BURT MYERS WINS THE BATTLE AT SOBO
SMART 5 Now Headed To North Wilkesboro To Decide Championship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Boston, VA (October 12, 2024) - Three-time SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic champion Burt Myers scored his first win of 2024, in the Battle of SOBO, on Hitachi Energy Power-Up Raceday, Saturday at South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
Myers, from Walnut Cove, NC, took the lead for second and last time during a restart on lap 86 from Mike Speeney, from Newtown, PA. The Citrusafe Grill Cleaners number-1 then held off Ryan Newman, from South Bend, IN, and Jake Crum, from Statesville, NC, for the victory, his first at the southern Virginia race track.
“I’ve always wanted to win here at SOBO,” said Myers, who now has 12 wins with SMART. “Nick (Igdalsky) and Brandon (Brown) and these people give us a facility that is head and shoulders above so many places that we go to. I’ve seen my dad (Gary) win here (in 2001); I grew up here; the old southern tours have been here. So, to finally get a win here, this is going to be a good one.”
After the 99-lap race, drivers and teams gathered around officials to express questions regarding a previous series bulletin about engines utilized on the Tour. One of the engines discussed was that of Burt Myers number-1 car. SMART Modified Tour Director Chris Williams offered this statement.
“We try to do everything up front and in full transparency,” said Williams. “We were made aware of a bulletin for an 18-degree engine, using a short booster. That rule was made so that the engine can be more competitive with other engines on tour. Our interpretation of the bulletin issued in January didn’t match our internal documents we were working off of.”
“My interpretation of the rule included all built engines,” explained Alan Shepard, Tech Director for the SMART Modified Tour. “We looked at the engine at the last race at Dominion (Raceway) and we deemed it a built engine that is legal with a short booster. One of our officials brought to our attention a bulletin that wasn’t specific to our current document.”
With all of this to consider, the SMART Modified Tour has expanded the drivers battling for the championship in the season finale from three to all five that had a shot to enter the title equation during the race at South Boston.
“At the end of the day, we think it's best for both our fans and our drivers that the five playoff contenders from South Boston should now have a chance to race for the championship at the final race at North Wilkesboro,” stated Williams.
The championship for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic will be decided this Saturday, October 19, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The event is a doubleheader with the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Models. Tickets are available via the North Wilkesboro Speedway website. Grandstands open for spectators at 3:00 PM (ET), with qualifying for the SMART Modified Tour at 3:30 PM. A driver autograph session is being held at 4:00 PM, with driver introductions at 5:00 PM. 7:15 PM is the scheduled start time for the SMART Mods, with CARS Tour races before and after it.
All SMART races are streamed live on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
For updates on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By: Bob Dillner - X: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #13
Unofficial Race Results for The Battle of SoBo - 10/12/2024
South Boston Speedway - South Boston, VA - 0.400 mile
Race Length: 99L - 39.6 M - 63.756 KM
Fin - Str - Car - Driver - Sponsors - Laps
1 - 8 - 1 - Burt Myers - Citrusafe / Peanut Patch - 100
2 - 12 - 2 - Ryan Newman - SHITI Coolers / Finzer Rollers - 100
3 - 5 - 12pa - Jake Crum - Cherokee Unlimited - 100
4 - 6 - 7va - Luke Baldwin - Pace-O-Matic / Mohawk NE - 100
5 - 11 - 24 - Danny Bohn - Ameri-Fast Supply of NC - 100
6 - 14 - 02 - Joey Coulter - SRI / TORCH / Bilstein - 100
7 - 1 - 97 - Patrick Staropoli - Driving To Fight Blindness - 100
8 - 13 - 04 - Brandon Ward - Q104.1 / KevinSaysYes.com - 100
9 - 4 - 79 - Anthony Bello - SunDrop - 100
10 - 23 - 18 - Daniel Yates - Yates Grading and Paving - 100
11 - 21 - 10 - Mike Speeney - Lineback Race Cars - 100
12 - 10 - 6 - Slate Myers - Hustler Mobile Home Sales - 100
13 - 9 - 15 - Brian Loftin - Steve's Tires & Automotive - 100
14 - 17 - 4 - Jason Myers - Greg Butcher Trucking - 100
15 - 22 - 21 - Jimmy Wallace - Carolina Drilling - 100
16 - 3 - 23 - Carson Loftin - L&R Transmission / LeBleu Water - 100
17 - 24 - 40 - Frank Fleming - William E. Smith Trucking - 100
18 - 20 - 99 - Jimmy Blewett - Clarence's Steak House - 98
19 - 26 - 22 - Jason Tutterow Carolina Drilling - 97
20 - 27 - 64 - Ethan Truell - n/a - 97
21 - 19 - 12 - Cody Norman - AJP Transport - 93
22 - 7 - 25 - Tom Buzze Jr. - Mark III Financial / UNITS Storage - 88
23 - 16 - 48 - Jonny Kay - A-best Forklift - 88
24 - 2 - 11va - Jonathan Cash - Pace-O-Matic - 80
25 - 15 - 45 - Gary Young Jr. - Ideal Comfort Heating & Air - 76
26 - 28 - 21nc - Dwight Sauls - n/a - 34
27 - 18 - 98 - Landon Huffman - High Rock Vodka - 33
28 - 25 - 11 - Michael Ritch - A Better View Glass & Mirror - 25
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 for the SMART Tour 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 15-race schedule in 2024.
This year will mark the fourth full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing since its return. 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, Kansas, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming, 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.
