NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
June 21, 2010

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES ROUND UP FOR JUNE 21

CARTERSVILLE, GA – The top four drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region had successful outings in Week 12 competition, while several top drivers in the East Region gathered bonus points on Friday night, and several others moved into the top ten of the point standings after Saturday night action.

Three-time and defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS drove the Boland Performance Rocket to his fourth win of the season on Friday night at Hattiesburg Motorsports Park in Hattiesburg, MS. Keeton was in his backup car after crashing his Trak-Star on June 12 at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.

Keeton now has 681 points to lead the West Region standings with four wins, ten top five finishes, and 12 top ten finishes in 15 starts. Keeton has one more race to earn full points before he begins netting points by replacing his lowest top 16 event point night total with a higher event night total.

Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS picked up his West Region-leading sixth win of the season on Friday night at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL driving the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics Mastersbilt to move into a tie for the second spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region with Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS at 639 points.

Stokes has the highest Event Point Average (EPA) in the West Region at 49. Stokes has earned 100 bonus points for competing in four NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events that are included in his point total. Stokes also had a fourth place finish on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS. “Dr. Dirt” has six wins and 11 top fives in 11 starts.

Lawson finished second on Friday night at Hattiesburg Motorsports Park, and now has three top fives and 12 top tens in 15 starts. Like Keeton, Lawson has one more race to earn full points before he starts netting points. Neither Keeton nor Lawson has yet to earn any bonus points by competing in NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring events.

Shay Knight of Ethelsville, AL took his first NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region win of the season on Saturday night at Magnolia Motorsports Park driving the Dunn’s Autos Mastersbilt. Knight is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region standings with 526 points based on one win, eight top fives, and nine top tens in ten starts.

Justin McRee of Cuba, AL is fifth in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region standings with 506 points after five wins and six top fives and seven top tens in eight starts driving the Century Dedicated, Inc. Trak-Star. McRee picked up 25 bonus points on Friday night at the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring event on Friday night in Penton, AL, and had a top ten finish on Saturday night at “The Mag.”

Cliff Williams of Star, MS is sixth in the West Region standings with 459 points after two wins and seven top fives in nine starts driving the Ware Construction Trak-Star. Williams had a second-place finish on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park.

Jason Michau of Kilmichael, MS is seventh in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region standings with 444 points based on two top fives and seven top tens in nine starts driving the Michau Logging Warrior. Chad McCool is eighth with 443 points after one top five and five top tens in nine starts driving the M&M Logging Mastersbilt.

Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS picked up the $1,000 top prize on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS driving the Medicaid Planning Specialists Trak-Star. Palasini is ninth in the West Region standings with three wins and seven top five finishes in eight starts.

Randy Boyd of Marion, MS rounds out the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region standings with 416 points. Boyd has seven top fives and nine top tens in ten starts driving the Boyd Racing dirt late model.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region action in Week 12 of competition, the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS was the winner on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park driving the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star. A1 Raceway in Slidell, LA was rained out on Saturday night.

McDuffie and other drivers just outside the top ten of the West Region standings, like Larry Murphy of Meridian, MS and Tody Ratcliff of Meridian, MS, will have an opportunity to earn up to 50 bonus point this weekend, as the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Tour will be at Whynot Motorsports Park for a pair of events this Friday night and Saturday night.

Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL competed in the Penton, AL NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring event to earn 25 bonus points and remain on top of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 716 points. Edge has three wins, 13 top five finishes, and 14 top ten finishes in 15 starts, with one more event to earn full points in the Edge’s Gas Mastersbilt.

Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL did not compete in Week 12 competition, as the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring event on Saturday night at his home track, East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL, was rained out. Stephens remains second in the East Region standings with 551 points after an East Region-leading six wins, nine top fives and 11 top tens in 12 starts driving the Bennett Logging RMRC.

“Flyin’” Ryan King of Anniston, AL did some “double dipping” over the weekend to move up to the third spot in the East Region standings with 469 points. King grabbed 25 bonus points in Friday night at Penton Raceway, and then competed in East Region action on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL, where he finished seventh in the True Bond Masonry TSR. King has three top fives and eight top tens in ten starts.

Larry Harrod of Plains, GA picked up 25 bonus points on his way to his first career NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring win on Friday night at Penton Raceway in the Harrod Logging Scorpion. Harrod is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 456 points after one win and six top fives in seven starts.

Kevin Maher of McDavid, FL is fifth in the East Region standings with 455 points, that include the 25 bonus points he earned at Penton Raceway on Friday night. Maher has the highest EPA among the top ten drivers in the East Region at 47.78. Maher has three wins and nine top fives in nine starts driving the United Bank GRT.

Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL also made the trip to Penton, AL to pick up 25 bonus points, and now has 441 points to ride in the sixth spot of the East Region standings. Huss has one win, seven top fives, and nine top tens in nine starts driving the Charco, Inc. TNT.

Craig Scott of Newnan, GA did not compete in Week 12 competition, and dropped from third to seventh in the East Region standings. Scott has 440 points with two wins, six top fives and nine top tens in 11 starts driving the Base Fuel GRT.

Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA is eighth in the East Region standings with 438 points after earning 25 bonus points on Friday night at Penton Raceway. Darda has three wins and nine top fives in nine starts driving the Darda Tire GRT.

The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Adam Martin of Talladega, AL and Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL moved up to the ninth and tenth spots respectively in the East Region standings with top five finishes on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track.

Martin finished second in the Martin Racing Barry Wright and Gauldin finished fifth in the D&K Truck Service GRT. Martin has 429 points after one win and nine top fives in nine starts, and Gauldin has two wins, seven top fives, and eight top tens in nine starts.

Tim Staples of Pell City, AL took his third win of the season on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track driving the Family Nissan Rocket in the only East Region points race of Week 12. Staples is just outside the top ten in the East Region standings in the 11th spot with 423 points.

East Region Week 12 Saturday night events at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL and Mountain Raceway park in Maryville, TN were rained out.

Trak-Star Race Cars built by Boland Performance of Cuba, AL had two wins from Palasini and McDuffie to raise their season win total to 30 victories and the lead in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge. Trak-Star Race Cars is the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Champion.

Three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Champion GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR is second in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge point standings with 22 wins, just eight points behind Trak-Star Race Cars.

Wins by Keeton and Staples has brought Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, WV to up a third-place total of 18 wins, and within four points of GRT Race Cars in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge. TNT Race Cars of Piney Flats, TN is fourth with three wins, and Warrior Race Cars built by Goddard Performance of Knoxville, TN is fifth with two wins.
For a complete rundown of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings in the East and West Regions, visit the NeSmith Racing web site at www.nesmithracing.com and click on the Points Page.