Series PR Release
Photo by: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images for NASCAR
Concord, NC(October 11, 2012) – George Brunnhoelzl III clinched his third NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship just by taking the green flag Thursday night. And then he closed out the season in style as he went out and led every lap en route to his sixth win of the season in the UNOH Southern Slam 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It marked the 17th career win for the West Babylon, N.Y., driver and his first on the quarter-mile oval on the frontstretch at Charlotte. Brunnhoelzl also became the first driver to win three NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified titles, breaking a tie he held with Junior Miller (2005-06)
Brunnhoelzl won the championship in 2009 and 2011. He entered Thursday’s finale leading Jason Myers by 43 points. After winning the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day with a track-record lap, Brunnhoelzl jumped to the lead over second-place Ryan Preece and controlled the entire race.
Preece, who is in the thick of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship battle to be decided Sunday in Thompson, Conn., finished second in Charlotte. Burt Myers finished third, followed by Danny Bohn and Andy Seuss.
Bohn wrapped up the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title.
Fellow rookie Kyle Ebersole was sixth, and Ted Christopher, Frank Fleming, Jason Myers and Gary Putnam rounded out the top 10.
Brunnhoelzl finished 53 points ahead of Bohn and 56 ahead of Jason Myers.
Brunnhoelzl, by virtue of his win in the season opener, already earned a locked-in spot to the UNOH Battle At The Beach next February on the .4-mile oval at Daytona International Speedway. Race winners and the champions of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour have a locked-in spot to Modified race at Daytona.
Brunnhoelzl will be honored for his title run along with NASCAR’s other touring series champions on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards at the Grand Ballroom of the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
