SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — Former NASCAR Cup Series star Ryan Newman and last year’s SMART Modified Tour champion Burt Myers are both knocking on the door of their first win at South Boston Speedway.
Likewise, the two drivers view the 125-lap Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds race that headlines Saturday’s season-opening URW Community Federal Credit Union Race Day event as their opportunity to pounce.
“Every race is a new opportunity, and this is a big race coming up here at South Boston Speedway,” said Newman, who has 18 NASCAR Cup Series wins. “This is a great opportunity, and I thank the SMART series and Pace-O-Matic for putting this race on.”
Myers sees the Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds race as a crown jewel event and one of the country’s biggest and richest races for asphalt modifieds.
“Just think of the title — not just the title, but also the purse,” Myers said with a big smile. “I think this is a really cool event, not just for the southern modifieds, but for modified racing in general and to have it at a venue such as South Boston Speedway helps make it great. South Boston is just a track that feels like it was built for modified racing.
“I’ve said for years that South Boston Speedway is one of our tracks that not only do we enjoy going to, we appreciate the measures they take to make sure that it is a premier venue.”
Myers, who has 11 career wins on the SMART Modified Tour and has the most career race starts on the circuit, feels the Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds race “will be special for everybody in short track racing in general.”
“It’s going to be one that you’re not going to want to miss, that’s for sure. This is going to be one that is remembered for a long time,” Myers commented.
Newman, who is competing for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O -Matic championship in the No. 2 Randy Renfrow-owned Coulter Motorsports entry, is looking forward to racing at South Boston Speedway.
“South Boston is a fun race track,” said Newman, who won the 2023 SRX Series championship. “This is my first opportunity to race a modified here. I’ve got one race underneath my belt here, the SRX race here a couple of years ago.”
Myers is looking forward to returning to South Boston Speedway for Saturday’s Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds race.
“I usually run really well at South Boston, especially since the track was paved a few years ago,” Myers noted. “I’m excited.”
Myers says the key to winning the race is being fast.
“You’d better be fast,” he pointed out. “We’re going to be racing against some of the best modified drivers and some of the best equipment in the country.”
Newman had another thought.
“The key is being at the right place at the right time,” Newman pointed out. “It’s like every other race until something happens, and then you have to adjust. We’ll treat it like it’s any other race, and hopefully we will be in the right spot at the end.”