FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2015
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Whitener Catches Air To Win NeSmith Late Model Season Opener



by Roby Helm
OCALA, FL (January 28) – Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL bounced his way to victory on Wednesday night in the 40-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season opener at Bubba Raceway Park driving the Dave’s Towing Special. Whitener had to hold on through adverse track conditions to bring his race car home in one piece to take the win.

Several inches of rain earlier in the week gave track owner Bubba Clem and his crew a challenge just to even have the track with a new clay surface ready to race on Wednesday night for the Rock Auto.com Winternationals season opener. A deep hole in the turn four surface developed with ten laps to go that sent the dirt late models airborne coming off the corner.

“I race here a lot and Bubba and his crew do a great job to always have the best track conditions, so tonight was an exception because of all of the rain we’ve had here,” Whitener said. “I thought they did great just to give us a track we could race on early, but when the hole developed in turn four, we just had to get through it as best we could.”

As the rut deepened in turn four, Whitener had a big lead over Jacob Hawkins of Fairmont, WV in the Bland’s Towing Rocket. After Whitener bounced through the hole a couple of times, he started to drive around it on the high side of the track. After a caution flag restart with four laps to go, Whitener was back down rough riding on the bottom of the track in turn four.

“After I bounced through the hole in turn four a couple of times, I tried to go around it on the high side,” Whitener said. “When I did that, the car didn’t feel as fast as it did when I was driving through the hole. After the car landed coming out of the hole, the car felt like it got better forward bite. We’ll have to look at the tape and see which way was faster.”

Whitener was able to hang on and take a 1.415 second margin of victory over Hawkins. Max Blair of Centerville, PA finished third in the R&J Poultry Rocket, and Walker Arthur of Forest, VA took the fourth spot in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special. Ryan King of Seymour, TN was fifth in the Brian King Roofing Stinger.

Sixth-place went to 12-year-old Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL, who was both the Rookie of the Race and the Young Gun of the Race. Then it went from the youngest driver in the race to the most senior driver, 61-year-old Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, who drove the Bassett Hound Motorsports Special to a seventh-place finish.

Cody Martin of Christiana, TN took the eighth spot in the Martin Motorsports Warrior. Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL started 22nd and finished ninth in the Panama City Cycles Special to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Cale Conley of Vienna, WV rounded out the top ten in the AAA General Contractors Special.

History was made in preliminary action, as 13-year-old Michael Lake of Uniontown, PA became the youngest driver in the 11-year history of the NeSmith Late Models to earn a Fast Time Award, as he toured the track during Qualifications in 15.755 seconds and take the pole position for the main event. The two 12-lap B-Main Races were won by Stokes and Rick Singleton of Hesston, PA in the Rick Singleton Rentals Special.

Lake took the lead at the start of the race followed by Whitener, Hawkins, King, and Cody Dawson of Westover, MD in the R&J Poultry Rocket. The first of five caution flags came out on lap two when Cla Knight of North Augusta, SC in the Augusta Aquatics Special, Singleton, Logan Roberson of Waynesboro, VA in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special and defending and two-time NeSmith Late Model Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special tangled in turn one.

The second caution flag came out on the restart after Dawson pounded the backstretch wall while running fifth. The next restart saw Clem work to the inside of King, and take the fourth spot on lap three, only to give up the spot a couple of laps later when the Young Gun Challenge Series driver dropped to the eighth spot.

Hawkins drove inside Whitener coming off the fourth turn on lap five to claim the second spot. While Hawkins and Whitener battled for second, Lake began to pull away, but his big margin was erased on lap nine when Conley spun in turn two to bring out the third caution flag. Lake led Hawkins, Whitener, King, Arthur, Blair, Stokes, Clem, Joe Mike of Mayfield, KY in the Mike Farms Special and Martin down for the restart.

On the restart, Arthur got to the inside of King coming off the fourth turn to take the fourth spot. Whitener picked up the pace on lap 13 when he powered inside of Hawkins coming off the fourth turn to take over the second spot, but he didn’t stay there long.

