Burt Myers turned his luck around in the most dramatic fashion on Saturday, coming from the back to the front to grab the checkered – sending a clear message about where his season may be headed.

Myers had a stellar season last year, taking the championship for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series with five victories under his belt. Yet his 2019 season started off with a few bumps in the road. Due to some collisions and bad luck in the early races, he entered Saturday with only one top-five finish – a fourth-place showing on May 25.

But the team of Myers had been putting the finishing touches on preparing a new car – one that they were ready to take for a spin on Saturday.

“I know everybody saw me in the gold car last week. I wanted to spend some extra time getting this car where it needed to be,” said Myers. “This is the new generation of Fury chassis, and there’s a lot of stuff on this car that’s different from what they’ve been doing in the past. I’ve kinda been the R&D guy, and we’ve been working hard to get this car to where it needs to be.”

In qualifying sessions, Burt Myers took the fastest lap. Then he made the risky choice to take on the Fans’ Challenge and start in the rear. With a full field of 24 cars in the Kevin Powell Motorsports 100, Myers would have his work cut out for him if he was to make it back to the top four and claim the $3,000 Fans’ Challenge bonus.

Meanwhile, Chris Fleming of Mount Airy and Darin Redmon of Walnut Cove drew the front row as their starting positions. Fleming charged out into an early lead and held off challenges from Zack Clifton of Walkertown and Brandon Ward of Winston-Salem.

Daniel Beeson of Kernersville tried his hand at the outside as well but couldn’t make the pass stick. Beeson fell back through the field as James Civali of Davidson moved up to second. Burt Myers had been taking advantage of the four cautions so far to make his way forward and was right on Civali’s bumper in third.

Slightly before the halfway point, the caution waved once again. Civali elected to stay to the inside lane, giving Myers the chance to go outside and challenge Fleming side by side for the lead. Fleming motored ahead and crowded Myers out of the turn, maintaining his position. Myers fell back to second.

The #1 car of Myers tried the outside once more unsuccessfully during the next caution. But on lap 75, Myers challenged Fleming again on the outside lane and this time took the lead.

Fleming tried to reclaim the position on two future restarts, but Myers held strong. He went on to not only claim the checkered, but he also took home $3,000 in Fans’ Challenge bonus money for finishing in the top-four after starting in the rear.

“With this many cars here tonight, I knew things had to go our way,” said Myers about charging forward from the rear. “As great as our car was, we also had a night where everything went our way. Every lane I picked on the restart, every wreck, a hole opened up – just one of those nights where things fell our way and we were able to capitalize on it.”

But Saturday night’s performance wasn’t merely just another victory. For Burt Myers and his team, it was a sign of what is to come. “I’m really happy with the results from being able to get the win, but I’m more ecstatic about where we got our racecar,” said Myers. “To be able to qualify as fast as we did and to be able to start last and drive through the field and win the race – I think it erases all doubts in our minds that our car should be right where we need it.”

As far as the points race, Myers knows he has some ground to make up – but that could end up being his biggest asset. “We can’t control what happens as far as what’s happened in the past. All we can do is come out and do what we did tonight,” said Myers. “With the misfortune that we’ve had through this year, it’s given us the mindset that we didn’t have to be conservative. We could be real aggressive with setups and with my driving – with chances like taking the challenge. Maybe it is a little bit of the old Burt Myers that can be more aggressive and take some chances.”

James Civali moved up to second on the final caution, finishing right behind Myers. Chris Fleming claimed third, with Tim Brown of Tobaccoville taking fourth. Danny Bohn of Huntersville also started in the back after accepting the Fans’ Challenge. He was close to earning the bonus money but finished fifth – one position short of where he needed to be.

Tommy Neal of Walkertown held off Derek Stoltz of Walkertown to win the first 20-lapper for the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series. Kyle Southern of Rural Hall won the second Sportsman race.

In the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series, Jacob Creed of Dobson claimed victory in the Whelen Street Stock 50. His father, David Creed of Mount Airy, finished in second. Brian Wall of Winston-Salem took third.

Junior Smith of Lexington won the first 15-lap race for the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series. Tyler McDonald of Thomasville brought home the win in the second race after a wild three-wide crashing photo finish.

Cover photo by Eric Hylton.

Race Results

Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series
Kevin Powell Motorsports 100: 100 laps

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
2 79 James Civali Davidson, NC
3 16 Chris Fleming Mount Airy, NC
4 83 Tim Brown Tobaccoville, NC
5 65 Danny Bohn Huntersville, NC
6 22 Jonathan Brown Winston-Salem, NC
7 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
8 18 Daniel Yates Lexington, NC
9 04 Brandon Ward Winston-Salem, NC
10 53 John Smith Mount Airy, NC
11 40 Frank Fleming Winston-Salem, NC
12 44 Daniel Beeson Kernersville, NC
13 81 Zack Clifton Walkertown, NC
14 15 Brian Loftin Winston-Salem, NC
15 41 Chris Williams Martinsville, VA
16 50 Michael Clifton Walkertown, NC
17 8 Darin Redmon Walnut Cove, NC
18 75 Lee Jeffreys Wallburg, NC
19 66 Ronnie Clifton Walkertown, NC
20 5 Randy Butner Pfafftown, NC
21 24 Andrew Harrah Greensboro, NC
22 78 Bradley Mcaskill Winston-Salem, NC
23 12 Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC
24 77 Susan Harwell Jonesville, NC

McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series
1st Sportsman race: 20 laps

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 21 Tommy Neal Walkertown, NC
2 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
3 12 Justin Taylor Kernersville, NC
4 4 John Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
5 68 Robbie Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
6 92 Kyle Southern Rural Hall, NC
7 50 Ross Dalton Liberty, NC
8 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
9 2 Amber Lynn Walkertown, NC
10 55 Zack Ore Winston-Salem, NC
11 31 Chase Robertson Winston-Salem, NC
12 30 Blake Shupe Mt Airy, NC
13 7 Dylan Ward Winston-Salem, NC
14 22 Wesley Thompson Advance, NC
15 03 Sterling Plemmons Winston-Salem, NC
16 17 Michael Caudill Lexington, NC
17 5 Bubba Tilley Mount Airy, NC
18 0 Steve Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
19 80 Brian Shupe Winston-Salem, NC
20 9 Ryan Dixon Yadkinville, NC
21 14 Terry Thompson Winston-Salem, NC

2nd Sportsman race: 20 laps

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 92 Kyle Southern Rural Hall, NC
2 02 Derek Stoltz Walkertown, NC
3 19 Michael Adams Yadkinville, NC
4 21 Tommy Neal Walkertown, NC
5 4 John Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
6 50 Ross Dalton Liberty, NC
7 22 Wesley Thompson Advance, NC
8 7 Dylan Ward Winston-Salem, NC
9 55 Zack Ore Winston-Salem, NC
10 03 Sterling Plemmons Winston-Salem, NC
11 31 Chase Robertson Winston-Salem, NC
12 12 Justin Taylor Kernersville, NC
13 80 Brian Shupe Winston-Salem, NC
14 17 Michael Caudill Lexington, NC
15 0 Steve Holleman Winston-Salem, NC
16 68 Robbie Brewer Winston-Salem, NC
17 9 Ryan Dixon Yadkinville, NC
18 2 Amber Lynn Walkertown, NC
19 30 Blake Shupe Mt Airy, NC

Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series
Whelen Street Stock 50: 54 laps completed (race extended due to caution)

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 08 Jacob Creed Dobson, NC
2 02 David Creed Mount Airy, NC
3 22 Brian Wall Winston-Salem, NC
4 19 Corey Rose Trinity, NC
5 97 Jeremy Warren Winston-Salem, NC
6 99 Bryan Sykes Winston-Salem, NC
7 98 Billy Gregg Lexington, NC
8 16 Brad Lewis Winston-Salem, NC
9 28 Nate Gregg Lexington, NC
10 1 Christian Joyce Trinity, NC
11 23 Andy Spears Lexington, NC
12 2 Willie Wall Winston-Salem, NC
13 40 Taylor Robbins Winston-Salem, NC
14 33 Dennis Lanier Lexington, NC
15 31 Brandon Butner East Bend, NC
16 62 Kevin Hedgecock Thomasville, NC
17 69 Gerald Robinson Jr Winston-Salem, NC
18 00 Donnie Martin Winston-Salem, NC
19 52 Fletcher Whaley Advance, NC
20 0 Shane Tuttle Winston-Salem, NC

Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series
1st Stadium Stock Race: 15 laps

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 79 Junior Smith Lexington, NC
2 24 A.J. Sanders Mocksville, NC
3 68 Tyler Bush Clemmons, NC
4 80 Luke Smith Advance, NC
5 81 Chuck Wall Lexington, NC
6 7 Chris Allison Mocksville, NC
7 60 Brad Mickalowski Mocksville, NC
8 54 Justin Owens Walnut Cove, NC
9 22 Adam Thomas Winston-Salem, NC
10 69 Brandon Crotts Winston-Salem, NC
11 49 Shawn Hayes Lenoir, NC
12 76 Billy Cameron Jr Salisbury, NC
13 01 Derek Taylor Yadkinville, NC
14 39 Patrick Mullen Lexington, NC
15 20 Scarlett Dahmer Kernersville, NC
16 34 Steven Stoneman Asheboro, NC
17 37 Josh Osborne Salisbury, NC
18 0 Carlos Clifton Germanton, NC
19 23 Blake Spears Lexington, NC
20 38 Eddie Hunter Walkertown, NC

2nd Stadium Stock Race: 15 laps

FINISH CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN
1 47 Tyler McDonald Thomasville, NC
2 43 Brandon Brendle Winston-Salem, NC
3 1 Grayson Keaton Mocksville, NC
4 16 Stephen Sanders Midway, NC
5 10 David Hopkins Winston-Salem, NC
6 4 Justin Whitaker Elon, NC
7 44 Tim Giesen Mocksville, NC
8 03 Cody Gum Winston-Salem, NC
9 40 Kenny Dixon Pfafftown, NC
10 51 Junior Snow King, NC
11 31 Kyler Staley Reedy Creek, NC
12 25 Justin Emory King, NC
13 14 Ken Bridges King, NC
14 70 Jeffery Burrow Thomasville, NC
15 3 K.C. Myers Winston-Salem, NC
16 28 Robert Mabe Germanton, NC