NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:
Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157
July 27, 2010

HOT MISSISSIPPI RACING ACTION ON TAP FOR THE NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS AT GREENVILLE AND THE MAG

CARTERSVILLE, GA – Rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring schedule will take place this weekend with hot temperatures and hot action in three races at two Mississippi dirt tracks. The three-race swing will set the table for the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Champion stretch drive.

The two-race Delta Dirt Nationals will be first up at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS, with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race on Friday night, and a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on Saturday night on the ¼-mile gumbo-clay oval. The weekend finale will be on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race on the “Black Ice” 3/8-mile oval.

The top two drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National point standings know Greenville Speedway very well, as they were two of four drivers that came down for a four-wide race to the checkered flag on the delta gumbo last year.

The defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS finished second in the closest and most spectacular finish in series history, but it began a run for the then 18-year-old driver that led to him becoming the youngest National Champion in the history of dirt late model racing.

Cooley is the point leader coming into the Delta Dirt Nationals at Greenville Speedway this Friday night and Saturday night. Cooley will be looking to shake his “bridesmaid” role in NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National competition at Greenville Speedway with his third win of the season. In addition to his 2009 second-place finish, Cooley also finished second on April 9 of this season in series competition.

Trailing Cooley by 60 points in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National title hunt is the 2009 Greenville Speedway winner Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA. Greenville Speedway is a memorable place for Turner, as it is the track where he posted his first and only series win after competing in 101 consecutive events, which is every race the series has held since its inception in 2005.

Turner followed up his 2009 win with a third-place showing in NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring action at Greenville Speedway on April 9. After finishing third in the 2009 point standings, Turner is looking to get on a roll to challenge Cooley for the 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Championship that is worth $20,000.

Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National standings, 80 points behind Turner. McRee will be looking for his second win of the 2010 season and get right into the championship hunt. “J-Mac” is the defending series race winner at Sunday night’s venue, Magnolia Motor Speedway. McRee was also the series fast qualifier at Greenville Speedway on April 9.

Another tight battle heating up is the one for the $5,000 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Award that goes to the highest finishing rookie driver in the 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National point standings at the end of the season. The top four drivers in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year point standings are separated by just 86 points.

Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS holds a 12-point lead over “Chargin’ Charlie” Henderson of Cottondale, AL in the VP Racing Fuels RoY points, and the fourth spot in the National points chase. Lee just took over the VP Racing Fuels RoY point lead after the last NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring race on July 10 at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN.

Henderson has held the VP Racing Fuels RoY point lead for the first 14 races of the 2010 season, and will be looking to take it back in the three races this weekend. Both Lee and Henderson will have to keep their eye on Larry Harrod of Plains, GA, who is 36 points behind Henderson, and sixth in the National point standings. Harrod will be looking for his second win of the season this weekend.

Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS knows a thing or two about being in hot pursuit. His day job is as a Deputy Sheriff in Lamar County, MS. “The Deputy” was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race at Greenville Speedway on April 9 with a sixth-place finish. Blount is fourth in the VP Racing Fuels RoY points chase, and he is eighth in the National point standings.

Other NeSmith Chevrolet Top 20 drivers expected this Friday and Saturday nights at Greenville Speedway and Magnolia Motor Speedway this Sunday night are Chris McElhenney of Lake, MS, Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS, Jay Burchfield of Columbus, MS, Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, Evan Ellis of Plantersville, MS, and Mike Boland of Cuba, AL.

Boland will be looking to make another mark in his historic career with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt late Model Series National Tour. The seven-time Mississippi State Late Model Champion has eight career series wins, and will be looking to break out of a three-way tie for second on the all-time series win list with two-time series champion David Earl Gentry of Lewisburg, TN and Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, TN.

“Iron Mike” picked up the first of his two wins this season on April 9 at Greenville Speedway, and Boland also has two of his NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National career wins at Magnolia Motor Speedway.

Stokes comes into the three-race weekend as the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region point leader with ten wins in weekly competition at various tracks throughout Mississippi and Alabama. “Dr. Dirt” is also 11th in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Touring point standings, and had a top five finish at Greenville Speedway on April 9.

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series eligible competitors will receive 25 bonus points for each event they enter this weekend. A NeSmith Chevrolet WRS driver can earn up to 150 bonus points during the season that are added to their best 16 finish point totals.

The top drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS West Region point standings are expected this weekend. Following Stokes in the top five of the West Region points chase are Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS, the defending and three-time West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS, Shay Knight of Ethelsville, MS, and Chad McCool of Millport, AL.

Other top West Region drivers expected this weekend include Jason Michau of Kilmichael, MS, Cliff Williams of Star, MS, Jamie Flannagan of Tuscumbia, AL, Eric Carr of Bruce, MS, Jamie Tollison of Kosciusko, MS, Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL, and Mark Stokes of Steens, MS.

Greenville Speedway regulars are well represented in the Top 20 of the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS point standings. Mark Tice of Avon, MS is sixth, Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS is ninth, David Carpenter of Greenwood, MS is 14th, Lamar Furr of Hollandale, MS is 15th, Bobby Jordan of McCarley, MS is 17th, and Bubba Harrison of Merigold, MS is 18th.

Other top Greenville Speedway NeSmith Chevrolet WRS competitors expected this weekend are Drew McMahon of Avon, MS, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS, Chad Washington of Greenville, MS, Robert Smith of Leland, MS, and A.C. Parker Jr. of Greenville, MS.

Race fans will have an opportunity to get involved with the high speed action on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway, and at the same time, give to a worthwhile cause by participating in the “Ride For Life” auction to win a ride with one of six drivers, and in a special drawing. All of the proceeds from the auctions will be going to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Rides at race speeds over 100 miles per hour with the top NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series drivers will be auctioned off. The highest bidder for each driver will strap into the passenger seat of a specially-built two-seat dirt late model race car and take a six-lap ride around Greenville Speedway at race speed.

On Friday and Saturday at Greenville Speedway, the pit and grandstand gates open at 3 p.m. with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS pre-race registration and technical inspection from 4:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The drivers meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Friday night and 6:45 p.m. on Saturday night. The racing program begins with hot laps following the drivers meeting both nights.

Greenville Speedway is located just east of Greenville, MS, south of U.S. Highway 82 at 1040 South Raceway Road. Raceway Road is at the stoplight on U.S. Highway 82 between McDonalds and the Shell station. The track is on the left, south of the intersection. For more information including hotel information call 662-822-7071, or visit the track web site at www.greenvillespeedway.net.

On Sunday, the pit gate at Magnolia Motor Speedway opens at 2 p.m., with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS pre-race registration and technical inspection from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the drivers meeting is set for 6 p.m. The grandstand gates open at 4 p.m., and racing is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Magnolia Motor Speedway is located west of Columbus, MS, just south of U.S. Highway 82 on U.S. Highway 45. For more information call Magnolia Motor Speedway at 662-240-3478, or visit the track web site at www.magnoliamotorspeedway.net.

The Wingate Inn in Columbus, MS, located just south of U.S. Highway 82 at the Military Road exit, is the Official Host Hotel for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series event on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway. The Wingate Inn is offering NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $75 per night. To make reservations call 662-327-9999 and ask for the Columbus Speedway discount rate.

For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month.