BOBBY LABONTE DOESN'T WANT SEASON TO END AFTER SECOND WIN
Burt Myers Captures Third SMART Championship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Martinsville, VA (October 31, 2023) - NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte is one of the hottest drivers in short track racing. The former NASCAR Cup Series champ has won two of the last three races with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
His latest triumph came in the Rumble in Rougemont, the SMART season finale, on Saturday (October 28) at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. When pitstops cycled through 28 laps shy of the conclusion of the 99-lap race, Labonte’s Pace-O-Matic / Cookout / Units Moving & Storage number-18 found itself out ahead of the pack. It’s a position he would not relinquish.
“We finished strong, but man, I would like to start over again too,” said Labonte, who turned the MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap of the Race (13.869) on lap four. “Our pit stops weren’t that good at the beginning of the year, but they were on it tonight. These cars have gotten better for me too; we definitely got a rhythm going. When you win, you win as a team. What a way to finish, but dang it I wish we were starting over again.”
Labonte distanced himself from SS Racing teammate Ryan Newman, as well as Brandon Ward, who finished second in points, by race's end.
Veteran southern modified driver Burt Myers is now a three time SMART champion. He finished the season with a 10th place effort at Orange County Speedway. In fact, Myers did not finish outside the top 10 in 2023 with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic. He also scored three wins, the most in the series, en route to the title.
“We sucked tonight. We just missed it a little bit, but you know what, we got plenty to celebrate,” said Myers after climbing out of his Citrusafe Grill Cleaners / Backyard Leisure Pool & Spas number-1 Modified. “To be a part of this series, to be a champion in ‘02 when this thing first started, and to win it again; it’s just awesome. I never dreamed it would be back to where it is. It seemed like southern modified racing took a fall and we never knew if it was coming back, but it’s back and large and in charge now.”
Burt’s brother, Jason, won his second Pace-O-Matic Pole Award during qualifying at OCS. He scored the year-long Pace-O-Matic Pole Award by breaking a tie with both Tim Brown and Caleb Heady (also with two poles) by being the most-recent drivers to win a pole. Jason finished just behind his brother, eleventh overall, in the Rumble in Rougemont.
Tim Brown finished eighth, but dominated the first half of the race. The 25-team lost positions during his pitstop. By virtue of leading 46 circuits, Brown picked up the Jostens Lap Leader of the race. He also won the Bankers Life Stage One at the conclusion of the initial 30 laps of the race.
The Bankers Life Halfway Award went to Cayden Lapcevich. The former NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion led at the halfway point and finished seventh in his first series start. Lapcevich was the highest finish driver not to have won a Tour-Type Modified Series event, which resulted in the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front award.
Joey Coulter finished fourth after starting 11th, which gave him the Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger of the Race award.
Stay tuned for more information from the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic in the coming weeks, including a schedule to be announced soon. Please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com for more insight, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - Short Track Life Media Group - Twitter: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #12
Official Race Results for the Rumble in Rougemont - 10/28/2023
Orange County Speedway - Rougemont, NC - 0.375 mile
Race Length: 99L - 37.125 M - 59.746 KM
Fin - Str - Car - Driver - Laps - Points
1 - 3 - 18va - Bobby Labonte - 99 - 40
2 - 20 - 39va - Ryan Newman - 99 - 39
3 - 8 - 2 - Brandon Ward - 99 - 38
4 - 11 - 02 - Joey Coulter - 99 - 37
5 - 9 - 15 - Brian Loftin - 99 - 36
6 - 4 - 24 - Danny Bohn - 99 - 35
7 - 1 - 76 - Cayden Lapcevich - 99 - 34
8 - 2 - 25 - Tim Brown - 99 - 33
9 - 12 - PJ54 - Tommy Catalano - 99 - 32
10 - 10 - 1 - Burt Myers - 99 - 31
11 - 5 - 4 - Jason Myers - 99 - 30
12 - 6 - 16 - Jonathan Cash - 99 - 29
13 - 14 - 55 - Jeremy Gerstner - 99 - 28
14 - 17 - 48 - Jonny Kay - 97 - 27
15 - 21 - 01 - Brian Weber - 94 - 26
16 - 19 - 21 - Jimmy Wallace - 93 - 25
17 - 15 - 54ny - Trevor Catalano - 91 - 24
18 - 18 - 22 - Jason Tutterow - 80 - 23
19 - 16 - 8 - Chris Finocchario - 61 - 22
