FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
August 9, 2010

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES ROUND UP FOR AUGUST 9

CARTERSVILLE, GA – Three-time and defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS tightened up the West Region point standings with two wins during Week 19 of the 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet WRS season. Keeton closed to with 51 points of Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, but the battle is closer than it seems.

Keeton drove his Boland Performance Trak-Star to victory on Friday night at Hattiesburg Motorsports Park in Hattiesburg, MS and on Saturday night at Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, MS to record his seventh and eighth wins of the season. Stokes finished second on Saturday night at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS.

Stokes leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region standings with 938 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 150 bonus points, after a series-leading ten wins and 19 top five finishes in 21 starts driving the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics Mastersbilt.

Keeton is second with 887 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 100 bonus points, after eight wins, 18 top five finishes and 20 top ten finishes in 23 starts. On paper, Stokes leads by 51 points, but when you take away the bonus points for competing in up to six NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring events, the point difference between Stokes and Keeton is just one point.

Keeton can still earn the maximum amount of bonus points allowed, which is 150, by competing in two of the three NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events available before the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season ends on October 3.

Wesley Greene of Winona, MS picked up his eighth win of the season on Saturday night at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS driving the Transport Service Center Trak-Star. The victory was the fourth straight for Greene in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region competition.

Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS drive the Medicaid Planning Specialists Trak-Star to his fourth win of the season on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS. Tyler Stevens of Searcy, AR drove the Searcy Auto Salvage Rocket to his fourth win of the season on Friday night at Batesville Motor Speedway in Batesville, AR.

The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet WRS Wet Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS took his fourth win of the season on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS driving the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star.

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region point leader Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL had a big Friday, as the 17-year-old driver began his Senior year of High School during the day, and then drove his Edge’s Gas Company Mastersbilt to his fourth win of the season during the evening at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL.

Edge now has 903 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 125 bonus points, with four wins, 24 top five finishes and 25 top ten finishes in 26 starts. Edge leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series in number of races, top fives, and top tens.

Ryan King of Anniston, AL is second in the East Region standings with 848 points based on his best 16 finishes after seven top fives and 18 top tens in 19 starts driving the True bond Masonry TSR.

Brad Coffey of Maryville, TN drove the Stinnett Body Shop Warrior to his first win of the 2010 season on Saturday night in the first of two feature races at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN. Weston Gantte of Dandridge, TN won his second race of the season at Mountain Raceway Park in the second feature race driving the Gantte Appraisals Insurance Mastersbilt.

Adam Cummings of Eastaboga, AL picked up his second East Region win of the season on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL in the Cummings Racing entry, and Randy Hester of Columbus, GA took his first win of the season on Saturday night at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA driving the Appliances and More dirt late model. East Region action on Saturday night at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL was rained out.

In the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge, five Week 19 wins by Keeton, Greene, Palasini, and McDuffie has brought Trak-Star Race Cars leading total to 50 on the season. Trak-Star Race Cars built by Boland Performance of Cuba, AL 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 with 35 wins, and Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, WV is third, as Stevens gave them their 20th win of the season. TNT Race Cars of Piney Flats, TN is fourth with six wins, and Coffey gave fifth-place Warrior Race Cars built by Goddard Performance of Knoxville, TN its third win of the season.

Looking at the rest of the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West and East Regions, Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS is third in the West Region standings with 866 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 150 bonus points, with six top fives and 16 top tens driving the Lawson Construction Rocket.

Shay Knight of Ethelsville, MS is fourth in the West Region standings with 848 points in 16 starts, including 125 bonus points based on three wins, ten top fives and 13 top tens in the Dunn’s Autos Mastersbilt. Chad McCool of Millport, AL is fifth with 794 points, including 100 bonus points, based on his best 16 finishes in the M&M Logging Mastersbilt with three top fives and 11 top tens in 19 starts.

Mark Tice of Avon, MS is sixth with 790 points in 15 starts, including 100 bonus points, with four wins, 11 top fives and 12 top tens driving the Precision Marine Trak-Star. Jason Michau of Kilmichael, MS is seventh with 777 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 75 bonus points, after five top fives and 12 top tens in 18 starts driving the Michau Logging Warrior.

Palasini is eighth in the West Region standings with 747 points based on four wins, ten top fives and 11 top tens in 14 starts. Cliff Williams of Star, MS is ninth with 708 points in 12 starts, including 150 bonus points, based on four wins and ten top fives driving the Ware Construction Trak-Star.

Eric Carr of Bruce, MS rounds out the top ten of the West Region standings with 677 points in 14 starts, including 50 bonus points after driving the Carr Land and Timber Mastersbilt to seven top fives and 10 top tens.

There are two drivers outside the top ten of the West Region standings that can still be considered Championship contenders. Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL is 12th in the West Region standings with 630 points in just ten starts, including 150 bonus points, after six wins, eight top fives and nine top tens in the Century Dedicated, Inc, Trak-Star.

Greene is 16th in the West Region standings with 589 points in ten starts, including 100 bonus points, after eight wins, nine top fives, and 10 top tens.

McRee and Greene still have six more weekly shows they can compete in to earn full points before they begin netting points by replacing the lowest event point total of their best 16 finishes with a higher one. Greene can still earn 50 more bonus points by competing in two NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring events.

Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 788 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 25 bonus points, after seven wins, 13 top fives and 17 top tens in 18 starts driving the Bennett Logging RMRC. Dana Eiland of Salem, AL is fourth with 756 points based on his best 16 finishes, including 25 bonus points, after two wins and 14 top fives in 19 starts driving the Andy’s Auto Parts GRT.

Flomaton Speedway regulars Kevin Maher of McDavid, FL and Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL are separated by one point for the fifth and sixth spots respectively in the East Region standings. Maher has 754 points in 15 starts with four wins, 12 top fives and 14 top tens driving the United Bank GRT, and Huss has 753 points in 15 starts with three wins, 13 top fives, and 15 top tens in the Charco, Inc. TNT.

Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL remains an East Region title contender, even though he is seventh in the point standings. Nowell has 749 points in just 14 starts, including 75 bonus points, after four wins, 13 top fives and 14 top tens driving the Clarence’s Truck Repair GRT. Nowell can earn full points in two more weekly events, and 75 more bonus points.

Paul Walters of Valley, AL is eighth with 729 points in 15 starts, including 25 bonus points, after one win, eight top fives and 14 top tens driving the Gary Davis Construction Warrior. Chris Griffin of Flomaton, AL is ninth with 686 points in 15 starts with no bonus points after one win, 11 top fives and 15 top tens in the Wallace Paint and Body Wallace.

Craig Scott of Newnan, GA rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 667 points in 16 starts with no bonus points based on three wins, eight top fives and 14 top tens driving the Base Fuel GRT.

For a complete rundown of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings in both the East and West Regions, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or 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.