NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
July 22, 2010

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 17 PREVIEW

CARTERSVILLE, GA – A full slate of 12 events are on the Week 17 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series schedule with six races in the East Region and six races in the West Region. Late Week 16 results and early Week 17 results have shuffled the top ten in both regions.

Larry Harrod of Plains, GA took his third win of the season on Tuesday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL driving the Harrod Logging Scorpion. “The Big Tree” moved up to the seventh spot in the East Region standings with 629 points, and has the third-highest Event Point Average (EPA) among the top ten in the East Region at 47.9.

Harrod now has three wins and nine top five finishes in ten starts. Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL had a top five finish at East Alabama Motor Speedway on Tuesday night to move up to the eighth spot in the East Region with 626 points. The “Phenix City Assassin” has the second-highest EPA at 48 with three wins, 11 top fives, and 12 top ten finishes in 12 starts in the Clarence’s Truck Repair GRT.

Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL did not compete on Tuesday night, but still leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 869 points based on his best 16 finishes, and the highest EPA among the top ten in the East Region standings at 48.06. The 17-year-old driver has three wins, 19 top fives and 20 top tens in 21 starts driving the Edge’s Gas Company Mastersbilt.

Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL finished third in the Bennett Logging RMRC on Tuesday night, and is still second in the East Region standings with 786 points based on his best 16 finishes, and has the fourth-highest EPA at 47.56. The “Rocketman” has seven wins, 13 top fives and 16 top tens in 17 starts.

Dana Eiland of Salem, AL used a second-place finish on Tuesday night at EAMS to move up to the third spot in the East Region standings with 684 points, and the tenth-highest EPA among the top ten in the East Region at 41.19. The “Master of Going Faster” has 11 top five finishes in 16 starts, and should raise his EPA as he starts replacing his lowest point nights with higher ones.

A driver’s Regional point total is based on their best 16 finishes, plus up to 150 bonus points for competing in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events. Drivers can earn 25 bonus points at each National event they enter in up to six events. The EPA is the driver’s point total, minus bonus points, divided by the number of races they have competed in up to 16 events.

Ryan King of Anniston, AL had a top ten finish on Tuesday night to move up to the fourth spot in the East Region standings with 674 points and the ninth-highest EPA at 44.15 in the True Bond Masonry TSR. “Flyin’ Ryan” has three top fives and 11 top tens in 13 starts.

Kevin Maher of McDavid, FL and Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL are fifth and sixth respectively in both the East Region point standings and in EPAs. Maher has 660 points with three wins, 11 top fives and 12 top tens in 13 starts with an EPA of 46.92 in the United Bank GRT. Huss has 657 points with two wins, 11 top fives and 13 top tens in 13 starts in the Charco, Inc. TNT.

Chris Griffin of Flomaton, AL is ninth in the East Region standings with 591 points and the eighth-highest EPA at 45.46. Griffin has one win, nine top fives and 13 top tens in 13 starts driving the Wallace Paint and Body Wallace. Maher, Huss and Griffin are scheduled to be in action this Saturday night at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL.

Paul Walters of Valley, AL rounds out the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region standings with 585 points and the seventh-highest EPA at 46.67. Walters had his fifth top five finish of the season at EAMS on Tuesday night to go with one win and 11 top ten finishes in 12 starts driving the Gary Davis Construction Warrior.

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region point leader Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS grabbed his series-leading eighth win of the season on July 18 at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL driving the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics Mastersbilt. “Mr. Dirt” has 907 points based on his best 16 finishes and the highest EPA among the top ten in the West Region at 48.88. Stokes has eight wins and 16 top five finishes in 18 starts.

The defending and three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS is second in the West Region standings with 818 points based on his best 16 finishes and the second-highest EPA at 48. Keeton has five wins, 14 top fives and 16 top ten finishes in 19 starts in the Boland Performance Trak-Star.

Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS is third in the West Region standings with 764 points and the eighth-highest EPA at 42.6 in the Lawson Construction Rocket after three top fives and 12 top tens in 15 starts. Chad McCool of Millport, AL had a top ten finish at NAS and is fourth with 741 points and the ninth-highest EPA at 41.63 in the M&M Logging Mastersbilt. McCool has one top five and eight top tens in 16 starts.

Shay Knight of Ethelsville, MS is fifth in the West Region standings with 737 points and the seventh-highest EPA at 45.5. The “Knight Rider” has three wins, ten top fives and 12 top tens in 14 starts driving the Dunn’s Autos Mastersbilt. Jason Michau of Kilmichael, MS is sixth with 664 points and the tenth-highest EPA at 40.93. Michau has three top fives and nine top tens in 15 starts driving the Michau Logging Warrior.

Cliff Williams of Star, MS is seventh with 608 points and the fourth-highest EPA at 46.18 based on three wins and nine top fives in 11 starts in the Ware Construction Trak-Star. Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS is eighth with 599 points and the sixth-highest EPA 45.75 after three wins, eight top fives and nine top tens in 12 starts driving the Medicaid Planning Specialists Trak-Star.

Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL is ninth with 581 points, but has the third-highest EPA in the West Region at 47.89. “J-Mac” has six wins, seven top fives and eight top tens in nine starts driving the Century Dedicated, Inc. Trak-Star.

Mark Tice of Avon, MS rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region standings with 579 points and the fifth-highest EPA among the West Region top ten at 46.17. Tice has three wins, eight top fives and nine top tens in 12 starts driving the Precision Marine Trak-Star.

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 17 action continues Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL and Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN. Saturday night East Region events are scheduled for East Alabama Motor Speedway, Flomaton Speedway, New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA, and Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.

Week 17 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region competition begins on Friday night at Hattiesburg Motorsports Park in Hattiesburg, MS and North Alabama Speedway. Saturday night West Region events are scheduled for Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS, Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS, Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, MS and Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Dirt Late Models are powered by the economical GM Performance Crate Engines that are built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. The 400 horsepower aluminum-head 604 engine costs $5,295 and the 350 horsepower steel-head 602 engine costs $3,295 and gets a 150 pound weight break.

These engines are in stock for free next day delivery anywhere in the Southeastern United States at NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA, the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer. To place an order, call Tim Bland toll-free at 1-877-497-3624. There is no waiting for an engine at NeSmith Chevrolet. You can buy it today, and race it tomorrow.

For a complete rundown of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings in the East and West Regions, and links to the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS tracks’ web sites, visit the NeSmith Racing web site at www.nesmithracing.com. Also visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month.