Story and Photos by: Matthew Thomerson

TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. – After 99 laps that saw a wild and interesting finish, Blake Barney captured the victory in the inaugural Zach Brewer Memorial for the SMART Modified Tour at Florence Motor Speedway on Saturday. 

Barney started the race well outside the top-10 and methodically worked his way into position for a decent finish after staying out on older tires, when the leaders ahead of him pitted with just three laps to go. The gamble to stay out was ultimately the right decision for Barney and his team, as he got a quick launch on the final restart and came across the line side-by-side with Jake Crum. Barney ultimately had enough momentum to hold Crum off for a win that seemed to be an afterthought prior to the final caution. 

The win seemed to be more of a sigh of relief than anything for Barney, who had had his own prior trials at the 4/10th mile oval in the past. 

“We blew a motor down here, we wrecked down here, and just such a bummer year, you know, we were just trying to come here and look for a solid finish,” Barney said. 

Perhaps a little bit of luck played into Blake Barneys hand at the end as well. 

“We should have finished fourth in the race and then the caution came out, and the two to go with the some guys pit and one guy got sent to the back and one guy got spun out, it just worked out,” Barney said. 

Coming to the white flag, the leader and pole-sitter, Joey Coulter, got spun by second-place Luke Baldwin in Turn 3, which brought out the final caution. Most of the cars that were inside of the top-10 came down pit road for tires, which they were allowed to do, while some, such as race winner Blake Barney, took the chance at a win, and stayed out. 

One of the drivers who wished the end could have played out a little bit differently was runner-up Jake Crum. After having a flat tire earlier in the race, Crum made a hard charge late, and it seemed he could capitalize from the yellow with two to go. 

“I feel like if the tire wouldn’t have went flat, and the caution would have came out later, and we would have been the you know, first car on tires,” Crum said.

After the final restart, Crum trailed Blake Barney but was able to get along-side coming out of Turn 4 on the final lap.

“Honestly I think if we would have had another 150 feet we was gonna win the race,” Crum said. 

The third-place finisher, Joey Braun, seemed destined for a back half of the top-10 finish also, until the final yellow came out. Braun capitalized on staying out when the leaders pitted, much like race winner Blake Barney, and at the end, brought it home in the final podium spot. 

“I always wanted to race Modifieds and never had the opportunity, and the first time someone gave me a chance we come down and run top-3,” Braun said. 

Slate Myers finished fourth after a clean solid outing, and Carter McMurray rounded out the top-five. Completing the top-10 was Joey Coulter, Jack Baldwin, Daniel Yates, Luke Baldwin and John-Michael Shenette. 

Other divisional winner on Saturday at Florence Motor Speedway included: Carolina Crate, Cody Norman; Bandoleros, Wyatt Linker; Legend Cars, Ryan Zima; Mini Stocks, Brandon Johnson; Bell & Bell Vintage, Willie Grainger; and Chargers, Ricky Locklair Jr.

The Smart Modified Tour will take on Anderson Motor Speedway next weekend on Saturday, March 8.

Florence Motor Speedway will be back in action on Saturday, March 22 for the Spring Fling. The lineup will include Late Models, Chargers, Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, Limited Late Models, Legend Cars and Bandoleros.