NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
August 23, 2010

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES ROUND UP FOR AUGUST 23

CARTERSVILLE, GA – Several drivers made big moves in the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East and West Region point standings during Week 21 competition over the weekend. The results of the weekend’s racing brings the Championship battles in each Region into a clearer view.

The biggest movers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings were Larry Harrod of Plains, GA and Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL, who finished one-two respectively on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL.

Harrod picked up his fourth win of the season in the Harrod Logging Scorpion to move into the top ten in points. Nowell moved up to the fifth spot in the East Region standings. Harrod can still earn full points in four more East Region weekly events, and Nowell can earn full points in one more weekly event, plus an additional 75 bonus points.

Harrod and Nowell are trying to reel in the East Region point leader Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL. Edge took his sixth win of the season on Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL driving the Edge’s Gas Company Mastersbilt.

Edge leads the East Region standings with 909 points based on his best 16 finishes, but he can still earn 25 bonus points by competing in one of the three NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events left during the Weekly Racing Series season that ends on October 3. That would bring his total up to 934 points.

The 17-year-old point leader can also net points if he finishes third or better in his next weekly start with a car-count of eight or more, and then second or better in his remaining weekly starts. Edge has the potential to earn up to 941 points.

Nowell has 798 points, and has the potential to earn up to 938 points. Harrod has 704 points and his chances for the East Region title are mathematical. Harrod has the potential to earn up to 929 points. Edge would have to not earn his remaining 25 bonus points, and Harrod would have to skip two National events to win the East Region title, which is unlikely because he is battling for the $5,000 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Award on the National tour.

There are two drivers that could have challenged for the East Region title after finishing one-two on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track, but they will leave enough bonus points on the table to not make that possible.

The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Adam Martin of Talladega, AL grabbed his fourth win of the season at TST in the Martin Racing Barry Wright and Tim Staples of Pell City, AL was second. Martin had the potential to earn 929 points with all of his bonus points, and Staples had the potential to have earned 926 points with all of his bonus points.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 21 East Region action on Saturday night, Shep Lucas of McKenzie, AL took his third win of the season at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL driving the Lucas Farms Trak-Star, and Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA picked up his sixth win of the season at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA driving the Darda Tire GRT.

Three drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region picked up wins in Week 21 competition to become title contenders with the top two drivers in the West Region standings, Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS and the defending and three-time West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS.

Cliff Williams of Star, MS and Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, MS picked up wins in twin features on Saturday night at Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, MS, and Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS was the winner on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS.

Stokes leads the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region standings with 943 points based on his best 16 finishes, and Keeton was able to net one point over the weekend to remain in the second spot with 888 points based on his best 16 finishes. Stokes has to finish first or second in his remaining weekly races to post a perfect score of 950 that includes 16 wins in 50-point races, plus 150 bonus points.

Keeton also has the potential to post a perfect score of 950, as he can still earn 50 bonus points, which would put him to within five points of Stokes. Keeton has to finish in the top three in his next weekly event to net points, and after that, he will have to finish either first or second in his next two weekly events.

Palasini drove the Medicaid Planning Specialists Trak-Star to his fifth win of the season on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway to move up to the fourth spot in the West Region standings with 854 points based on his best 16 finishes. Palasini can still earn 50 bonus points and has the potential to earn a total of 946 points in his remaining weekly races with 50-point wins.

Williams captured his fifth win of the season on Saturday night at Jackson Motor Speedway in the Ware Construction Trak-Star to move up to the seventh spot in the West Region standings with 799 points in 14 starts. Williams has earned the maximum of 150 bonus points, but still has two more weekly events to earn full points. Williams has the potential to earn a total of 947 points with 50-point wins in his remaining weekly events.

McRee moved into the top ten of the West Region standings with his seventh win of the season on Saturday night at Jackson Motor Speedway driving the Century Dedicated, Inc. Trak-Star. “J-Mac” now has 729 points in 12 starts that include 150 bonus points. McRee can earn full points in four more weekly events, and has the potential to earn 949 points with 50-point wins in his remaining weekly events.

Wins by Lucas, Williams, McRee, and Palasini have brought the season win total for defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Champion Trak-Star Race Cars build by Boland Performance of Cuba, AL up to 56, as they lead the standings looking for their second straight title.

Darda’s win gave three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Champion GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR their 37th win of the season to remain in the second spot. Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, WV is third with 20 wins, followed by TNT Race Cars of Piney Flats, TN in fourth with six wins, and Warrior Race Cars built by Goddard Performance of Knoxville, TN in fifth with three wins.

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.