NEWTON, N.C. – Each time the Southern Modified Racing Series races, Jeremy Gerstner drives between nine and 10 hours one way from Wesley Chapel, Florida to compete. All those miles paid off Saturday when Gerstner won the Independence Bash 125 at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway – his career first series win.
Gerstner started in seventh position and with the drop of the green immediately started racing forward, taking the lead by lap seven. He led until lap 56 when he got caught in lapped traffic yielding the top spot to Bobby Measmer. Burt Myers would move to second, but ultimately would take the lead.
A caution on lap 69 sent the field to pit road and jumbled the running order, as Tyler Truex took the lead. Gerstner restarted sixth, but again charged forward. On lap 74 he took the lead again from Brandon Ward.
From that point on, Gerstner led with Burt Myers applying constant pressure, moving alongside the leader multiple times.
A caution on lap 108 would slow the field and rain at the point halted the event. Series official waited nearly an hour before the decision was made to end the night with Gerstner getting the victory.
Burt Myers finished in the second spot with John Smith third, Danny Bohn fourth and Measmer, Jr. in fifth.
The series returns to action Friday, July 21 at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, North Carolina. For more information, visit SouthernModifiedRacingSeries.com.
Southern Modified Racing Series
Hickory Motor Speedway – Newton, NC
Independence Bash 125 – July 1, 2017
1. Jeremy Gerstner – Wesley Chapel, FL
2. Burt Myers – Walnut Cove, NC
3. John Smith – Mt. Airy, NC
4. Danny Bohn – Freehold, NJ
5. Bobby Measmer Jr. – Concord, NC
6. Jason Myers – Walnut Cove, NC
7. Brandon Ward – Winston-Salem, NC
8. Tim Brown – Tobaccoville, NC
9. Tyler Truex – West Creek, NC
10. Gary Putnam – Concord, NC
11. Mike Norman – Fayetteville, TN
12. Tom Buzze – Maiden, NC
13. Austin Thompson – High Point, NC
14. Jason Tutterow – Winston-Salem, NC
15. William Smith – Mt. Airy, NC
16. Ron Souders
