Jason Myers went from settling for a fight over second place to sitting in Victory Lane at Caraway Speedway Saturday night.

The Walnut Cove, N.C., driver edged George Brunnhoelzl III on a green-white-checkered finish that extended the Charles Kepley Memorial 150 to 153 laps.

Instead, Brown’s misfortune set up a battle on the race’s final restart. Brunnhoelzl slipped up as they drag raced down the front stretch, which allowed Myers to get away en route to his third career victory in his 97th start.The final caution in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season opener was brought out when race leader Tim Brown suddenly slowed on the frontstretch. Brown, who won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day, had led race-high 96 laps and had built a lead of nearly two seconds. While Brown was pulling away, Myers was all over Brunnhoelzl’s back bumper in what looked to be a fight for a runner-up finish.

Brunnhoelzl, the defending tour champion, settled for second while Kyle Ebersole rallied from two laps down to finish third. Ted Christopher and Andy Seuss were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Gary Putnam was sixth, followed by Cole Powell, Thomas Stinson, John Smith and Bryan Dauzat. Brian Loftin, who was third on the restart and got caught up behind Brunnhoelzl, slid all the way back to 11th. Brown wound up 13th.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will be back in action for the KOMA Unwind Relaxation Drink 150 on Saturday, March 23 at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C.

RACE RESULTS

1. #4 Jason Myers
2. #28 George Brunnhoelzl, III
3. #5 Kyle Ebersole
4. #0 Ted Christopher
5. #11 Andy Seuss
6. #77 Gary Putnam
7. #73 Cole Powell
8. #7 Thomas Stinson
9. #25 John Smith
10. #97 Bryan Dauzat
11. #23 Brian Loftin
12. #12 Mike Norman
13. #2 Tim Brown
14. #2 J.R. Bertuccio, Jr.
15. #40 Luke Fleming
16. #80 Michael Speeney
17. #1 Burt Myers
18. #70 Jeremy Gerstner
19. #4 David Calabrese
20. #65 Danny Bohn

Time of Race: 1 hrs., 8 mins, 29 secs Average Speed: 60.991 mph Margin of Victory: .479 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 21-26; 29-42; 48-51; 54-64; 76-77; 124-126; 148-150.  7 for 43 laps.
Lap Leaders: Tim Brown 1-66, George Brunnhoelzl, III 67-114, Tim Brown 115-144, George Brunnhoelzl, III 145-150, Jason Myers 151-153.
Total Laps Led: Tim Brown 96, George Brunnhoelzl, III 54, Jason Myers 3.  4 changes involving 3 drivers.