Story by: Corey Latham ~ [email protected]

Winston-Salem, NC(May 12, 2011) — The “Madhouse” was once again abuzz this weekend, as the fans came out in droves to see their second race of the season under the lights at historic Bowman Gray Stadium.

The mighty Modifieds were on a regular “Madhouse Scramble” night running twin 25 lappers and they did not disappoint as we saw a crowd favorite pick up his 55th overall win and a newcomer running his third race ever at the stadium pick up his first.

The field of Modifieds was large once more as 21 cars took time in qualifying with Tim Brown winning his mind-boggling 126th pole at Bowman Gray. His closest rival Burt Myers would line up right beside him with Jason Myers and Dean Ward on the second row. Ward had one of his best qualifying runs to date driving the car of the late Rusty Harpe owned by his father Chip Harpe.

In the 25 lappers the hole-shot means everything and Tim Brown made sure he beat Burt Myers into turn one to get the lead. The two big dogs if you will began to distance themselves from Jason Myers in third and Brian Loftin as Dean Ward got kicked back to sixth on the start from starting on the outside.

After a quick caution on lap two for a mess in turn one involving multiple cars with Bo Bo Brown and Lee Jefferies being towed off with one wrecker because they were stuck together (never seen that before), we get back to racing with Tim and Burt leaving the field in the dust.

A late caution by a spinning Steven Truell who was making his first ever mod start anywhere would set up a five lap shootout. Tim Brown tries to pull away from Myers but can’t even get a car length as Myers is right there on his tail. Myers gets to the bumper a few times as they take the white flag, coming off turn four he gives a hard shot to the rear of Brown but the 8-time champion hangs on for his 55th win at the stadium. The win would tie the great “Ferrum Flash” Paul Radford for third on Bowman Gray’s all-time winners list behind Ralph Brinkley and Junior Miller, some big names indeed.

After the first race on a “Scramble” night, the winner puts his hand in a bag and draws a number that will invert the field. Brown would pull out a “8” meaning that now newcomer Danny Bohn would start from the pole with Brad Robbins, Johnathan Brown and Dean Ward making up the top four.

Bohn may be new to Bowman Gray but he Isn’t new to modified racing as he grew up on a track just as tough, Wall Stadium in New Jersey. Being that both are rough and tumble tracks he knew just what to do as he took the green and got as low as he could go to hold the lead off turn two, usually a good sign of success in the 25 lap races. But he had a hungry Johnathan “JonBoy” Brown coming for him before the night was over.

Robbins would hold second for a while as JonBoy made his way past Ward on the start to take third. After two quick cautions early Brown would get by Robbins running him high in the turn now setting his sights on Bohn for the lead.

The prior week in the season opening 200 lapper, JonBoy would finish second to Burt Myers as his car seemed to get better as laps got under his belt, it looked the same on this Saturday night also as time went on. Bohn was out to a six car lead but as we approach lap 13 Brown makes his way slowly to the back bumper as Robbins is way back in third, this race was going to be settled by the top two cars for sure.

Brown gets to the bumper of Bohn on numerous laps in the turns but Bohn shows his horsepower and pulls JonBoy by two cars each time down the straights. Lap after lap JonBoy gives shots to the bumper, every time a little harder as Bohn backs his corner exit up further than Brown to pull him down the straightaway. With the white flag in the air Brown gives one final hard shot to the Bohn machine but he hangs on to pick up his first career Bowman Gray victory.

This victory lane was an emotional one as his family and sponsors were shedding tears, Bohn was now in the record book with names like Richard Petty, David Pearson, Glenn Wood, Richie Evans, Satch Worley, Burt Myers and Tim Brown, all respected legends of racing in their eras. By the looks of Saturday night, Bohn has many more to come as he looked totally comfortable in the tight confines of the stadium. We’ll see what happens this week as the mods go for a big 100 lapper, and another crowd favorite “cone restart” race.

Race 1:
1. Tim Brown
2. Burt Myers
3. Jason Myers
4. Brian Loftin
5. Jonathan Brown
6. Dean Ward
7. Brad Robbins
8. Danny Bohn
9. Chris Fleming
10. Austin Pack
11. Mike Norman
12. John Smith
13. Ronnie Clifton
14. Michael Clifton
15. Kevin Wilson
16. Robert Jefferies
17. Bobby Reed
18. Steven Truell
19. Bo Bo Brown
20. Lee Jefferies
21. Randy Butner

Race 2:
1. Danny Bohn
2. Jonathan Brown
3. Brad Robbins
4. Dean Ward
5. Brian Loftin
6. Jason Myers
7. Burt Myers
8. Tim Brown
9. John Smith
10. Chris Fleming
11. Michael Clifton
12. Austin Pack
13. Kevin Wilson
14. Randy Butner
15. Robert Jefferies
16. Mike Norman
17. Bobby Reed
18. Steven Truell
19. Bo Bo Brown
20. Lee Jefferies
21. Ronnie Clifton