WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Saturday night’s racing at Bowman Gray was as hot and as humid as the air that enveloped the stadium.
However, Zack Clifton dominated the Colors Edge 100, which was a 100-lap race in the Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series.
In winning, Clifton won his second of the three 100-lap Sportsman races this season and defeated runner-up Chase Robertson, who picked up the other 100-lap Sportsman win earlier this season.
“We’ve had a really good car,” Clifton said. “I’ve been out here a long time and never had a car like I’ve had the past two races. Man, I don’t know what we hit on but we hit on something and this drive in this car is insane.
“But hats off to my guys, sponsors. Everybody has a part in this. It’s a way to go out of my season here at Bowman Gray.”
Clifton said that Saturday’s win will be his last race of this season at Bowman Gray.
“I just want to run the big ones daughter, she’s racing Go-Karts,” he said. “So, we’re doing that and I’m getting ready for Martinsville also. We’re just going to take this win and go out on top.”
Clifton took the lead from Robertson on lap 27.
“I was going to ride until I could get a spot open to take the lead,” Clifton said. “And I put a little pressure on Chase and he ran up wide and gave me the spot. So, we never looked back.”
The race was red-flagged on lap 45 to allow four parachutists from the Special Forces Parachute team to jump.
“I was like, ‘Thank God. I can get some water and a fan,'” Clifton said. “It was hot out tonight. When I took off I knew I had a good car. I just (took) off and lead them on.”
Once that was completed, the race resumed with Clifton continuing his domination over and Robertson. Sterling Plemmons finished third, followed by Zack Ore, and Justin Taylor.
“Usually in a 100-lap race, you know, you baby the car in the first half,” Cliifton said. “And then in the second half you’ve got what you’ve got. Usually the car, it don’t stay underneath you. But this one here, it never changed from lap 1 to 100.”
Lee Jeffreys cruised in the first 25-lap race in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series.
Jeffreys sat on the pole after having the fastest qualifying lap and led from start to finish. It was his 30th career win, making him No. 14 overall in Modified wins.
“I’d like to thank all these people from coming out tonight as hot as it is because I know that’s tough,” Jeffreys said.
Chris Fleming finished runner-up, followed by Jason Myers, Brandon Ward, and Junior Snow.
The race was marred by an incident that started last week between Mike Speeney and Burt Myers. Speeney retaliated against Myers, which caused a wreck that ended up involving 11 cars.
Following the first 25-lap Modified race, Jeffreys drew 8 in the “Madhouse Scramble,” which inverted the field for the second 25-lap race there.
Kyle Southern started on the pole for the second race and was immediately bumped by John Holleman IV on the first lap. Tim Brown took advantage and took the lead.
Brown carried the momentum until the finish and won his second race in as many weeks after going winless all season.
Saturday’s win is his 103rd win in his Modified career, which added to his lead.
“I’m just glad that we could find our way back to Victory Lane,” Brown said. “It’s still not the same winning the second races…Cam (son) and Marley (daughter) and Megan (wife) is on Facetime right here at home. I just wish they were here so I could them. But we’re going to celebrate this. You know, two wins. Had a great racecar. I screwed up qualifying tonight. It’s on me.”
Snow finished runner-up, followed by Brandon Ward, who is the points leader, Jason Myers, and Fleming.
In the 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series, Craig Hartless won his first career race.
Hartless won after a green-white finish following a caution on lap 19 and defeated runner-up Kevin Gilbert.
“We’ve been fighting trouble all year, a couple years in a row,” Hartless said. “Finally figured some stuff out. Still loose on the track. Everybody’s having problems, but yeah, we made it here. We led all 20.”
Brad Lewis finished third and Christian Joyce was fourth.
In the first 15-lap race in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock race, Chuck Wall started fourth and won the race.
Wall, who picked up his fourth win of the season and 38 overall, moved into the lead on lap 3 and controlled the race the rest of the way.
“We’ve been pretty lucky over the years,” Wall said. “We’ve got a pretty hotrod underneath us. We struggled this morning. I think it was I think it was two bad tires. We put some different tires on it. We took off.”
Luke Smith finished runner-up, followed Tyler McDonald, Brandon Brendle, and Billy Andrews, who sat on the pole.
Tyler Rose picked up his first career win in the second 15-lap Stadium Stock race, defeating Chris Allison.
“It feels great,” Rose said. “
Levi Holt finished third, followed by Kevin Canter, and Zack Taylor.
Next week’s racing will feature the Fox8 WGHP 100, which is a 100-lap race in the Brad’s Golf Cars Series.
There will also be a full-field redraw in the 100-lap Modified race, but the top four qualifiers have the have opportunity to take the Fans’ Challenge and go to the rear of the field. If one or more of the four drivers elect to go to the rear of the field, if they finish in the top four they have the change at winning all or part of $3,000.
In addition to the Traffic Control Safety Services 100, there will be twin 25-lap races in the Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock Series, and two 15-lap races in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.