SMART 5 Now Headed To North Wilkesboro To Decide Championship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Boston, VA (October 12, 2024) - Three-time SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic champion Burt Myers scored his first win of 2024, in the Battle of SOBO, on Hitachi Energy Power-Up Raceday, Saturday at South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
Myers, from Walnut Cove, NC, took the lead for second and last time during a restart on lap 86 from Mike Speeney, from Newtown, PA. The Citrusafe Grill Cleaners number-1 then held off Ryan Newman, from South Bend, IN, and Jake Crum, from Statesville, NC, for the victory, his first at the southern Virginia race track.
“I’ve always wanted to win here at SOBO,” said Myers, who now has 12 wins with SMART. “Nick (Igdalsky) and Brandon (Brown) and these people give us a facility that is head and shoulders above so many places that we go to. I’ve seen my dad (Gary) win here (in 2001); I grew up here; the old southern tours have been here. So, to finally get a win here, this is going to be a good one.”
After the 99-lap race, drivers and teams gathered around officials to express questions regarding a previous series bulletin about engines utilized on the Tour. One of the engines discussed was that of Burt Myers number-1 car. SMART Modified Tour Director Chris Williams offered this statement.
“We try to do everything up front and in full transparency,” said Williams. “We were made aware of a bulletin for an 18-degree engine, using a short booster. That rule was made so that the engine can be more competitive with other engines on tour. Our interpretation of the bulletin issued in January didn’t match our internal documents we were working off of.”
“My interpretation of the rule included all built engines,” explained Alan Shepard, Tech Director for the SMART Modified Tour. “We looked at the engine at the last race at Dominion (Raceway) and we deemed it a built engine that is legal with a short booster. One of our officials brought to our attention a bulletin that wasn’t specific to our current document.”
With all of this to consider, the SMART Modified Tour has expanded the drivers battling for the championship in the season finale from three to all five that had a shot to enter the title equation during the race at South Boston.
“At the end of the day, we think it's best for both our fans and our drivers that the five playoff contenders from South Boston should now have a chance to race for the championship at the final race at North Wilkesboro,” stated Williams.
The championship for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic will be decided this Saturday, October 19, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The event is a doubleheader with the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Models. Tickets are available via the North Wilkesboro Speedway website. Grandstands open for spectators at 3:00 PM (ET), with qualifying for the SMART Modified Tour at 3:30 PM. A driver autograph session is being held at 4:00 PM, with driver introductions at 5:00 PM. 7:15 PM is the scheduled start time for the SMART Mods, with CARS Tour races before and after it.
All SMART races are streamed live on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
For updates on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By: Bob Dillner - X: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #13
Unofficial Race Results for The Battle of SoBo - 10/12/2024
South Boston Speedway - South Boston, VA - 0.400 mile
Race Length: 99L - 39.6 M - 63.756 KM
Fin - Str - Car - Driver - Sponsors - Laps
1 - 8 - 1 - Burt Myers - Citrusafe / Peanut Patch - 100
2 - 12 - 2 - Ryan Newman - SHITI Coolers / Finzer Rollers - 100
3 - 5 - 12pa - Jake Crum - Cherokee Unlimited - 100
4 - 6 - 7va - Luke Baldwin - Pace-O-Matic / Mohawk NE - 100
5 - 11 - 24 - Danny Bohn - Ameri-Fast Supply of NC - 100
6 - 14 - 02 - Joey Coulter - SRI / TORCH / Bilstein - 100
7 - 1 - 97 - Patrick Staropoli - Driving To Fight Blindness - 100
8 - 13 - 04 - Brandon Ward - Q104.1 / KevinSaysYes.com - 100
9 - 4 - 79 - Anthony Bello - SunDrop - 100
10 - 23 - 18 - Daniel Yates - Yates Grading and Paving - 100
11 - 21 - 10 - Mike Speeney - Lineback Race Cars - 100
12 - 10 - 6 - Slate Myers - Hustler Mobile Home Sales - 100
13 - 9 - 15 - Brian Loftin - Steve's Tires & Automotive - 100
14 - 17 - 4 - Jason Myers - Greg Butcher Trucking - 100
15 - 22 - 21 - Jimmy Wallace - Carolina Drilling - 100
16 - 3 - 23 - Carson Loftin - L&R Transmission / LeBleu Water - 100
17 - 24 - 40 - Frank Fleming - William E. Smith Trucking - 100
18 - 20 - 99 - Jimmy Blewett - Clarence's Steak House - 98
19 - 26 - 22 - Jason Tutterow Carolina Drilling - 97
20 - 27 - 64 - Ethan Truell - n/a - 97
21 - 19 - 12 - Cody Norman - AJP Transport - 93
22 - 7 - 25 - Tom Buzze Jr. - Mark III Financial / UNITS Storage - 88
23 - 16 - 48 - Jonny Kay - A-best Forklift - 88
24 - 2 - 11va - Jonathan Cash - Pace-O-Matic - 80
25 - 15 - 45 - Gary Young Jr. - Ideal Comfort Heating & Air - 76
26 - 28 - 21nc - Dwight Sauls - n/a - 34
27 - 18 - 98 - Landon Huffman - High Rock Vodka - 33
28 - 25 - 11 - Michael Ritch - A Better View Glass & Mirror - 25
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 for the SMART Tour 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 15-race schedule in 2024.
This year will mark the fourth full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing since its return. 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, Kansas, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming, 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.