20 - 13 - 18 - Daniel Yates - 33 - 21
21 - 7 - 23 - Carson Loftin - 33 - 20
Time of Race: 0h:45:01 | Cautions: 3 for 16 Laps
Lap Leaders: T. Brown 46, Labonte 28, Coulter 19, Lapcevich 6
Pace-O-Matic Pole Award: Jason Myers - 13.466 seconds (100.252 mph)
Bell Helmets Stage Winner: Tim Brown
Jostens Lap Leader: Tim Brown
Bankers Life Halfway Leader: Cayden Lapcevich
Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger Award: Joey Coulter (+7 Positions)
Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front: Cayden Lapcevich
MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap: Bobby Labonte - 13.869 seconds (Lap 4)
Pace-O-Matic Hard Luck Award: Carson Loftin
Oval Marketing Free Tire Award: N/A
For more regarding the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - Short Track Life Media Group - Twitter: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour
The SMART Modified Tour captures the essence of one of the most legendary forms of racing in America, pavement Modifieds. Born in 1988, these ground-pounding, 600-horsepower missiles are a must-see for any racing fan.
In 2020, Chris Williams brought SMART Modifieds back to prominence after a brief hiatus. Due to the overwhelming popularity from its fan base, a four-race schedule in its initial year has given birth to an adventurous 14-race schedule in 2023.
This year will mark the third full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing. Many of Modified racing’s best drivers, from all over the country, will compete with the series, which visits 13 different racetracks in three different states in the Mid-Atlantic - North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
SMART Modifieds compete on grueling asphalt oval short tracks, embedded in quaint local communities, each spring, summer and fall.
Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic develops, produces, and licenses fun and entertainment in the form of skill games in various states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Kentucky, Illinois and Texas, among others. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has built a talented leadership team and a culture defined by integrity, innovation, and compliance. Learn more at www.paceomatic.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Martinsville, VA (October 31, 2023) - NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte is one of the hottest drivers in short track racing. The former NASCAR Cup Series champ has won two of the last three races with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
His latest triumph came in the Rumble in Rougemont, the SMART season finale, on Saturday (October 28) at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. When pitstops cycled through 28 laps shy of the conclusion of the 99-lap race, Labonte’s Pace-O-Matic / Cookout / Units Moving & Storage number-18 found itself out ahead of the pack. It’s a position he would not relinquish.
“We finished strong, but man, I would like to start over again too,” said Labonte, who turned the MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap of the Race (13.869) on lap four. “Our pit stops weren’t that good at the beginning of the year, but they were on it tonight. These cars have gotten better for me too; we definitely got a rhythm going. When you win, you win as a team. What a way to finish, but dang it I wish we were starting over again.”
Labonte distanced himself from SS Racing teammate Ryan Newman, as well as Brandon Ward, who finished second in points, by race's end.
Veteran southern modified driver Burt Myers is now a three time SMART champion. He finished the season with a 10th place effort at Orange County Speedway. In fact, Myers did not finish outside the top 10 in 2023 with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic. He also scored three wins, the most in the series, en route to the title.
“We sucked tonight. We just missed it a little bit, but you know what, we got plenty to celebrate,” said Myers after climbing out of his Citrusafe Grill Cleaners / Backyard Leisure Pool & Spas number-1 Modified. “To be a part of this series, to be a champion in ‘02 when this thing first started, and to win it again; it’s just awesome. I never dreamed it would be back to where it is. It seemed like southern modified racing took a fall and we never knew if it was coming back, but it’s back and large and in charge now.”
Burt’s brother, Jason, won his second Pace-O-Matic Pole Award during qualifying at OCS. He scored the year-long Pace-O-Matic Pole Award by breaking a tie with both Tim Brown and Caleb Heady (also with two poles) by being the most-recent drivers to win a pole. Jason finished just behind his brother, eleventh overall, in the Rumble in Rougemont.
