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Roby Helm
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. (July 29) - The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour returns to Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS this Saturday night for the 100-lap $10,000-to-win Cajun Summer Nationals. The event began on April 25 with Time Trials and Heat Races that set the top 18 starting spots, but the B-Main events and the feature race were rained out on April 26.
Saturday night will see two 20-lap B-Main Races that will fill starting positions 19 through 22, and starting positions 23 and 24 are NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Provisional spots that will be based on the Top 15 in National points as they were on April 25. The NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS will allow new entrants to tag on to the tail of the B-Mains.
The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS will start the 100-lap main event on Saturday night from the pole position with seven-time Mississippi State Late Model Champion Mike Boland of Cuba, AL starting on the outside of the front row.
The first 18 starting spots for Saturday night's 100-lap $10,000-to-win main event were determined by the top three finishers in six Heat Races that were run on April 25 at Pike County Speedway.
Keeton and Boland won the first two heats. Frank Ingram of Woodstock, GA, Shep Lucas of McKenzie, AL, Rick Rickman of Columbus, MS, and Derrick Rainey of Powder Springs, GA won the third through sixth heat races respectively, and will start in those positions for Saturday night's big show.
The 51 drivers that entered the event on April 25, and will be returning for Saturday night's make-up date need to report to the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Registration Table by 6 p.m. on Saturday night to keep their starting spots in the main event or B-Main races. New entrants will draw for a starting position in the B-Mains behind the returning entrants.
If there are any "Elite 18" drivers locked into the main event that do not return this Saturday night, NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS officials will revert to the missing driver's heat race on April 25, and move the next driver in line, starting with the fourth-place driver, in that heat race into the main event.
Other drivers in the "Elite 18" include fast qualifier Jay Blair of Angie, LA, William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, Stephen Brantley of Monroeville, AL, Scott Knowles of Lanett, AL, Hunter Peacock of Macon, GA, Michael Santangelo of St. Rose, LA, Rodney Wing of Meridian, MS, Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL, Jeff Fortner of Vidalia, GA, Jamey Smith of Lumberton, MS, Curt Lipsey of Tickfaw, LA, and Cliff Williams of Star, MS.
There are still seven drivers from the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Top 15 in the point standings on April 25 that are still on the "outside looking in" for the main event that are eligible for one of two available provisionals should they fail to finish in the top two spots of one of the 20-lap B-Mains.
Among the Top 15 point drivers still trying to make the show include the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National point leader Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA. Other drivers looking to get in from the April 25 points list include second-place Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA, third-place Chris Tays of Corinth, MS, sixth-place Ted Lackey of Munford, AL, seventh-place Jason Hiett of Lincoln, AL, eighth-place Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA, and 11th-place Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS.
The Best Western Hotel in McComb, MS is the Official Host Hotel for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Cajun Summer Nationals at Pike County Speedway. The Best Western Hotel will be offering NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series fans and competitors a special discount rate.
The Best Western Hotel in McComb, MS is located at exit 17 on I-55, and features comfortable rooms with Tempur-pedic mattresses, flat screen HDTVs, free high-speed internet and an indoor pool. The special discount rate for NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS fans and competitors is $79.99 per night. To make reservations call 601-249-4300 and ask for the Pike County Speedway discount rate.
For more information call Pike County Speedway at 601-783-2500, or visit the track web site at www.pikecountyspeedway.com. Pike County Speedway is located at exit 8 on I-55. For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com.
PRELIMINARY LINE-UPS FOR ROUND 13 FROM APRIL 25, 2008:
DRIVERS PLEASE NOTE: Drivers must sign-in at the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Registration Table by 6 p.m. at Pike County Speedway on 8/2/08 in order to keep their starting positions in the line-ups below.
"ELITE 18" STARTING LINE-UP FOR THE CAJUN SPRING NATIONALS:
ROW 1:
22 Lucky Keeton - 222 Mike Boland
ROW 2:
F9 Frank Ingram - 57 Shep Lucas
ROW 3:
86 Rick Rickman - 87 Derrick Rainey
ROW 4:
2x Jay Blair - 22t William Thomas
ROW 5:
02 Stephen Brantley - 66k Scott Knowles (R)
ROW 6:
12 Hunter Peacock (R) - 77 Michael Santangelo
ROW 7:
44 Rodney Wing - 58 Larry Boutwell
ROW 8:
27 Jeff Fortner - Jamey Smith (R)
ROW 9:
35 Curt Lipsey - 4 Cliff Williams
B-MAIN LINE-UPS (20 Laps - Top 2 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN:
50 Landon Frith - 16 Jeff Fields
21 Royce Bray - J5 Jim Bryant
1 Johnny Stokes - 19 Marcus Minga (R)
68 Eddie Rickman - 55 Kyle Anderson
1h Jason Hiett (R) - 43 Marcus Fricsh
41 Ted Lackey - 112 Jason Warner
90 Brian Rickman - K18 Kaleb Killens
8s Joe Simoneaux - 9 Edward Guidry
C15 Corie Herberger
2ND B-MAIN:
17 Chris O'Connor - V8 Kerry Vicknair
39 Michael Sibley - 5e Shawn Edwards
33c Eric Cooley (R) - 21m Ben McCreary
10 Matthew Turner - 71 Gene Nasworthy
8 Chris Tays - 2t Tootie Arnold
38c Chip Brindle - 21h Rusty Hoge
K7 Kenny Gaither - 21b Kody Barber
43s Cliff Spencer - G33 Greg Dedwylder
NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES TOP 15 NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS ON 4/25/08:
1. 38c Chip Brindle - 314
2. 16 Jeff Fields - 306
3. 8 Chris Tays - 284
4. 58 Larry Boutwell - 280
5. 2x Jay Blair - 274
6. 4 Ted Lackey - 270
7. 1 Jason Hiett (R) - 254
8. 10 Matthew Turner - 246
9. 66k Scott Knowles (R) - 244
10. 12 Hunter Peacock (R) - 212
11. 33c Eric Cooley (R) - 198
12. F22 Carlton Freeman - 192
13. 00 Jeff Smith - 192
14. 14 Steve Godsey (R) - 182
15. 02 Stephen Brantley - 164
R - Denotes Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Candidate
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