Tim Brown, Brandon Ward score Modified wins during Night of Destruction at Bowman Gray

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Saturday night's Truliant Night of Destruction at Bowman Gray Stadium proved to be a battle to get through the rain. After five different rain showers most of the schedule went on as scheduled. But the big winner turned out to be Tim Brown. Brown, who is a 12-time champion in the Brad's Golf Cars Modified Series, won the second 25-lap Modified race for his first win of the season. It was his first win since July 27 of last year. "It's mixed, right?," Brown said. "You never want to win that second race. I don't want to win the second race, but with the season we've had this year I needed that, right?" Brown started second the second 25-lap race after Brandon Ward, the points leader, won the first 25-lap race. "My needed it, My sponsors needed it. We all needed it," Brown said. "So, we'll take it. You know, we sat on the pole last week. And we finally got the car where I like it, and it's got speed, and I can drive it." It was a relief for Brown. "Hats off to this team" Brown said. "They've worked their guts out, and I'm just blessed that I can get them a victory. And so proud ny wide and kids were here. To get to share that with them is special. Like, I said, I'm not proud that this is the second 25-lapper. We'll come back next week, set on the pole and win. I'll be happy." Brown took the lead on the second turn of the first lap after passing Randy Butner, who sat on the pole after the Madhouse Scramble following Brandon Ward's win in the first race. "Our car was super-good," Brown said. "I was able to pass Randy in the first race on the outside and then drive away from him. So, I knew, me and Randy's big buddies. And I knew he'd race me clean and I'd race him clean, and that Rahmoc power just pulled him. "And like I said, he raced me clean and I was able to clear him off of 2 there and just won my race from then on." According to race stats this season, Brown had not led a lap this season. That obviously changed Saturday night by leading all 25 laps in the second race. "It's been super-frustrating," Brown said. "But we've tried a bunch of new setup stuff this year, like new-wave technology stuff, that just didn't work out for us. We went went back to old-school stuff last week and here we win this week." Ryan Flores finished runner-up to Brown, followed by Butner, John Smith, and Daniel Beeson. "So, we're back where we need to be and things are good," Brown said.  "We just keep this momentum going and have a good last half of the season here." Saturday's win also gave Brown 102 for his career, breaking the tie he had with Burt Myers, who has 101. "It's OK," Brown said. "Like I said, I don't even look at that because I ain't nowhere near done." [caption id="attachment_479896" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Brandon Ward after winning Saturday night at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Photo: Erick Messer/Bowman Gray Stadium[/caption] As for Brandon Ward, he just continued his winning ways. He picked up his third win of the season and 15th of his career. Lee Jeffreys finished runner-up, followed by Burt Myers, Chris Fleming, and Jason Myers. "It always feels good to win," Brandon Ward said. "I mean, these twin-25s, man, it's sort of a, you want to win them, but we lost some points tonight by winning that first one and having to start behind everybody in the second one." Brandon Ward finished 13th in the second race, and Bowman Gray officials do the average finish when a series has two races in one night. "It's good to win," he said. We felt like we didn't have a terrible night points-wise, We just didn't gain anything. Lost just a little bit there, but to get a win's always good." One of key moments of the first 25-lap Modified race happened on the second lap. Mike Speeney, who is second in points, was just ahead of Burt Myers, who is third in points. Burt Myers bumped Speeney, which wrecked Speeney's car and kept him out of the second race. "We pick up our third win of the season," Brandon Ward said. We're going to try to get a couple more if we can by the end of the year." There was no qualifying because of the rain before the race start. Starting positions for the first 25-lap Modified Series were determined by points standings. That meant that Brandon Ward, who is the points leader, started on the pole. "Well, it's definitely been different," Brandon Ward said. "I've never had a night quite go like this with no practice, no qualifying, no anything. So, it was definitely different. Kind of shocked we got it in, you know. Most of the time it rains enough to where we don't get them in. "But it was nice to get started and get this one in. You know, it was definitely a different scenario kind of rolling out there in that first race not knowing what to expect." But a win's a win. "We've all raced enough over here this year," Brandon Ward said. "We've all got laps on these cars, so it wasn't like we were totally blind. (The) race track's been slick all night. It's just green from where it's rained on it all week. And no practice this afternoon, so no rubber put down on it. "So, definitely the race track was off tonight, but it was off for everybody. So, five more week, and like I said, try to get a few more wins." In the first 20-lap race on Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series, Nate Gregg came from starting eighth to win. Gregg was in second just behind leader Mitch Gales after the final restart on lap 18, but Gregg took the lead shortly thereafter. Zack Ore finished third, Dylan Ward was fourth, and Kirk Sheets was fifth. In the 15-lap Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series race, A.J. Sanders defeated runner-up Chuck Wall. "It feels good," Sanders said. "...There's just to many (good drivers) out here." Sterling Plemmons was able to fend off Justin Taylor to win the second 20-lap Sportsman Series race. "You know, it's Justin and me," Plemmons said. "So, it's always magnets to each other. And he wanted to play games. He seemed upset. I don't know what he's upset over. I've had a terrible night. The transmission hung in gear the first race. I probably should've won that one. We rallied back to come get the second one. I don't how to race any better than that. And, I don't know, that's it." Tommy Neal was third, Chase Robertson was fourth, and Zack Ore was fifth. There were three cautions. Isaac Harris finished third, Brandon Brendle was fourth, and Levi Holt was fifth. The 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Series was the only event that was postponed Saturday night because of weather. Just as the cars rolled in the track to start the Street Stock race it started raining for the fifth time. The demolition derby went on as scheduled because it wasn't affected by the rain. Next week's racing is highlighted by the Colors Edge 100, which will be a 100-lap race in the Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman series. In addition there will  be twin 25-lap races in the Brad's Golf Cars Modified Series, a 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series, and either one or two 15-lap races in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.