Tim Brown finished eighth, but dominated the first half of the race. The 25-team lost positions during his pitstop. By virtue of leading 46 circuits, Brown picked up the Jostens Lap Leader of the race. He also won the Bankers Life Stage One at the conclusion of the initial 30 laps of the race.
The Bankers Life Halfway Award went to Cayden Lapcevich. The former NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion led at the halfway point and finished seventh in his first series start. Lapcevich was the highest finish driver not to have won a Tour-Type Modified Series event, which resulted in the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front award.
Joey Coulter finished fourth after starting 11th, which gave him the Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger of the Race award.
Stay tuned for more information from the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic in the coming weeks, including a schedule to be announced soon. Please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com for more insight, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - Short Track Life Media Group - Twitter: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #12
Official Race Results for the Rumble in Rougemont - 10/28/2023
Orange County Speedway - Rougemont, NC - 0.375 mile
Race Length: 99L - 37.125 M - 59.746 KM
Fin - Str - Car - Driver - Laps - Points
1 - 3 - 18va - Bobby Labonte - 99 - 40
2 - 20 - 39va - Ryan Newman - 99 - 39
3 - 8 - 2 - Brandon Ward - 99 - 38
4 - 11 - 02 - Joey Coulter - 99 - 37
5 - 9 - 15 - Brian Loftin - 99 - 36
6 - 4 - 24 - Danny Bohn - 99 - 35
7 - 1 - 76 - Cayden Lapcevich - 99 - 34
8 - 2 - 25 - Tim Brown - 99 - 33
9 - 12 - PJ54 - Tommy Catalano - 99 - 32
10 - 10 - 1 - Burt Myers - 99 - 31
11 - 5 - 4 - Jason Myers - 99 - 30
12 - 6 - 16 - Jonathan Cash - 99 - 29
13 - 14 - 55 - Jeremy Gerstner - 99 - 28
14 - 17 - 48 - Jonny Kay - 97 - 27
15 - 21 - 01 - Brian Weber - 94 - 26
16 - 19 - 21 - Jimmy Wallace - 93 - 25
17 - 15 - 54ny - Trevor Catalano - 91 - 24
18 - 18 - 22 - Jason Tutterow - 80 - 23
19 - 16 - 8 - Chris Finocchario - 61 - 22
20 - 13 - 18 - Daniel Yates - 33 - 21
21 - 7 - 23 - Carson Loftin - 33 - 20
Time of Race: 0h:45:01 | Cautions: 3 for 16 Laps
Lap Leaders: T. Brown 46, Labonte 28, Coulter 19, Lapcevich 6
Pace-O-Matic Pole Award: Jason Myers - 13.466 seconds (100.252 mph)
Bell Helmets Stage Winner: Tim Brown
Jostens Lap Leader: Tim Brown
Bankers Life Halfway Leader: Cayden Lapcevich
Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger Award: Joey Coulter (+7 Positions)
Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front: Cayden Lapcevich
MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap: Bobby Labonte - 13.869 seconds (Lap 4)
Pace-O-Matic Hard Luck Award: Carson Loftin
Oval Marketing Free Tire Award: N/A
For more regarding the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - Short Track Life Media Group - Twitter: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour
The SMART Modified Tour captures the essence of one of the most legendary forms of racing in America, pavement Modifieds. Born in 1988, these ground-pounding, 600-horsepower missiles are a must-see for any racing fan.
In 2020, Chris Williams brought SMART Modifieds back to prominence after a brief hiatus. Due to the overwhelming popularity from its fan base, a four-race schedule in its initial year has given birth to an adventurous 14-race schedule in 2023.
This year will mark the third full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing. Many of Modified racing’s best drivers, from all over the country, will compete with the series, which visits 13 different racetracks in three different states in the Mid-Atlantic - North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
SMART Modifieds compete on grueling asphalt oval short tracks, embedded in quaint local communities, each spring, summer and fall.
Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic develops, produces, and licenses fun and entertainment in the form of skill games in various states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Kentucky, Illinois and Texas, among others. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has built a talented leadership team and a culture defined by integrity, innovation, and compliance. Learn more at www.paceomatic.com.