In the closest championship race in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history, Andy Seuss stood alone at the end of the night at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the 2015 titlist.
With a sixth-place finish in Thursday’s season finale Southern Slam 150, Seuss edged race winner George Brunnhoelzl III by three points in the season standings to secure his second-consecutive Whelen Southern Modified Tour crown.
Seuss, a native of Hampstead, New Hampshire, knew he needed to finish sixth or better going into the race to earn a second title as he led brothers Burt and Jason Myers by 10 tallies, and Brunnhoelzl by 13. With Brunnhoelzl’s max-points effort in victory Thursday, it left little margin for error for Seuss.
In the end, Seuss held his ground to become the third different driver in Whelen Southern Modified Tour history to repeat as champion.
The Southern Slam 150 marked the 25th career victory for the four-time tour titlists Brunnhoelzl, who previously triumphed on the Charlotte quarter-mile oval in 2012. He led all but one of the 160 laps.
Ryan Preece followed Brunnhoelzl across the finish line in second with Danny Bohn third, Jason Myers fourth and Burt Myers fifth. After Seuss it was Jeremy Gerstner, John Smith, Bobby Measmer Jr. and Dalton Baldwin in the top 10.
With the final three point margin, Seuss’ championship victory over Brunnhoelzl topped the previous closest mark of six points in 2006 when Junior Miller edged Tim Brown.
Seuss finished with a total of 393 to Brunnhoelzl’s 390 while Jason Myers ranked third at 385 and Burt Myers fourth at 384.
The Southern Slam 150 was extended by 10 laps due to the one and only caution in the event which came out on lap 148.
Seuss and the No. 11 Ideal Racing team will receive the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship trophy on Dec. 12 in the NASCAR Night of Champions Tour Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Charlotte Motor Speedway – Charlotte, NC
Southern Slam 150 – Oct. 8, 2015
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | B/Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 28 | George Brunnhoelzl, III | Composite Tech/Dunleavy Trk & Trailer Chevrolet | 160 | 48 | 5 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 98 | Ryan Preece | Curb Records/Menards Chevrolet | 160 | 43 | 1 | Running |
| 3 | 4 | 65 | Danny Bohn | Cedar Peaks /Rustoleum/Ray Evernham Ent | 160 | 41 | Running | |
| 4 | 7 | 4 | Jason Myers | Adams Towing & Recovery Ford | 160 | 40 | Running | |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | Burt Myers | Remington SCT/Citrusafe/Speedway Auto Actn. Ford | 160 | 39 | Running | |
| 6 | 11 | 11 | Andy Seuss | Northeast Race Cars/Ideal Finance Chevrolet | 160 | 38 | Running | |
| 7 | 12 | 15 | Jeremy Gerstner | GMR Lawncare/Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet | 159 | 37 | Running | |
| 8 | 5 | 25 | John Smith 1 | Ricks Home Imp./Mumy Financial Chevrolet | 159 | 36 | Running | |
| 9 | 14 | 74 | Bobby Measmer, Jr. | Powerhouse Recycling, Lead 2 Real Estate Chevrolet | 159 | 35 | Running | |
| 10 | 13 | 8 | Dalton Baldwin | ChildrensDreamRacer.com Chevrolet | 159 | 34 | Running | |
| 11 | 6 | 40 | Frank Fleming | Autos By Nelson/Lewisville Mtrs/Wm Smith Trking | 159 | 33 | Running | |
| 12 | 10 | 5 | Kyle Ebersole | Ebersole Excavating Ford | 159 | 32 | Running | |
| 13 | 16 | 14 | Trey Hutchens, III * | Hayes Jewelers Chevrolet | 158 | 31 | Running | |
| 14 | 17 | 77 | Gary Putnam | Curb Records Chevrolet | 157 | 30 | Running | |
| 15 | 8 | 79 | James Civali | Coors Light/Hill Billy Racing Pontiac | 153 | 29 | Running | |
| 16 | 15 | 43 | David Calabrese | Diamond Back Towing Chevrolet | 146 | 28 | Accident | |
| 17 | 18 | 12 | Mike Norman | Gastonia Chry/Speedway Auto Auction/GoAero | 144 | 27 | Overheating | |
| 18 | 9 | 95 | Cale Gale | Rheem/Gale Force Chevrolet | 125 | 26 | Overheating |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: George Brunnhoelzl, III, Time: 14.684 Seconds, Speed: 61.291 mph
Time of Race: 45 mins, 46 secs Average Speed: 52.440 mph Margin of Victory: 1.135 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 149-157 (#43 Spun turn 4). 1 for 9 laps.
Lap Leaders: George Brunnhoelzl, III 1-157, Ryan Preece 158, George Brunnhoelzl, III 159-160.
Total Laps Led: George Brunnhoelzl, III 159, Ryan Preece 1. 2 changes involving 2 drivers.
