Tri-County Race Track
June 6, 2014
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Welshan DQ Gives Johnson NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Bill Hendren Memorial 40 Win

by Roby Helm
BRASSTOWN, NC (June 6) – When Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN climbed from his NeSmith Chevrolet Special in the Tech Area after what appeared to the be a second-place finish on Friday night in the Bill Hendren Memorial 40 at Tri-County Race Track, he was all smiles after a four-car three-wide battle for the runner-up spot. A few minutes later, Johnson was declared the winner.

The apparent winner of the race, Jason Welshan of Maryville, TN, who took the checkered flag with a full straightaway advantage over Johnson, was disqualified during the post-race technical inspection when it was discovered that a tire that came off his Hidden Hollow Motorsports Special had been chemically altered.

That gave the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Johnson his second win of the season and the 19th of his series career. The victory also gave Johnson the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point lead in the battle for the $20,000 National Championship by four points over Mack McCarter of Gatlinburg, TN.

Walker Arthur of Forest, VA took the second spot in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special and McCarter finished third in the McCarter Lumber CVR. Local favorite Jacob Anderson of Murphy, NC was fourth in the Scrappy’s Metal Special and Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS drove the Bassett Hound Motorsports GRT to a fifth-place finish.

Tanner Works of Cleveland, TN finished sixth in the D&K Auto CVR and the 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA charged from the 18th starting spot to finish seventh in the Hedman Husler. Jacob Grizzle of Blairsville, GA overcame a trip to the pit area with a cut tire on lap 18 to comeback and finish eighth in the Allen Pools Special.

Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL was the Rookie of the Race with a ninth-place finish in the Old Man’s Garage Special, and Brent Rhodes of Boaz, AL rounded out the top ten in the R&B Express Special.

In preliminary action, Arthur was the Fast Qualifier among the 28 entrants with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 13.600 seconds. Less than one second separated the 28-car field in time trials. The two 10-lap B-Main races were won by Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and Works.

The first start of the race was waved off, and as the field slowed for the caution flag, several cars got together on the backstretch. The multi-car tangle eliminated Brian Kinnersley of Blairsville, GA in the Smoky Mountain Poured Walls Special and Steven Sofield of Hiawassee, GA in the North Georgia Cabins and Land GRT.

The complete restart saw Johnson grab the lead from his outside front row starting spot followed by Stokes, Arthur, Anderson and Welshan. Stokes and Walker were racing side-by-side for the second spot on lap two, and Walker got inside Stokes to take the position on lap four. Walker wouldn’t stay there long, as he dropped back to fifth on lap five with Stokes, Anderson and Welshan getting by.

Welshan got inside Anderson in turn three on lap nine to take over the third spot just before the field was slowed by the second caution flag of the race on lap 11 for a spin by Ronald Dunn of Corinth, MS in the Dunn Motorsports Special. Johnson had the field doubled up behind him, as Stokes chose the outside for the “Dixie Style” double-file restart.

When the race went back green, Welshan stayed to the inside of Stokes, and cleared him for the second spot coming off the fourth turn on lap 12. Welshan wasted no time chasing down the leader, as he and Johnson were battling side-by-side for the lead by lap 13. Welshan was able to dive under Johnson coming off the fourth turn on lap 15 to take the lead.

The third caution flag came out on lap 16 when Jamie Oliver of Murphy, NC stalled the Valley River Merchants GRT on the front straightaway with an overheating problem. Welshan had Johnson, Anderson, Arthur, Stokes, Grizzle, Noah, Works and McCarter doubled up behind him for the restart.

Anderson got by Johnson for second on the restart, and Stokes powered past Arthur for fourth. The fourth caution flag came out for a spin by Dunn in turn two on lap 18. Grizzle gave up the sixth spot to pit with a cut left-rear tire, but he would return to restart on the tail of the field.

On the restart, Paydon Shook of Young Harris, GA spun the Bulldog Restoration Special in turn one to trigger a multi-car pile-up that brought out the red flag for a blocked race track. The race went clean and green the rest of the way. Welshan checked out on the field, but the battle behind him for the second spot was intense and crowded around the close confines of Tri-County Race Track.

Johnson began looking inside Anderson to challenge for the second spot by lap 21. Arthur moved up to make it a three way dance on lap 25. It was Johnson on the inside, Anderson in the middle, and Arthur on the outside bringing the packed house to their feet for the three-wide duel. McCarter passed Stokes for the fifth spot on lap 26, and then closed in to make a quartet in the battle for second.

Johnson and Anderson would swap the second spot three times in the last ten laps of the race, while Welshan maintained a full straightaway lead. After several attempts to pass Anderson for second on the inside, Johnson climbed the banking on lap 30, and finally got the job done.

Anderson caught Johnson in lapped traffic on lap 36 to dive back under him for the second spot, but Johnson would come back on the outside to make what would prove to be the winning pass one lap later on the 37th tour. Arthur would get by Anderson on lap 38 for what would end up being the second spot on lap 38, and McCarter ended up third by passing Anderson on the final lap.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series now moves to 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN on Saturday night for the $4,000-to-win 3rd Annual J.T. Kerr Memorial 40. With four points separating Johnson and McCarter for the point lead, this will be a good one, as Johnson is the defending champion of the J.T. Kerr Memorial 40, and 411 Motor Speedway is McCarter’s home track.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new web site at www.nesmithracing.com

