Story & photos by Phillip Prichard:
The October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway started on Thursday Night, beginning with Better Half Dash, consisting of wives and girlfriends of NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs competing in Bandolero cars for a charity race; second was the Sprint Cup Qualfying with Jeff Gordon winning the pole for the Bank of America 500; the night concluded with ONOH Southern Slam 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race with Burt Myers taking the lead on lap 136 and winning the race.
Ashley Stremme, wife of NASCAR driver David Stremme, started on the pole and led nearly every lap en route to her win Friday in the third annual Better Half Dash at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite all the laps led, her win didn’t come easy. Stremme was stalked by Heidi Stoddard, wife of crew chief Frank Sluded toddard, who waited patiently to make her move. Stoddard finally saw an opening on lap 22, taking over the lead just as Amy Gordon spun to bring out the caution. But Stoddard was slow to get up to speed on the restart, allowing Stremme to reclaim her spot in front. In the ensuing laps, Kristen Yeley also slid by, relegating Stoddard to third place.
“I just screwed up the restart,” said Stoddard, who earned $10,000 for charity. “That was a little frustrating and disappointing, but I didn’t wreck and I didn’t disappoint my husband, so it was a good night.” It was also a good night for Stremme, who was competing in the 25-lap charity race for the first time. “All of us are here because someone we love is in this sport,” Stremme said. “But for us to be out here and be the ones in the cars, to do something we all love and to do it for charity… that’s even better.” David Stremme agreed that the real winner Thursday night was the charities.
“It was cool seeing her win, but what I think is even neater is the true reason for this race, and how much money they can raise,” Stremme said. “But she did a great job; I’m really proud of all of them, to tell you the truth.” Stremme wasn’t allowed to spot for his wife (her choice), but he had given her plenty of advice beforehand. “I told her before the race she couldn’t give up the bottom, and she did,” Stremme said. “But she got it back. It was a great race. I think every year the women get more competitive.” That was definitely true for Yeley, who was competing in her third event. “It was a lot more fun this year, starting up front a little bit more,” Yeley said. “I was stuck in third a long time, but when we had that last caution, I was like, ‘Great, this is my opportunity.’ I made it up to second, but I didn’t quite have the laps to pass (Ashley). Maybe, if I’d had two more.”
Final Results:
Ashley Stremme, Kristen Yeley, Heidi Stoddard, Wendy Venturini, Amy Gordon, Jessica Park, Melanie Self Lyn-Z Pastrana, Gina Cope and Michelle Gilliland.
The qualifying for Bank of America 500 Sprint Cup Series race kicked off with Matt Kenneth being the first qualifier. Kasey Kahne who was fastest in Thursday’s practice, went out second and was the fastest qualifier until Greg Biffle. Biffle was knocked off the pole by Kevin Harvick.
Jeff Gordon was the last qualifier and he captured the pole with a speed of 194.308 mph. This was his 74th pole in 720 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his second pole and 16th top-10 starts in 2013. This is his ninth pole in 42 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Gordon earned his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway ion Oct. 10, 1993, becoming the youngest pole winner at the track — 22 years, 2 months, 6 days. The record still stands. Jeff Gordon won five straight poles for the spring races at Charlotte Motor Speedway between 1994 and 1998.
Three drivers are making their Sprint Cup debuts at Charlotte: #33-Scott starts 19th; #51-Larson 21st; and #95-Koch 43rd.
Starting positions for the 2013 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers at Charlotte:
[listed by current driver points position]
1) #20-Matt Kenseth, 20th
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 4th
3) #29-Kevin Harvick, 2nd
4) #24-Jeff Gordon, POLE
5) #18-Kyle Busch, 9th
6) #16-Greg Biffle, 3rd
7) #78-Kurt Busch, 10th
8) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 6th
9) #15-Clint Bowyer, 14th
10) #22-Joey Logano, 12th
11) #99-Carl Edwards, 15th
12) #39-Ryan Newman, 7th
13) #5-Kasey Kahne, 5th
In the last event of the night, Burt Myers (1) scored his second victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday night in the UNOH Southern Slam 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race as he was the patron of some bad luck for then race leader Ryan Preece. Myers was running second to Preece when, on lap 136, Preece slowed suddenly and went to the pits, the victim of a flat tire. Myers inherited the lead and held on to win by two seconds over second place finisher Kyle Ebersole. “It was a little bit unexpected there when the 41 (Preece) quit,” said Myers. “But when you are sitting in victory lane, it’s the best you can get. The guys never stopped working. We adjusted on the car all the way until time for the race and qualifying. We were a little bit skeptical. This was the first time we have been here and didn’t bring our Bowman Gray car. I was a little bit worried about that. But, the car was really, really good. We were a little bit off from the 41 (Preece) but here we are.”
Rounding out the top-five were George Brunnhoelzl III, who claimed his fourth series championship by finishing third, followed by Tim Brown and Danny Bohn. The race was slowed by several early caution periods and one red flag as Preece led from early on and was the car to beat. The race also featured a mid-race break so the teams could all pit for adjustments. Preece had built up a comfortable three-second advantage before trouble struck. Burt Myers (Winner, UNOH Southern Slam 150): (The win) was a little bit unexpected when the 41 quit, but a man told me one time whatever’s sitting in Victory Lane is the best you can get. The guys never stopped working. We adjusted on the car all the way up to the start of the race. This place is similar to Bowman Gray, and this is the first time we’ve been here and we didn’t bring our Bowman Gray car. I was a little bit worried about that because the Bowman Gray car is usually the old faithful. But the car was really, really good. We were a little bit off from the 41, but here we are. (How is this like Bowman Gray?) It’s not. The flat part of it, and the way you have to charge the corner and really brake hard is similar to Bowman Gray. But I think the difference here is the transition onto the big track and then onto pit road. You have to make enough arc to where you can get a straight run off the corner so that you can run straight across the transition. I hope none of my competitors hear that because that’s a trick I learned in 2010. Even though it is a flat quarter-mile, it’s an apple and an orange. They’re both a fruit, but it’s an apple and an orange. My years of racing at Bowman Gray on a flat, tight race track and close-quarters racing probably benefits me a little bit on a race like this. As much as I’d like to sit here and say I’m a six-time champion at Bowman Gray and that’s why I won tonight, that’s not it, because this is different than anywhere else we go.
An excellent night of racing for all of the fans.