Brian Loftin celebrates with his team in victory lane after winning Saturday night’s SMART Modified Tour feature at South Boston Speedway. Photo: SMART Modified Tour
Brian Loftin used strategy that set him up to win Saturday night’s SMART Modified Tour feature at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway.
The 99-lap race saw six drivers lead laps, but it was the 16th-place starter Loftin, who pitted early, and then saved his stuff to pounce on the competition late in the race.
“It was a lot of strategy and the fact that the team gave me a really good car tonight,” said Loftin, who took the lead on lap 68. “I kind of put us in a box by qualifying 16th, so we had to use a little strategy to get up there. This isn’t the easiest place to pass without using your stuff up. Once we got up there, after saving our stuff early, we had a car to contend for the win.”
The Lexington, North Carolina driver did have some pressure late in the race from Matt Hirschman, who had started at the tail end of the field after missing qualifying due to competing in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Richmond Raceway earlier in the day. Hirschman’s challenge for the lead came to an end due to an issue with the fuel pump in his number car with 13 laps to go.
“I felt Matt on me; he gave me a couple of taps to let me know he was there. And everyone wants to beat Matt,” admitted Loftin. “He’s just so good and it’s what everyone dreams about (beating him). I wanted to put him behind me and see if we could battle it out. I hate what happened to him, but I’m so proud of my guys (Shady Grady Racing). This is a family owned team and I’m just happy to get them into victory lane.”
For Loftin, it was his ninth career tour victory. His previous best at South Boston Speedway was a second-place finish in a NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race in 2013.
Tom Buzze finished in second, with tour points leader Burt Myers in third, Jonathan Cash in fourth, and Joey Coulter in fifth.
Brandon Ward, Michael Ritch, Jeremy Gerstner, Tim Brown, and Jason Myers rounded out the top 10.
The SMART Modified Tour returns to action on Saturday, April 15 at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway. For more information, visit SMARTModTour.com.
SMART Modified Tour
South Boston Speedway – South Boston, VA
Flying VA 99 – April 1, 2023
1. Brian Loftin
2. Tom Buzze
3. Burt Myers
4. Jonathan Cash
5. Joey Coulter
6. Brandon Ward
7. Michael Ritch
8. Jeremy Gerstner
9. Tim Brown
10. Jason Myers
11. Bobby Measmer, Jr.
12. Caleb Heady
13. Daniel Yates
14. Carson Loftin
15. Matt Hirschman
16. Dennis Holdren
17. Brian Weber
18. Wes Gilbert
19. Chris Finocchario
20. Jimmy Wallace
21. Bobby Labonte
22. Jonny Kay
23. Gary Young, Jr.
24. Jonathan Brown
25. Riley Neal
26. Jason Tutterow
27. Zach Brewer
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