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 10 AT TRI-COUNTY RACE TRACK IN BRASSTOWN, NC ON 6/6/14:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 2 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 40 $2,000
2. 1 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA 40 $1,000
3. 10 51 Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN 40 $700
4. 6 64 Jacob Anderson Murphy, NC 40 $550
5. 4 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS 40 $500
6. 12 T35 Tanner Works Cleveland, TN 40 $425
7. 18 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 40 $375
8. 9 16 Jacob Grizzle Blairsville, GA 40 $350
9. 3 56n Chris Noah Rainbow City, AL 40 $325
10. 20 13 Brent Rhodes Boaz, AL 40 $300
11. 21 23 Barry Anderson Andrews, NC 40 $275
12. 23 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 40 $250
13. 14 17h Matt Henderson Loudon, TN 40 $225
14. 8 J39 Jimmy Elliott Cleveland, TN 39 $200
15, 24 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 38 $175
16. 7 88 Paydon Shook Young Harris, GA 17 $150
17. 11 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 17 $140
18. 13 17 Ronald Dunn Corinth, MS 17 $125
19. 16 38 Jamie Oliver Murphy, NC 15 $125
20. 17 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN 11 $125
21. 22 37 Michael Barnett Hayesville, NC 9 $125
22. 19 27k Brian Kinnersley Blairsville, GA 0 $125
23. 15 8s Steven Sofield Hiawassee, GA 0 $125
24. 5 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN 40 $0 DQ/Tire

ENTRIES: 28
FAST QUALIFIER: Arthur, 13.600 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Blount and Minga
LEAD CHANGES: 4
LAP LEADERS: Johnson, 1-15; J. Anderson, 16-29; Johnson, 30-35; J. Anderson, 36, Johnson, 37-40
LAPS LED: Johnson, 25; J. Anderson, 15
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Noah
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD: Edge
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD: Jonathan Rowan
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD: Turner
SCHAEFFER’S OIL 8TH-PLACE AWARD PRESENTED BY CHAD WALLACE AND HEATHER NEWSOME: Grizzle
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD: Noah
AR BODIES 10TH-PLACE AWARD: Rhodes
MIKE CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD: B. Anderson
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 12TH-PLACE AWARD: Blount
KINSER AIR FILTERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD: Henderson
CAUTIONS: 5

QUALIFYING (Top 10 Transfer To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA Mastersbilt 13.746 13.600 13.600
2 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 13.858 13.645 13.645
3 56n Chris Noah - R Rainbow City, AL Mastersbilt 13.758 13.654 13.654
4 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS GRT 13.858 13.672 13.672
5 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN Mastersbilt 14.539 13.704 13.704
6 64a Jacob Anderson Murphy, NC Mastersbilt 37.427 13.707 13.707
7 88 Paydon Shook Young Harris, GA Mastersbilt 13.859 13.711 13.711
8 J39 Jimmy Elliott Cleveland, TN CVR 13.744 13.712 13.712
9 16 Jacob Grizzle Blairsville, GA Mastersbilt 13.805 13.731 13.731
10 51 Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN CVR 14.276 13.768 13.768
11 8s Steven Sofield Hiawassee, GA GRT 14.046 13.818 13.818
12 17h Matt Henderson Loudon, TN CVR 14.028 13.826 13.826
13 18e Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 13.914 13.862 13.862
14 T35 Tanner Works Cleveland, TN CVR 13.996 13.888 13.888
15 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN GRT 14.014 13.940 13.940
16 38 Jamie Oliver Murphy, NC GRT 14.188 13.962 13.962
17 17 Ronald Dunn Corinth, MS Barry Wright 14.053 13.990 13.990
18 17s Brett Shook Hayesville, NC Mastersbilt 13.996 14.009 13.996
19 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 14.715 14.025 14.025
20 56r Jonathan Rowan Whiteville, TN Rocket 14.173 14.085 14.085
21 23 Barry Anderson Andrews, NC Mastersbilt 14.278 14.120 14.120
22 7 Jason Deal Copperhill, TN Mastersbilt 14.393 14.191 14.191
23 K37 Drew Kennedy Lancing, TN Rocket 14.735 14.231 14.231
24 37 Michael Barnett Hayesville, NC Rocket 14.607 14.243 14.243
25 27k Brian Kinnersley Blairsville, GA Mastersbilt NT 14.301 14.301
26 13 Brent Rhodes Boaz, AL Mastersbilt 23.372 14.355 14.355
27 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS Trak-Star 14.567 14.533 14.533
28 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA DWB 14.889 14.609 14.609

B-MAINS (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Edge; 2. Dunn; 3. Sofield; 4. Morrow; 5. Kinnersley; 6. Anderson; 7. Minga; 8. Blount; 9. Kennedy.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Works; 2. Henderson; 3. Oliver; 4. Turner; 5. Rhodes; 6. Barnett; 7. Rowan; 8. Deal; 9. B. Shook.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 6/6/14:

1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 802
2. 51 Mack McCarter – 798
3. 87 Walker Arthur – 762
4. 56 Chris Noah (R) – 662
5. 121 Michael Blount – 554
6. 19m Josh Adkins – 524
7. 110 Brent Barrett – 492
8. 18 Tait Davenport – 460
9. 1 Johnny Stokes – 444
10. 25 Justin McRee – 418
10. 73 Ashley Newman – 418
12. 17 Ronald Dunn – 390
13. 19 Marcus Minga – 356
14. J39 Jimmy Elliott – 352
15. 38 Chase Washington – 348
16. 18e Chase Edge – 314
17. 64 Jacob Anderson – 274
18. 47 Chandler Petty – 238
19. 56r Jonathan Rowan – 224
20. 53 Ray Cook - 194

R – Denotes Rookie of the Year Candidate