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series. It’s the final week before the annual week off for Fourth of July weekend, and all races will have double points. There will also be a Midway Mobile Storage Skid Race, as well as a Fire in the Sky Nightime Pyrotechnic Parachute jump.
BGS Racing PR
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