Chris Fleming Rules Mod Field In Wild Madhouse Classic

Chris Fleming (left) in victory lane after winning Saturday's Cook Out Madhouse Classic for tour modifieds at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Jacob Seelman photo)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After a winless 2024 campaign that was far from his usual standards, Bowman Gray Stadium veteran Chris Fleming found his way back to the top of the podium Saturday in perhaps the most prestigious modified race in track history.

Fleming, the 62-year-old from Mount Airy, N.C., led the final 50 laps of the inaugural Cook Out Madhouse Classic at the flat quarter-mile oval en route to his 18th career Bowman Gray win and first since July 15, 2023, in the second of twin features.

However, the stage on which Fleming stood after this race was extra meaningful, with the Madhouse Classic serving as the undercard to the Cook Out Clash exhibition race that annually opens the season for the NASCAR Cup Series.

“They all mean a lot – my goal is always that I want to win – but to win this race with the eyes that are on it and the (Cup Series) drivers that are here, it’s definitely special and we’re extremely proud,” said Fleming in victory lane.

Fleming wasn’t the dominant driver early; that honor belonged to John Holleman IV, who redrew the pole position following qualifying and led from the outset despite numerous caution flags that punctuated the first half of the 125-lap feature.

But Holleman’s fortune changed on a restart with 50 laps left, when he lined up alongside Brandon Ward but got kicked sideways exiting turn four and had to catch his momentum as third-running Danny Bohn came forward with a head of steam.

Bohn clipped the grass before getting into Holleman going into turn one, sending both cars spinning and also collecting Jonathan Brown’s machine as well in the fracas.

Fleming got sideways as he dove to the inside curb to avoid the carnage, but carried on, assumed the race lead and never gave it up from that point on.

“When they wrecked down there, my car was really out of shape and I almost lost it, so I think there was some divine intervention in that corner or something,” recalled Fleming. “Man, at the end … my eyes were actually watering, you know? In all sincerity, I was thinking about how blessed I was to be in this position and knowing how big a win this is for our family and for our team.”

A second moment of survival for Fleming came with 35 laps to go, when the 11th restart of the race went sour after Junior Snow got sideways on the frontstretch and looped with added help from Bohn.

His black No. 16 carried on as the lead car, while his 32-year-old son – Jordan Fleming – snuck past Snow’s spinning car to assume second place.

Chris Fleming (16) leads Burt Myers late in Saturday's Cook Out Madhouse Classic at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Erick Messer/BGS photo)

Father and son lined up on the front row for a 25-lap dash to the finish, but Jordan Fleming began slipping back with motor issues as Burt Myers powered to second and gave chase to Chris Fleming at the head of the field.

Jordan’s engine finally expired on lap 110, drawing the penultimate of 14 yellow flags, and that was followed by a spin by 2000 Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte which slowed the pace one more time with 11 to go.

That set up an eight-lap dash to the checkered flag, and though Myers nearly got to Chris Fleming’s bumper in the final set of corners, it wasn’t enough for the 11-time Bowman Gray modified division champion to make a move for the win.

“We knew it was going to be exciting,” Myers noted. “My car was just off a little bit at the end. I could get into the center (apex), but I couldn’t get turned off the corner, so it was hard to make that pass with how the car was handling in those last laps.

“We got some damage (in the incident with Junior Snow), but I don’t think it hindered us. It was all cosmetic, really,” he added. “I was going as hard as I could. Just needed a little bit more.”

Dan Speeney filled out the podium after running as high as second early, while Holleman rallied back to fourth in the final laps from his incident while leading.

Ward crossed fifth, followed by Riley Neal, Bohn, Randy Butner, 16-year-old Slate Myers, and Daniel Propst. Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Cup Series champion, finished 13th.

Oh, by the way, Chris Fleming put on the added show of choosing to start from the last row of the grid for a possible $5,000 bonus - then drove from 22nd to the win.

“It that wasn’t a show, then they never will have one,” said the driver nicknamed ’The Showstopper’ after clearing the scales. “My car was a jet. I did the challenge for the people and won $9,000 last year (in the fan’s challenge) and did it again today and won $5,000.

“It’s been a good day.”

Along with Burt Myers, Ryan Preece and Tim Brown – both of whom failed to finish Saturday’s modified race – will perform double duty by also racing in the Cup Series field for the Cook Out Clash later in the weekend.

The finish:

1. Chris Fleming, 2. Burt Myers, 3. Dan Speeney, 4. John Holleman IV, 5. Brandon Ward, 6. Riley Neal, 7. Danny Bohn, 8. Randy Butner, 9. Slate Myers, 10. Daniel Propst, 11. Lee Jeffreys, 12. Trey Hutchens III, 13. Bobby Labonte, 14. Jordan Fleming, 15. Junior Snow, 16. Jason Myers, 17. Ryan Preece, 18. Jonathan Brown, 19. Daniel Beason, 20. Tim Brown, 21. Susan Harwell, 22. William ‘Crab’ Smith.