DILLO, SC (September 5) – Walnut Cove, NC’s Jason Myers used the correct pit strategy to edge out his older brother, Burt, and New York driver Andy Jankoiak to claim his first career Southern Modified Racing Series (SMRS) Presented By PASS win Monday afternoon at Dillon Motor Speedway.
“I knew how good our car was for about 60 laps, so when the caution fell when it did, I knew we needed to pit then,” said J. Myers, driver of the Adams Towing & Recovery #4. “I started worrying though when the last caution flew so much later and everybody was able to get that much more fresher tires than we did. My dad was on that radio making those pit calls is what put us back up front. We had a heck of a race car to set on the pole, lead as many laps as we did, and come home with the win.”
For the first time this year, J. Myers was able to capture the Precision Built Spindles Pole Award with a lap of 15.659 seconds (96.959 MPH) around the egg-shaped, 4/10 mile speedway. But, after the top six qualifiers redraw, Scott Hall and Cale Gale would move to the front row, while J. Myers, would join his brother, Burt, on row three.
At the drop of the green, Gale would jump into the lead from the outside pole position, but the Myers brothers were quickly making their way towards the front, with Jason taking the lead on lap 10. J. Myers and Gale would swap the lead several times, until B. Myers would join the fray, passing Gale for second on lap 40. Just six laps later, Burt would go by Jason for the lead and begin to stretch his advantage.
The race would go green until lap 58 when AJ Winstead and Mike Norman spun in turn four as they battled for the seventh position. Under the caution, Norman, Jankowiak, and J. Myers would pit, with J. Myers being the only one of the three to take tires.
Back under green, Gale would take the lead, until B. Myers reclaimed the top spot just past the halfway mark on lap 69. B. Myers would remain in the lead until the final caution of the afternoon waved with 32 laps to go for debris. All the leaders would pit for tires, with only J. Myers staying out to assume the lead.
When the race went back to green, J. Myers quickly moved out front, while Jankoiak would pass Brandon Ward for second. B. Myers would make his way back up towards the front, joining J. Myers and Jankoiak in the battle for the lead. While J. Myers made his way through lapped traffic, Jankoiak and B. Myers raced hard for second, with Burt finally able to move by with three laps to go. Burt would run out of time as Jason claimed his first win with the SMRS tour, followed by Jankoiak, Gale, and John Smith in the top five. Rounding out the top 10 were Mod Lite winner, Scott Hall, Ward, Jason Tutterow, Norman, and local favorite, Justin Hicks.
The Southern Modified Racing Series Presented By PASS will be in action again this Saturday night, September 10 at Caraway Speedway as part of the track’s 51st Anniversary celebration. Entry forms will be available at SouthernModifiedRacingSeries,com. Be sure to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series and Southern Modified Racing Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @PASSSLM14.
SMRS Modifieds – Labor Day Classic – Unofficial Results
- 4 – Jason Myers
- 1 – Burt Myers
- 37 – Andy Jankoiak
- 95 – Cale Gale
- 25 – John Smith
- 54 – Scott Hall
- 19 – Brandon Ward
- 33 – Jason Tutterow
- 12 – Mike Norman
- 9 – Justin Hicks
- 99 – AJ Winstead
- 70 – John Barillka
- 75 – Ronnie Souders, Jr.