MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Patience was the name of the game at Myrtle Beach Speedway for four-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified champion George Brunhoelzl, III.

After qualifying on the pole for Saturday afternoon’s Tour-Type Modified race at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina, Brunhoelzl paced himself right from the start of the race. After a late race pit stop, Brunhoelzl surged toward the front late in the race and passed Matt Hirschman in the closing laps to score the victory at the UNOH Battle at the Beach.

“We had a great car from the time we unloaded,” Brunnhoelzl said. “Tire strategy is huge here if you don’t have the car to back it up. We definitely had the car to back it up. Once that final caution flew, I knew we’d be sitting in good shape.”

While a late race caution allowed Brunnhoelzl to race his way to the lead with seven laps to go, he felt he had saved enough tire that he could have won the race even without a caution.

“We were in good shape before that. Had it gone green, I think we kinda set ourselves up to be pretty good. The caution came out, and I knew that was our chance.”

Six-time Bowman Gray Stadium and 2010 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified champion Burt Myers showed speed all race, leading several laps in the middle stages of the race. Despite that, Myers had to settle for second after spinning with 15 laps to go. He raced his way back into contention, passing Hirschman for second with two laps to go but, by the time he was able to complete the pass, Brunnhoelzl had driven away.

“It might appear that I was saving but I wasn’t,” Myers remarked after the race. “What happened is, when we put our rears on the car, it got way too tight. I couldn’t make a drive to dive under somebody when I needed to but, the way it worked out, we probably had a second place car. If the stagger was done like it was supposed to, we probably would’ve won the race.”

Myers had led from lap 62 through lap 95 before fading a little bit and before his lap 110 spin.

“Just stayed out too long on old tires,” Myers said of his single car spin.

Matt Hirschman ended up finishing in third while John Smith and Chris Pasteryak rounded out the top-five.

Unofficial Results

  1. #28 George Brunnhoelzl III
  2. #1 Burt Myers
  3. #49H Matt Hirschman
  4. #25 John Smith
  5. #5 Chris Pasteryak
  6. #57 Andy Jankowiak
  7. #77 Gary Putnam
  8. #9X Jimmy Zacharias
  9. #3 Daren Scherer
  10. #17 Jamie Tomaino
  11. #79 Woody Pitkat
  12. #4 Jason Myers
  13. #69 Junior Miller
  14. #18Y Daniel Yates
  15. #12N Mike Norman
  16. #24 Buddy Ellis
  17. #71 Michael Benevides
  18. #88 Jerry Scott
  19. #J2 Jeremy Mayfield
  20. #95G Cale Gale
  21. #31 Zach Brewer