Whitener quickly reeled in Lake, who seemed to be slowing off his early race pace. On lap 14, Whitener once again used the bottom groove coming off the fourth turn to get underneath Lake and take the lead. Lake began to drop through the pack before calling it a night on lap 17. At the halfway point, Whitener led Hawkins, Arthur, Blair, King, Clem, Stokes, Crane, Mike and Martin.

With just about every car in the field using the bottom groove in turn four, the surface gave up the ghost on lap 30 and began to come apart, sending all takers in its path airborne coming off the corner. If anything, it created wholesale position changes, as drivers straightened themselves out and tried to maneuver around to depression.

Bronson Berry of Huntingdon, TN lit up the caution bulb for the fourth time on lap 32 when he stalled the Garner Brothers Farms Special in turn one. The top ten for the restart were Whitener, Hawkins, Blair, Arthur, King, Stokes, Clem, Crane, Martin and Conley, who was one lap down. Whitener was sailing around the outside of the turn four crater and was pulling away from Hawkins.

Johnson stalled in turn four with a cut tire on lap 37 to bring out the final caution flag. The top ten for the dash to the cash were Whitener, Hawkins, Blair, Arthur, Stokes, King, Clem, Crane, Martin and Conley. Whitener stayed on the treacherous bottom groove to the finish, with his car coming completely off the ground a couple of times before taking the checkered flag.

The NeSmith Late Models return to Bubba Raceway Park on Thursday night for a 50-lap $2,500-to-win main event. For Whitener and the rest of the competitors, it will be long and busy 24-hours, as they go over their race cars with a fine tooth comb looking for anything bent or broken from the night before.

“These race cars are pretty tough, but we’ll take some extra time before tomorrow night looking everything over closely and we’ll probably replace some things just to be on the safe side,” Whitener said. “I know Bubba, his crew, and this race track pretty well. I believe we will have a much better race track tomorrow night and the rest of the week.”

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

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 1 AT BUBBA RACEWAY PARK IN OCALA, FL ON 1/28/15:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 3 58 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL 40 $2,000
2. 2 RJ1 Jacob Hawkins Fairmont, WV 40 $1,000
3. 8 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA 40 $700
4. 9 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA 40 $550
5. 4 30 Ryan King Seymour, TN 40 $500
6. 7 14 Tyler Clem (R) St. Petersburg, FL 40 $425
7. 15 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS 40 $375
8. 18 21m Cody Martin (R) Christiana, TN 40 $350
9. 22 10 Ryan Crane Panama City, FL 40 $325
10. 11 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV 39 $300
11. 13 4 Joe Mike Mayfield, KY 39 $275
12. 21 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 39 $250
13. 20 72 Frank Wilson Harold, FL 39 $225
14. 6 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 38 $200
15. 10 42 Cla Knight (R) North Augusta, SC 38 $175
16. 12 00 Bronson Berry Huntingdon, TN 30 $150
17. 1 27 Michael Lake Uniontown, PA 16 $140
18. 17 33 Jeff Mathews Valrico, FL 15 $125
19. 23 19 Marcus Minga ` Shannon, MS 14 $125
20. 14 66 Jake Knowles Rome, GA 10 $125
21. 24 18L Brent Lewis Harrisburg, IL 6 $125
22. 5 36 Cody Dawson Westover, MD 1 $125
23. 16 99 Rick Singleton Hesston, PA 1 $125
24. 19 17 Logan Roberson Waynesboro, VA 1 $125

ENTRIES: 36
FAST QUALIFIER: Lake, 15.755 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Minga and Lewis
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Lake, 1-13; Whitener, 14-40
LAPS LED: Whitener, 27; Lake, 13
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER: Crane (started 22nd and finished 9th)
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Clem
YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Clem
CAUTIONS: 5
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.415 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 34 Minutes and 7.520 Seconds

