Story by: Mike Neff/Contributor to RACE22.com
North Wilkesboro, NC(April 11, 2011) — Old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time, that or a really fast race car. Junior Miller is no spring chicken but he still knows how to wheel a race car and he proved it once again at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday by besting the field of Modifieds in the 100 lap feature that was postponed from Saturday due to inclement weather. Miller started the race flanked by his rivals the Myers brothers, conserved his tires for the first 75 laps but kept in contact with the front of the field. When “go time” arrived with 25 laps to go Miller stood on the gas and got the job done.
The Tour Type Modifieds hit the track with the sun shining bright and the skies Carolina blue for 100 laps of exciting green flag racing around Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. Jimmy Zacharias was the fast qualifier and started from the pole position with Jason Myers on his outside. Myers’ brother Burt took the green from the inside of the second row with Junior Miller on his outside. At the drop of the green Zacharias quickly jumped to the front and pulled out on the field with Miller right behind him. The Myers brothers looked to be conserving their tires early as John Markovic quickly moved into third place with Jason and Burt Myers filling out the top five.
Five laps into the race Zacharias had pulled out to a straightaway lead with the rest of the field within a hundred yards of each other. At the fifteen lap mark Zacharias was wearing out the field but Lee Stimpson looped his car between turns three and four, bringing out the caution flag. As the field bunched back up for the restart Markovic was outside Zacharias with Miller in third and Rick Kluth in fourth. Jason Myers completed the top five. Zacharias once again took off from the pack on the restart with Miller in tow. At lap 25 Zacharias held a comfortable lead over Miller but the No. 36 was gaining on the leader slightly. Kluth, Markovic and Burt Myers rounded out the top five.
On lap 40 Stimpson spun for the second time in the event to bring out a caution and once again bunch up the field. Zacharias was still leading and brought them to the green with Miller still to his outside. The Myers brothers made up row two with Kluth in the finishing the top five. Jason Myers slotted in third when the race restarted and passed Miller for second on lap 42. Jason Myers turned up the wick as the race approached the halfway point and began harassing Zacharias for the top spot while Miller worked hard to hold off his brother Burt about half a straightaway behind the leaders. When they came to the competition caution for the halfway point Zacharias still led Jason Myers with Junior Miller third, Burt Myers fourth and Kluth in fifth. The second half of the top ten was Markovic, Gary Putnam, Randy Butner, Ricky Knapp Jr. and Lee Stimpson.
All of the cars came into the pits at the midway point and made some adjustments, moving tires from inside to outside or front to back. When the green flag dropped for the second half of the race Zacharias once again took off and left the field with Jason Myers taking it easy and Kluth moving around him for second place. Burt Myers and Markovic slotted in fourth and fifth. By lap 60 the Myers brothers moved around Kluth and raced to keep Zacharias in sight with Markovic and Butner following them 10 car lengths back.
As lap 75 went on the board Zacharias still had a very comfortable lead on Jason Myers with his brother Burt another six cars back. Markovic and Miller were cruising behind the Myers in fourth and fifth. Stimpson once again spun and took Kluth with him this time in the middle of turns one and two to bring out the caution again on lap 75.
Most of the leaders headed to pit road with 25 laps to go to make tire changes. Jason Myers put on scuff rear tires. Butner, Putnam and Stimpson stayed out. Miller was first off of pit road with Burt Myers fifth and Markovic sixth. Jason Myers and Zacharias restarted seventh and eighth. The action really heated up on the restart with Miller making a pass for the lead, Zacharias went on the outside to move up to fourth but got hung up behind Putnam. On lap 77 Stimpson spun for the fourth time. As the field bunched up for the restart Miller was leading Butner, Markovic was third, Zacharias fourth and Kluth fifth. Miller held the lead on the restart with Markovic slotting second while Butner dropped back giving Zacharias the third spot. Kluth filled in fourth with Burt and Jason Myers fifth and sixth.
With 11 laps to go Knapp Jr. spun coming out of the fourth turn bringing out another caution. During the caution period Jason Myers and Zacharias came to pit road to make adjustments. As the cars bunched up for the restart Miller led with Markovic second, Kluth third, Burt Myers fourth and Butner fifth. The restart was single file since it was in the final 10 laps. Jason Myers passed four cars on the restart to make it back up to fifth while Miller led the parade. On lap 92 Burt and Jason Myers worked past Kluth to move up to third and fourth. Jason Myers moved past his brother for third with three to go while Miller held station over Markovic for the lead. On the final lap Jason Myers put a move on Markovic coming out of four for second but was unable to beat him to the line while Miller secured the win. Burt Myers was fourth with Kluth coming him fifth.
Results:
1 – #36 Junior Miller
2 – #95 John Markovic
3 – #4 Jason Myers
4 – #1 Burt Myers
5 – #11 Rick Kluth
6 – #07 Jimmy Zacharias
7 – #77 Gary Putnam
8 – #5 Randy Butner
9 – #45 Lee Stimpson
10 – #1x Ricky Knapp Jr
11 – #9x Matt Clemons
