Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
Myrtle Beach, SC(November 12, 2012) — The time is almost upon. It’s almost time to take the drive to the east coast and head back to “the beach”, Myrtle Beach in South Carolina to be exact, site of the Myrtle Beach 400 at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
While the track operates weekly during the regular season like most tracks, it’s this time of year that more people venture down there to get their race on. This season under new management, the South Carolina speed plant drew in more Late Models than they have in recent seasons for regular races averaging above 20 cars for each weekly race.
That produced an out of town champion, former Greenville Pickens Speedway regular, Anthony Anders. Anders was one of many drivers who campaigned for the track championship including former Myrtle Beach 400 winner, Sam Yarbrough, Justin Milliken, Jeremy McDowell and so many more names. But, the question on everyone’s mind this time of year is “Who’s going to win the Myrtle Beach 400?”
I’m ready to break down a little preview of the drivers that you need to keep your eyes on at Myrtle Beach. Some of these are obvious and others might surprise you a little.
Garrett Campbell
After breaking through with his biggest career win in last year’s Myrtle Beach 400, Garrett Campbell will almost certainly be one of the guys everyone will be watching. Before the final laps of last year’s event, many thought of Campbell as a driver that was fast, but couldn’t conserve his tires to win an elite race especially at the toughest track on tires. Campbell followed that up this year with a stellar performance at Martinsville in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300. He qualified in the top four and looked to be the car to beat until getting into the back of Matt McCall on a restart and overheating. He’ll be looking to finish the drive again this year at “the beach”.
Anthony Anders
Coming into the 2012 season, Anthony Anders hadn’t been extremely impressive in his starts at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but as he was looking to gain South Carolina State points in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, he performed right out of the gate when the season began. With two wins to his credit over the second half of the season as well as the track and state championship in his hands, Anders comes into this race with a lot of momentum. While he’s never won the Myrtle Beach 400, if he and his team perform like they did over the course of the 2012 season, he very well could be the next to add his name to the list of Myrtle Beach 400 winners.
Brandon Dean
I know it might sound crazy, but the Kiker Motorsports team might just have what it takes to win this race. After all, they won it in 2010 with Frank Deiny, Jr. and I know that Deiny is the master of the beach, but with the knowledge gained on how this race can be won, the Kiker team could very well win with Brandon Dean behind the wheel for the first time this season.
Sam Yarbrough
He’s done it before. Sam Yarbrough comes in as one of the few past winners of the Myrtle Beach 400 and teammed with former NASCAR Truck Series driver, Chad McCumbee this season he was one of the top competitors. With his experience over the years at Myrtle Beach, his knowledge of how to win this race and his success this season, it’s safe to say that he’s one to beat this weekend.
CE Falk III
One of the few names that people probably weren’t expecting to see on this list, but CE Falk III will get a shot to run the Myrtle Beach 400 for the first time in many years. Ordinarily, Falk would be off at the Langley Speedway banquet, celebrating one of his three track championships. This season however, he’s not the Langley Speedway champion and will get to focus his time on coming to Myrtle Beach and winning this race. Falk, who garnered a top ten finish at Martinsville, didn’t really have a car to beat, so now he’ll look to prove that he can get the job done in the season’s second biggest race.
Justin Milliken
With three wins and seemingly dominating the opening portion of the season at Myrtle Beach, you’ve got to keep an eye on Justin Milliken. A second place finish last year to Garrett Campbell in this race and always a top performer at Myrtle Beach, so Justin will certainly be one of the guys in the thick of the battle all weekend long.
Harrison Rhodes
He might have had what most would consider an off season this year when competing in his Late Model Stock Car. However, Myrtle Beach Speedway has been kind to Harrison Rhodes. He finished fourth in this race last fall and though he hasn’t had the success he’s wanted this season, this could be a turning point for the young driver.
Matt Bowling
A 15th place finish in this race last year means absolutely nothing for Matt Bowling. A year ago, he was just another young driver trying to find his footing in Late Model Stock Car racing. Turn the page to 2012 and he busted out winning a race at South Boston Speedway, securing the championship on that track and performing in the seasons big races. He finished 4th in the season opening big race at South Boston, won the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway and led laps late in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 only to slip to seventh at the finish. His 2012 big race results speak for themselves and Myrtle Beach could be another coming out party for him.
Adam Long
Two years ago he had his career best run at Myrtle Beach Speedway in this race and last season while the race didn’t fall his way, he did have a strong run. This season, he broke out as one of the top drivers in the region with multiple wins at Kingsport Speedway, including his career first and he comes into Myrtle Beach with a top ten finish at Martinsville and a new attitude. Look for Long to put it all on the line in this race and with wins now under his belt, the monkey is off his back and he’s ready to get to victory lane.
Michael Rouse
He might not be a household name in Late Model Stock Car racing, but at Myrtle Beach Speedway he has been called a winner before. Michael Rouse out-dueled the likes of Coleman Pressley and Alex Yontz in a UARA-STARS Series race a couple seasons ago. He also just this season proved that he can compete with anyone when he defeated Deac McCaskill at Southern National, in a race that boasted a bounty on the driver, who had won five in a row and eight out of nine races this season. Rouse will be looking to break through in the Myrtle Beach 400 as he’s never really had good luck in the event.
Justin Boston
At Martinsville Speedway in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300, Justin Boston was one of those guys that everyone said “where did he come from?”. He was impressive right from the start in the Performancenter house car and completed the race with a top ten in ninth. He also had an impressive effort at Rockingham despite some bad luck. He’ll be in the same car at Myrtle Beach and I’m expecting he might surprise a few people there as well.
Ben Rhodes
He wasn’t exactly one of the most impressive rookies in the UARA-STARS Series history, but Ben Rhodes was in position for great finishes and wins several times. Now after a team change, he looks to be on a road that will make him one of the most impressive sophomore’s next season. He started the season with Jamie Yelton’s Fat Head Racing (Marcos Ambrose Motorsports) with crew chief, Lee McCall and after a mid-season crew chief change didn’t improve the program, Rhodes has been reunited with McCall at Hawk-McCall Motorsports. The young driver certainly was impressive in his first run with the new team at Martinsville, where he led laps and was in contention until late in the race. He’ll have to look to complete the strong performance with a top five or even a surprise win at Myrtle Beach.
Alright, that’s just a few of the guys that I’ll be watching this weekend at Myrtle Beach Speedway. RACE22.com begins our LIVE Coverage of the Myrtle Beach 400 festivities on Wednesday as testing/practice begins. For those of you who can’t make it and those who will be in attendance, but will be looking for inside info from the action, be sure to follow RACE22.com all week long for exclusive interactive coverage including text updates, photos, videos, interviews and fan interaction.
