By Joe Chandler
Public Relations Director, South Boston Speedway
South Boston, VA…..When it comes to Modified racing in the south there are no names more well-known than the Myers brothers.
Burt Myers, 45, and Jason Myers, 42, have long been a staple of Modified racing in the south, having competed at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for many seasons as well as having competed on the former NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour and in former iterations of the SMART Modified Tour.
This season the two Walnut Cove, North Carolina residents are competing in the SMART (Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams) series. The SMART Modified series will visit South Boston Speedway on Saturday (April 3) for a 99-lap event as part of the Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races, one of the three special events on South Boston Speedway’s 2021 season schedule.
For Burt Myers, who stands in second place in the series points standings, and Jason Myers, who sits fifth in the series standings, Saturday’s 99-lap race at South Boston Speedway is an event they have circled on their calendars.
“I put this race on my calendar to focus on to be a strong point for our season,” Burt Myers said.
“I’m looking to break the ice on 2021 at South Boston Speedway.”
“I’m excited about coming up there,” Jason Myers remarked.
“I’m excited about the race fans up there.”
Both say there is a lot of excitement among the SMART Modified drivers and teams about coming to South Boston Speedway this weekend.
“The talk in the Modified world right now is all about South Boston Speedway,” Burt Myers pointed out.
“It’s the buzz of the community. I know a lot of the guys that weren’t able to attend the last race at Florence (South Carolina), and I honestly think a lot of them were preparing for South Boston. Most teams have put this race on their calendar as a red star, saying ‘we’re going to South Boston’ and are looking forward to it.”
“I’ve talked to a couple of guys that didn’t go to the first two SMART races because they didn’t want anything to happen (to their cars),” Jason Myers pointed out.
“South Boston was the main race they wanted to go to. It’s understandable. It’s a beautiful racetrack, a beautiful place, and great people.”
Burt Myers may have a little edge on his fellow competitors heading into Saturday’s race as he has the most laps, or close to the most laps, on the .4-mile oval since the track was repaved a few short seasons ago.
“I probably have more laps there on the new pavement,” Burt Myers noted, “but our car count and the level of our competition is so high that I’m not sure that’s going to be as much of an advantage as some may think. I do feel, though, that it will play into my favor somewhat just because I know the different lines and the strategies that I’m going to have to work with when I come to run that race.”
Jason Myers looks at Saturday’s 99-lap race at South Boston Speedway as an opportunity for redemption.
“I can’t put into words how much it would mean to me to win at South Boston Speedway,” Jason Myers said.
“I’ve been up there and raced a few times and had two of the worst crashes I’ve had in my racing history at South Boston. I’ve had three really bad crashes since I started racing Modifieds, one at Martinsville and the other two at South Boston.
“I’ve kind of got a monkey on my back there,” he continued.
“I want to redeem myself at South Boston. It’s the one place right now that I would rather win at than anywhere else just because of my past experience there.”
The Myers brothers are expected to be joined by a number of the top drivers in the SMART Modified series including NASCAR Hall Of Famer and former NASCAR Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte, John Smith, Tim Brown, Brian Loftin, Frank Fleming, Gary Putnam and Jeremy Gershner.
The 99-lap race for the SMART Modified series and a 100-lap race for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors headline Saturday’s Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races. A 15-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division round out the day’s action.
Adult general admission advance tickets are available online on the South Boston Speedway website for $15 each plus a $1.50 processing fee, for a total of $16.50. Advance tickets are available online on the South Boston Speedway website until midnight on Friday before the race. Adult general admission tickets at the gate on race day will be $20 each.
“We encourage fans to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase their tickets using our online ticket purchasing system,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Cathy Rice.
“It’s fast, easy to use and gives fans an opportunity to save money on their ticket purchases.”
Saturday’s race day schedule has grandstand gates opening at 12:30 p.m. Qualifying will start at 1 p.m. and the first race will start at 2 p.m.
South Boston Speedway is participating in the Advance Auto Parts My Track Challenge, a contest for NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series tracks. Fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track through Tuesday, April 27 and can vote up to three times a day. When fans cast their vote they will be entered to win NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series prizes. Votes for South Boston Speedway can be cast at https://bit.ly/VoteForSoBo.
The six tracks that receive the most votes after April 27 will be part of a two-day final round of voting that is scheduled to start on Sunday, May 9.
A $50,000 prize will be awarded to the winning track that can be used toward facility enhancements and community-based programs. The runner-up track will receive $15,000 and the third-place track will receive $10,000.
The latest news and updates about South Boston Speedway and its racing events can be found on the new South Boston Speedway website at www.southbostonspeedway.com and on the speedway’s social media channels. Fans can also subscribe for e-mail updates on the speedway’s website.