QUALIFYING (Top 14 Transfer To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 27 Michael Lake Uniontown, PA Warrior 16.294 15.755 15.755
2 RJ1 Jacob Hawkins Fairmont, WV Rocket 15.895 16.301 15.895
3 58 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 16.245 15.916 15.916
4 30 Ryan King Seymour, TN Stinger 16.422 15.935 15.935
5 36 Cody Dawson Westover, MD Rocket 16.358 16.005 16.005
6 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL HRRC 16.611 16.064 16.064
7 14 Tyler Clem - R St. Petersburg, FL Rocket 16.067 16.076 16.067
8 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA Rocket 16.382 16.132 16.132
9 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA Mastersbilt 16.292 16.135 16.135
10 42 Cla Knight - R North Augusta, SC Barry Wright 16.206 16.306 16.206
11 14 Cale Conley Vienna, WV Pierce 16.480 16.280 16.280
12 00 Bronson Berry Huntingdon, TN Pierce 16.420 16.316 16.316
13 4 Joe Mike Mayfield, KY Killer 17.106 16.364 16.364
14 66k Jake Knowles Rome, GA Rocket 16.667 16.398 16.398
15 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS HRRC 16.891 16.454 16.454
16 99 Rick Singleton Hesston, PA Mastersbilt 16.674 16.470 16.470
17 16v Joe Janowski Carmel, IN Pierce 16.985 16.546 16.546
18 71 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 44.315 16.628 16.628
19 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 16.643 16.840 16.643
20 45 Bobby Richardson Eustis, FL Mastersbilt 16.685 17.005 16.685
21 33 Jeff Mathews Valrico, FL Rocket 16.879 16.712 16.712
22 21m Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN Warrior 16.792 16.939 16.792
23 17 Logan Roberson Waynesboro, VA Mastersbilt 17.009 16.805 16.805
24 72 Frank Wilson Harold, FL Trak-Star 17.445 16.889 16.889
25 66 Adam Beeler - R Knoxville, TN CVR 16.918 17.171 16.918
26 4L Greg Lemley Waynesburg, PA Rocket 17.063 17.082 17.063
27 18L Brent Lewis Harrisburg, IL Warrior 17.194 17.815 17.194
28 98 Eric Hickerson Linden, TN Mastersbilt 17.971 17.374 17.374
29 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 17.389 18.425 17.389
30 10 Ryan Crane Panama City, FL Crane 19.453 17.440 17.440
31 32 Mark Tatalovic Guys Mills, PA Rocket 17.879 17.643 17.643
32 1m Connor Meade Clay City, KY Revolution 18.214 17.813 17.813
33 6 Jimmy Halford Atwood, TN Trak-Star 18.672 18.169 18.169
34 15 Jason Britton - R Alexander City, AL Pierce NT NT NT
35 56 David Earl Gentry Murfreesboro, TN Mastersbilt NT NT NT
36 77 Brian Connor Augusta, GA Barry Wright NT NT NT

B-MAINS (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Stokes; 2. Mathews; 3. Roberson; 4. Johnson; 5. Lewis; 6. Tatalovic; 7. Beeler (R); 8. Minga; 9. Halford; 10. Janowski DNS; 11. Gentry DNS.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Singleton; 2. Martin (R); 3. Wilson; 4. Crane; 5. Henderson (R); 6. Meade; 7. Lemley; 8. Hickerson; 9. Richardson DNS; 10. Britton (R) DNS; 11. Connor DNS.

NeSMITH LATE MODEL POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 1/28/15:

1. 58 Mark Whitener – 100
2. RJ1 Jacob Hawkins – 96
3. 111 Max Blair - 94
4. 87 Walker Arthur – 92
5. 30 Ryan King – 90
6. 14 Tyler Clem (R) – 88
7. 1 Johnny Stokes – 86
8. 21m Cody Martin (R) – 84
9. 10 Ryan Crane – 82
10. 14c Cale Conley – 80
11. 4 Joe Mike – 78
12. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 76
13. 72 Frank Wilson – 74
14. 25 Justin McRee – 72
15. 42 Cla Knight (R) – 70
16. 00 Bronson Berry – 68
17. 27 Michael Lake – 66
18. 33 Jeff Mathews – 64
19. 19 Marcus Minga – 62
20. 66 Jake Knowles - 60