Post by LMR on 05/04/15 at 1:09pm
Talladega Short Track
May 4, 2015
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Johnson Wins Talladega NeSmith Late Model Race, But Clem Steals The Show
by Roby Helm
EASTABOGA, AL (May 2) – On a normal night when Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN comes from the 12th starting spot and wins a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series race, it’s a pretty big story. That wasn’t the case at Talladega Short Track on Saturday night. The big story was the driver that finished fourth. His name is Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL and he’s 12-years-old.
The race was billed as a Race For The Ages on the Grand Stage of Talladega NASCAR Weekend. The oldest driver in the field was 82-year-old Legend Red Farmer of Hueytown, AL, and 70 years his junior, Clem at age 12 was the youngest driver among the 58 different drivers that competed over the weekend with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
So, how does a 12-year-old driver that finished fourth steal the show from the defending and two-time NeSmith Late Model National Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee? Clem won the not only the cheers of the huge crowd, but also the hearts of the fans by holding off not one two-time NeSmith National Champions, but TWO of them.
Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS joined Johnson and Clem in a three-wide battle for the lead, a war that waged for 14 of the 50 lap feature race that had everyone on the grounds off their seats. Clem took the lead on lap four, and began to pull away.
By lap 19, Johnson had charged up from his 12th starting spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special to challenge Clem for the lead. Johnson tried inside and outside to grab the point, but Clem had just enough coming off the corners to hold him off. By lap 25, Clem had a pair of two-time National Champions racing him on each side of him.
Clem showed the talent and skill of a veteran three times his age, as he positioned his race car in just the right position to spoil any momentum either Johnson or Cooley could muster to make a challenge to take the lead from the youngster. The 12-year-old Clem had a wave of people from one end of the grandstand to the other helping him along with spirited fist pumps in the air!
Clem’s defense of the race lead, however, did take its toll on his tires. Johnson had the outside for a lap 32 restart, and he got a good run to roll around the outside of Clem, who just couldn’t find the traction he needed to hold off the 59-year-old veteran.
Clem would fade to fourth by the checkered flag, but it didn’t matter if he finished fourth or 24th, Tyler Clem might as well been Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Talladega, AL on this Saturday night. He won himself a lot of new fans, many of whom may had just seen their first dirt late model race.
Sure fans on Sunday at the big track will be talking about Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Harvick, Johnson, and Busch, but if you listen closely, you may hear a few people talking about this 12-year-old Tyler Clem and what he did the night before across the street on the dirt at Talladega Short Track.
“We won the race, but Tyler Clem is the show tonight,” Johnson said in the winner’s circle. “That is one impressive young man because at my age, these races are getting harder and harder to win, and Tyler really made me work for this one. He did things tonight in a race car that you can’t teach someone. They are just things that come natural, and Tyler showed tonight he has natural ability to drive a race car.”
Cooley finished second in the Bryson Motorsports/Cooley Transport Special, and third was Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes Rocket. The top three drivers customarily come out on the front stretch for after-race interviews, but the crowd wanted Clem to come out for a curtain call, and the youngster joined the post-race party.
As he climbed from his Vahlco Wheels Rocket, Clem was greeted by a crowd roar only heard in Talladega County, AL when Dale Jr. takes the lead at the track across the street. It brought a big grin of both thanks and amazement across the face of Clem. It was quite an experience for a 12-year-old to take in, but spoke to the crowd with poise and humility.
“At first, I couldn’t believe I was leading a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring race,” Clem said. “Then I couldn’t believe I had Ronnie Johnson on one side of me and Eric Cooley on the other, and they weren’t flying by me. Ronnie Johnson is the best there is. He’s a legend and a Hall of Fame driver. It was just unreal to race side-by-side with him as long as I did.”
Cale Conley of Vienna, WV also ran as high as third in the race, but ended up fifth in the AAA General Contractors Special. Conley spent the day competing in what he called a “nerve racking” NASCAR Xfinity Series race across the street at Talladega Super Speedway, and ran as high as second in that race.
Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL finished sixth in the Edge’s Gas Company Special. Edge is second to Johnson in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings and trails by 32 points. Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN was seventh in the A-Plus Collision Center GRT. Kevin Sitton of Baytown, TX took the eighth spot in the Mirage Construction Special.
Joe Noogin of Boaz, AL finished ninth in the Noogin Body Shop GRT and Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL rounded out the Top 10 in the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT. Johnson was the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race and Henderson was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race.
In preliminary action, Cooley was the Mike Vaughn’s Auto Exchange Fast Time Award winner by out-timing the 46 Saturday night entrants with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 15.161 seconds. The three ten-lap B-Main Races were won by 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL in the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR, Johnson, and Sitton.
Cruz and Clem are tied for the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point lead with 224 points apiece. The Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series is $5,000 point fund for NeSmith Late Model Drivers 18 years of age and younger that will pay back ten spot at the end of the season, and $1,000 to the Champion.
Cooley took the lead at the start of the race followed by Henderson, Morrow, Nick Lyons of Centrailia, IL in the F&L Salvage Special, and Clem. Lyons spun out of the fourth spot in turn four on lap three to bring out the first of six caution flags. After the restart, Henderson got by Cooley for the lead, and on lap four, Clem rode the high line around Henderson to take the lead.
Clem tried to pull away, but didn’t get very far before the second yellow flag of the races was waved over the field on lap seven when Cody Martin of Christiana, TN spun the Martin Motorsports Warrior in turn four. Clem had Henderson, Cooley, Morrow, Conley, Forest Trent of Talbott, TN in the Trent Logging Rocket, Edge, Gauldin, Ryan King of Anniston, AL in the David King Automotive Special and Skinner doubled up behind him for the “Dixie-Style” double-file restart.
Conley was on the move when the green flag came back out, as he got by Morrow for fourth and then on lap eight, passed Cooley for third. Johnson dusted off the top shelf of Talladega Short Track to sail around the outside of Cooley to take over fourth on lap nine.
Justin Shipley of Douglasville, GA spun the Rogers Mechanical Special in turn four on lap 11 and collected Mike Combs of Odenville, AL in the Pro Grafx Special. The contact sent Shipley upside-down. Shipley walked away from the flip, but his race car was done for the night. Clem held the lead for the restart, but back in fourth and fifth respectively, Cooley and Johnson were headed to the front of the pack.
Johnson drove around the outside of Cooley to take fourth on lap 14, and then began to challenge Conley for the third spot, which he claimed on lap 16. Adam Cummings of Odenville, AL spun the Cummings Racing GRT in turn four on lap 19 to bring out the caution flag.
This caution period set up the restart that would get Johnson up to challenge Clem for the lead, and the crowd getting behind the kid. Behind Clem, Henderson chose the inside for the double-file restart, which put Johnson in third on the outside – just where he later said wanted to be. Johnson made short work of Henderson, passing him for the second when the green flag came back out.
Johnson pulled outside Clem, but he just wasn’t moving over to let the master by. Johnson gave up on the high side on lap 23 and crossed over to the inside. Johnson took the lead from Clem on the inside by just inches on lap 23. But Clem drove his car into turn three a car-length further than Johnson on lap 24 to retake the lead.
Competitors and fans alike were able to take a breath on lap 25 when Martin spun for a second time in turn two. The top ten for the double-file restart was Clem, Johnson, Cooley, Henderson, Morrow, Sitton, Conley, Gauldin, Edge, and William Thomas of Phenix City, AL in the Save More Special.
Cooley drove around the outside of Johnson to take second on the restart, and by lap 27, the pair of two-time NeSmith Late Model National Champions were camped out on Clem’s back bumper. The crowd went nuts watching Clem skillfully holding off Cooley and Johnson in the three-wide battle for the lead.
Just when the intensity meter was about to blow off the charts, the caution flag came out when Nathan Mayes of Springdale, AL stalled on lap 33. With Clem out front in a row all by himself, Cooley chose the inside for the double-file restart, as Johnson gladly pulled to his right on the outside.
Johnson cleared Cooley for the second spot in turn one when the green flag came out, and got a run on Clem going down the backstretch. In turn three, Clem’s tires struggled for grip and Johnson took the lead coming off the fourth turn. Cooley was able to get by Clem for second on lap 36, but by then, Johnson was gone.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 8 AT TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK IN EASTABOGA, AL ON 5/2/15:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 12 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 50 $2,625
2. 1 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 50 $1,451
3. 2 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 50 $975
4. 6 14 Tyler Clem (R/Y) St. Petersburg, FL 50 $700
5. 10 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV 50 $650
6. 7 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 50 $675
7. 3 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN 50 $500
8. 13 20 Kevin Sitton Baytown, TX 50 $450
9. 20 21 Joe Noogin Boaz, AL 50 $400
10. 8 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL 50 $375
11. 14 55 Ryan King Anniston, AL 50 $350
12. 5 101 Forrest Trent Talbott, TN 50 $300
13. 11 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) Oxford, AL 50 $280
14. 4 2x Nick Lyons Centrailia, IL 50 $260
15. 23 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 49 $375
16. 9 7 Cole Daffron (Y) Pell City, AL 49 $240
17. 21 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL 42 $220
18. 15 19 William Thomas Phenix City, AL 40 $200
19. 17 15 Nathan Mayes Springdale, AR 31 $200
20. 16 21m Cody Martin (R) Christiana, TN 24 $325
21. 22 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL 23 $200
22. 19 81 Adam Cummings Odenville, AL 17 $200
23. 24 10 Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 10 $325
24. 18 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA 9 $200
ENTRIES: 46
MIKE VAUGHN’S AUTO EXCHANGE FAST QUALIFIER: Cooley, 15.161 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: King (TN) and Crane
LEAD CHANGES: 5 Among 4 Drivers
LAP LEADERS: Cooley, 1-2; Henderson, 3; Clem, 4-22; Johnson, 23; Clem, 24-31; Johnson, 32-50
LAPS LED: Clem, 27; Johnson, 20; Cooley, 2; Henderson, 1
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Henderson
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Johnson (started 12th and finished 1st)
SUNOCO RACE FUELS YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE AWARD: Clem
INTEGRA SHOCKS FIFTH-PLACE AWARD: Conley
CRATE INSIDER.COM SIXTH-PLACE AWARD: Edge
IMAGE SCREEN PRINTING NINTH-PLACE AWARD: Noogin
CAUTIONS: 5 and 1 Red Flag
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .974 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 36 Minutes and 12.430 Seconds
NEXT RACE: May 23, Whynot Motorsports Park, Meridian, MS, 40-laps, $2,000-to-win
MIKE VAUGHN’S AUTO EXCHANGE QUALIFYING (Top 10 Transfer To Main Event):
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Barry Wright 15.307 15.161 15.161
2 H2 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 15.359 15.407 15.359
3 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN GRT 15.375 15.359 15.359
4 2x Nick Lyons Centrailia, IL Capital 15.406 15.401 15.401
5 101 Forrest Trent Talbott, TN Rocket 15.542 15.429 15.429
6 14 Tyler Clem - R/Y St. Petersburg, FL Rocket 15.538 15.442 15.442
7 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 15.524 15.446 15.446
8 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL GRT 15.472 15.510 15.472
9 7 Cole Daffron - Y Pell City, AL Warrior 15.591 15.479 15.479
10 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV Pierce 15.647 15.511 15.511
11 11 Cruz Skinner - Y Oxford, AL CVR 15.714 15.529 15.529
12 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 15.561 15.768 15.561
13 21m Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN Warrior 15.567 15.631 15.567
14 55 Ryan King Anniston, AL Barry Wright 15.921 15.569 15.569
15 19 William Thomas Phenix City, AL Longhorn 15.600 15.602 15.600
16 20 Kevin Sitton Baytown, TX Mastersbilt 15.614 15.608 15.608
17 21 Joe Noogin Boaz, AL GRT 15.956 15.712 15.712
18 03 Chris O'Connor Cantonment, FL HRRC 15.714 15.940 15.714
19 42 Kasey Hall Geraldine, AL GRT 15.836 15.721 15.721
20 15m Nathan Mayes Springdale, AR Mastersbilt 15.728 15.742 15.728
21 57 Maddox Mullinax Birmingham, AL GRT 15.837 15.744 15.744
22 371 Drew Benfield Toccoa, GA CVR 15.752 15.927 15.752
23 77 Robbie Starnes Livingston, TX Mastersbilt 15.848 15.783 15.783
24 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA Team 17 15.816 15.823 15.816
25 81 Adam Cummings Odenville, AL GRT 15.949 15.842 15.842
26 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS HRRC 16.106 15.845 15.845
27 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL Warrior 15.865 15.855 15.855
28 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 16.250 15.861 15.861
29 30 Ryan King - R Seymour, TN Stinger 15.891 16.172 15.891
30 K5 David Kay Eastaboga, AL Barry Wright 16.058 15.894 15.894
31 181 Chad Williams Lake City, AR Trak-Star 16.424 15.934 15.934
32 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL GRT 15.959 16.005 15.959
33 02 Stephen Brantley Monroeville, AL Mastersbilt 15.961 16.116 15.961
34 5 Mike Combs Odenville, AL TSR 15.989 15.980 15.980
35 5x Logan Yates Lineville, AL Barry Wright 15.998 16.058 15.998
36 147 Hunter Carroll Columbus, MS Mastersbilt 16.024 16.155 16.024
37 41 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL HRRC 16.025 16.151 16.025
38 222 Carlton Freeman Eastaboga, AL GRT 16.076 16.132 16.076
39 23 Ahnna Parkhurst - Y Evans, GA Mastersbilt 16.208 16.097 16.097
40 34 Lee Mason Eclectic, AL Trak-Star 16.221 16.130 16.130
41 10 Ryan Crane - R Panama City, FL Trak-Star 16.317 16.167 16.167
42 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Rocket 16.169 16.193 16.169
43 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS HRRC 16.295 16.394 16.295
44 15 Jason Britton - R Alexander City, AL Pierce 16.718 16.300 16.300
45 F36 Cale Finley Athens, AL Pierce 16.369 16.784 16.369
46 F97 Red Farmer Hueytown, AL Rayburn 16.592 16.406 16.406
B-MAINS (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN: 1. Skinner (Y); 2. King (A); 3. Mayes; 4. Noogin; 5. Starnes; 6. King (R); 7. Yates; 8. Stokes; 9. Britton (R); 10. Crane (R); 11. Burdett; 12. Freeman DNS.
2ND B-MAIN: 1. Johnson; 2. Thomas; 3. Shipley; 4. Dykes; 5. O’Connor; 6. Parkhurst (Y); 7. Mullinax; 8. Finley; 9. Brantley; 10. Kay; 11. Carroll; 12. Cooper.
3RD B-MAIN: 1. Sitton; 2. Martin (R); 3. Cummings; 4. Combs; 5. Minga; 6. Williams; 7. Hall; 8. Blount; 9. Mason; 10. Benfield; 11. McRee; 12. Farmer.