NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
May 17, 2010

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES ROUND UP FOR MAY 17

CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point leaders continued their winning ways during Week 7 competition, but their closest competition also kept pace on the leader board. The point battles will tighten up in the next few weeks, as drivers hit the 16 race mark, as the driver’s best 16 point nights, plus bonus points will make up their total.

Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL continues to lead the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region point standings, and kicked off his 17th birthday celebration on Sunday with his third win of the season on Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL driving the Edge’s Gas Mastersbilt.

Edge followed that up with a fifth-place finish on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL. Edge now has 514 points with three wins and 11 top five finishes in 11 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region starts.

The defending and three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS continues to lead the West Region point standings after topping a 21-car field for his third win of the season on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS driving the Boland Performance Trak-Star.

Keeton now has 426 points with three wins, seven top five finishes, and nine top ten finishes in nine NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region starts. Keeton is looking for his fourth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region title in the past five seasons.

Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL posted his series-leading fifth win of the season on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway driving the Bennett Logging Rocket. That moved Stephens up to the second spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 369 points.

Stephens may be 145 points behind Edge in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region point standings, but he has three less starts than Edge. Stephens has five wins, and seven top five finishes in eight starts.

Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region standings with 317 points after two wins and seven top five finishes in seven starts driving the Darda Tire GRT. Ryan King of Anniston, AL is in the fourth spot with 311 points based on two top fives, and six top tens in seven starts driving the True Bond Masonry TSR.

Dana Eiland of Salem, AL holds down the fifth spot in the East Region standings with 302 points based on six top fives in seven starts driving the Andy’s Auto Parts GRT. Craig Scott of LaGrange, GA is sixth with 295 points after one win, three top fives, and six top tens in eight starts in the Base Fuel GRT.

Larry Harrod of Plains, GA moved into the top ten of the East Region standings with 291 points after four top five finishes in four starts driving the Harrod Logging Scorpion. “The Big Tree’s” point total also includes 100 bonus points for competing in the four NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events that have been held since the WRS season began on April 3.

Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL is eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 290 points based on two wins, five top five finishes, and six top ten finishes in six starts driving the D&K Truck Service GRT.

The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Adam Martin of Talladega, AL took his first win of the season on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL driving the Martin Racing Barry Wright.

Martin is ninth in the East Region standings with 286 points after a win and six top fives in five starts. Tim Staples of Pell City, AL rounds out the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings with 285 points after two wins, five top fives, and six top tens in six starts driving the Family Nissan Rocket.
Two drivers just outside the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings scored wins over the weekend with Kevin Maher of McDavid, FL taking his third straight win on Saturday night at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL driving the United Bank GRT. Maher is 11th in the East Region standings just one point behind Staples.

Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA drove the Turner Excavating DWB to his third win of the season on Saturday night in East Region action at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA. Turner is 12th in the East Region standings with 278 points. NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region action on Saturday night at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN was rained out.

Shay Knight of Ethelsville, MS moved up to the second spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region standings with 381 points. Knight is 45 points behind Keeton and has two less starts than the point leader. Knight has five top five finishes, and six top ten finishes in seven starts, plus 75 bonus points driving the Dunn’s Autos Mastersbilt.

Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS grabbed his third West Region win of the season on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS driving the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics Mastersbilt. “Dr. Dirt” moved up to the third spot in the West Region standings with 346 points that includes three wins, five top fives, and 100 bonus points in five starts.

Justin McRee of Cuba, AL is fourth in the West Region standings with 337 points after three wins, four top fives, and 100 bonus points in five starts driving the Century Dedicated, Inc, Trak-Star. Cliff Williams of Star, MS is fifth with 297 points after two wins, and five top fives in five starts in the Ware Construction Trak-Star.

Jamey Smith of Purvis, MS is sixth in the West Region standings with 295 points based on two top fives and five top tens in seven starts driving the 4th Street Tattoo GRT. Jay Burchfield of Columbus, MS is seventh with 288 points after three top fives and four top tens in four starts in the Burchfield’s Body Shop Mastersbilt.
Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS is eighth in the West Region standings with 286 points driving the Lawson Construction Rocket to one top five and five top tens in seven starts. Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is in the ninth spot with 284 points with three top fives in four starts, plus 100 bonus points driving the Billy Riels Racing GRT.
The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region standings with 241 points. McDuffie has one win, and five top five finishes in five starts driving the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region action on Friday night, Chris Ragan of Ramer, TN took his second win of the season at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL driving the Southeastern Ag Transport Trak-Star. Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS was rained out on Saturday night.
NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 7 wins by Keeton and Ragan has brought Trak-Star Race Cars’ series leading victory total to 18 in the 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge. Maher’s win gave GRT Race Cars its 13th NeSmith Chevrolet WRS win of the season to hold down the second spot.

Stephens posted the 12th NeSmith Chevrolet WRS win of the season for Rocket Chassis, who is in the third spot of the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS Chassis Manufacturers Challenge. TNT Race Cars is in the fourth spot with three WRS wins, and Warrior Race Cars is fifth, still looking for their first WRS win of the season.

For a complete rundown of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings in the East and West Regions, visit the NeSmith Racing web site at www.nesmithracing.com and click on the Points Page.