Loftin Captures Win At Caraway

Brian Loftin celebrates his win in the Farm Bureau Insurance 150 at Caraway Speedway on Saturday.Jason Smith/pixelcrisp

Veteran Scores Tour-High 8th Win At Caraway, 12th Career Win

Brian Loftin took the lead early and paced the field to the finish to win the Farm Bureau Insurance 150 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at Caraway Speedway on Saturday.
 
It was an emotional Victory Lane, marking Loftin's first win since the passing of his wife a year ago. The win gives the Lexington, N.C., driver a tour-leading eight victories at Caraway and marked his 12th career tour win overall.
 
Loftin, who started third on the field in his No. 23 QMF Metel & Electronic Sol/L&R Trans Chevrolet, took the lead from Frank Fleming a third of the way through the 150-lap event and then held on through four restarts in the second half of the race to score the win.
 
L.W. Miller followed Loftin across the finish line in second to collect a second podium finish at Caraway for a second consecutive week. Rookie Daniel Hemric finished third, with Tim Brown rebounding from a flat tire to finish fourth and Danny Bohn taking fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Patrick Emerling, defending champion George Brunnhoelzl III, Jason Myers, Burt Myers and Andy Seuss.
 
This was the 41st NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at Caraway Speedway, the unofficial home track of the tour, and the second of five visits to the venue this season. The tour opened its season at the .455-mile track last week.
 
With his victory in the Farm Bureau Insurance 150, Loftin locked up a spot in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race at the UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway next February during Speedweeks.
 
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will return to action for the South Boston (Va.) 150 on Saturday, April 14. It will be the first of two visits to the state for the tour in 2012.

NWSMT Caraway 4/7/12 Unofficial Results

Fin Str Car Driver Laps Points
1 3 23 Brian Loftin 150 48
2 4 88 L W Miller 150 42
3 5 79 Daniel Hemric * 150 41
4 1 02 Tim Brown 150 41
5 12 65 Danny Bohn * 150 39
6 16 07 Patrick Emerling * 150 38
7 7 09 George Brunnhoelzl, III 150 37
8 9 4 Jason Myers 150 36
9 6 1 Burt Myers 150 35
10 10 11 Andy Seuss 150 34
11 8 7 Thomas Stinson 150 33
12 14 51 Kyle Ebersole * 150 33
13 19 80 Michael Speeney * 150 33
14 17 01 Rich Kuiken 150 33
15 2 40 Frank Fleming 149 34
16 21 12 Mike Norman 149 33
17 11 25 John Smith 149 33
18 15 77 Gary Putnam 148 33
19 13 2 J R Bertuccio, Jr 135 33
20 18 33 Gary Fountain * 128 33
21 22 97 Bryan Dauzat 126 33
22 20 37 Joe Scarbrough * 69 33

RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Tim Brown, Time: 15.664 Seconds, Speed: 104.571 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 10 mins, 57 secs Average Speed: 57.717 mph Margin of Victory: .603 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 20-33 (#51 and #77 Spin); 76-78 (Break); 97-100 (#40 Lost tire); 115-119 (#12 spins); 122-125 (#01 spins); 128-131 (#01 and #33
spin). 6 for 34 laps.
Lap Leaders: Tim Brown 1-3, Frank Fleming 4-47, Brian Loftin 48-150.
Total Laps Led: Brian Loftin 103, Frank Fleming 44, Tim Brown 3. 2 changes involving 3 drivers.

CONTINGENCY AWARDS
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE: Patrick Emerling *, 07 Emerling Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Tim Brown, 02 Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chev Chevrolet
FEATHERLILTE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER: Thomas Stinson, 7 United Solar Graphics Chevrolet Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Daniel Hemric *, 79 Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/LeBleu Water Pont Pontiac
Top 10 Driver Points: Brian Loftin 85, George Brunnhoelzl, III 84, L W Miller 83, Daniel Hemric * 79, Jason Myers 78, Tim Brown 72, John Smith 72,
Danny Bohn * 71, Burt Myers 71, Gary Fountain * 68
Next Race:South Boston
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender