NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Magnolia Motor Speedway
September 1, 2014
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Hollingsworth Light, Williams Wins NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Mag Race

by Roby Helm
COLUMBUS, MS (August 31) – Cliff Williams of Star, MS was awarded his first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series victory Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in the Cliff Williams Plumbing Trak-Star after the Parker Racing Special of apparent winner Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, AL was light at the scales after the 40-lap main event.

Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL finished second in the Summit Resource Development Trak-Star and Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS took the third spot in the Basset Hound Motorsports GRT. Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL drove the Edge’s Gas Company Special to a fourth-place finish and Mark Stokes of Steens, MS took the fifth spot in the Chuck’s Speed Shop Special.

Defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion and current point leader Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN finished sixth in the Hickman Manufacturing Special and Nick Thrash of Meridian, MS drove the McDevitt Enterprises GRT to a seventh-place finish.

The two provisionals in the race, the 23rd starter Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL in the Old Man’s Garage Special and the 24th starter Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS in the B&M Salvage Rocket finished eighth and ninth respectively. Noah was also the Rookie of the Race. Joey Mullenix of Elrod, AL rounded out the Top 10 in the High Roller Race Cars Special.

Johnson now holds a 218 point lead in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings over Noah, as the National Dirt Late Hall of Fame Inductee is in quest of his second straight $20,000 National Championship. Noah leads the Rookie of the Year point standings.

In preliminary action, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS was the Fast Qualifier among the 38 entrants with a lap in 14.203 seconds to earn the pole position for the 40-lap main event. The three ten-lap B-Main Races were won by Shaw, Edge, and Hunter Carroll of Columbus, MS in the FBG Motorsports Special.

Barrett took the lead at the start of the race followed by Hollingsworth, Ryan Oswalt of Northport, AL in the One Life Checking Special, Thrash and Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL in the High Roller Race Cars House Car. The first four of ten caution flags came early and often in the race.

Neil Baggett of Shannon, MS spun the Montgomery Farms Special in turn two on lap two to bring out the first caution flag. McRee was able to get by Thrash for the fourth spot on the restart, but the field was slowed by the caution flag for the second time on lap four when Baggett stalled on the backstretch and required a tow to the pit area.

Barrett had Hollingsworth, Oswalt, McRee, Thrash, Johnny Stokes, Johnson, Williams, Kyle Shaw of Millport, AL in the Sweddenberg Logging Trak-Star, and Chad McCool of Millport, AL in the Tenn-Tom One Stop Special doubled up behind him for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart. After the field went green, Barrett slowed off the pace in turn three to bring out the third caution flag.

Barrett was done for the night and earned the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck of the Race Award. Hollingsworth inherited the lead, but racing action would have to wait some more, as a four-car pile-up in turn three on the restart brought out the fourth caution flag. McRee would get by Oswalt for the second spot on the restart, and Johnny Stokes advanced to the fourth spot.

Thrash got back around Johnny Stokes for the fourth spot on lap six, and then made an inside move on Oswalt to take the third spot. By then, Hollingsworth and McRee had stretched out a half straightaway advantage over Thrash. Williams drove past Johnny Stokes to claim the fifth spot in turn three on lap ten.

Hollingsworth began to encounter the cars on the tail of the lead lap by lap 13, and Williams got around Oswalt for the fourth position. The top five at the halfway point was Hollingsworth leading McRee, Thrash, Williams and Oswalt. Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS stalled the Lamar Auto Salvage Trak-Star on the backstretch to bring out the fifth caution flag on lap 21.

The restart saw Hollingsworth leading McRee, Thrash, Williams, Oswalt, Johnson, McCool, Jeremy Shaw, Johnny Stokes, and Edge down to the green flag. Williams moved past Thrash for the third spot on the restart, and he would find himself in what would be the winning position two laps later after Chase Washington of Houlka, MS brought out the sixth caution flag when he stalled the Columbus Nissan GRT down the backstretch on lap 23.

During the caution period, it was discovered that McRee was leaking fuel out of his fuel cell, and he was forced to the sidelines for the rest of the night. Williams moved up to the second spot for the restart followed by Thrash, Johnson, Jeremy Shaw, Stokes, McCool, Edge, Justin Carter of Pontotoc, MS in the Billy’s Auto Repair Trak-Star, and Mark Stokes.

Johnson got by Thrash for the third spot on the restart, and McCool made a big move from seventh to fourth. Mark Stokes spun in turn two on lap 27 and collected Minga and 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL in the Skinner’s Body Shop Special to bring out the seventh caution flag. Minga ended up cutting a tire in the tangle that went down on lap 31 for the eighth caution flag.

After falling back as far as the ninth spot, Johnny Stokes had dusted off the top groove of the track, and began a march to the front of the pack. The lap 31 restart saw Johnny Stokes take the green flag from the fourth spot, and then he passed Johnson to move up to third.

Up at the front of the pack, Williams could stay with Hollingsworth, but couldn’t keep enough momentum on the bottom groove the track to make a serious challenge for the lead. Thrash was beginning to fade back through the field, and spun on lap 32 in turn two to bring out the ninth caution flag.

The restart line-up had Hollingsworth leading Williams, Johnny Stokes, Johnson, Jeremy Shaw, McCool, Edge, Carter, and Mark Stokes. The green flag came out with nine laps to go, and business for the top ten positions began to pick up.

Williams went into attack mode on the restart, looking to the inside of Hollingsworth to challenge for the lead. Hollingsworth was able to keep Williams behind him, and began to pull away on lap 34. Johnson, Jeremy Shaw and McCool battled for the third spot, with McCool taking the position on the restart.

Johnson got back around McCool for third on lap 35, but going down the backstretch on lap 37, McCool hooked the left side of Johnson’s back bumper sending both cars spinning and lighting up the yellow caution bulb for the tenth time. McCool was done for the night, and Johnson had to go to the pit area to change a cut down tire.

The final restart for the three lap dash to the finish had Hollingsworth leading Williams, Johnny Stokes, Jeremy Shaw, Edge, Thrash, Mark Stokes and Johnson as the cars left on the lead lap.

Jeremy Shaw was able to get by Johnny Stokes on lap 39 for the third spot, as Hollingsworth would take the checkered flag with a 2.519 second advantage over Williams, only to give it away on the scales after the race. It was Williams who would return to the front straightaway to collect the $2,000 check and the NeSmith Chevrolet Gold Trophy.

There are currently three races left on the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series schedule with a pair of $2,500-to-win 50-lap Showdown On The Coast races at Golden Isle Speedway in Brunswick, GA on October 17 and 18. The season finale will be at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL on November 21-22 with the $10,000-to-win 100-lap 10th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race.

If Johnson finishes the first Showdown On The Coast race with over a 200-point lead in the standings, he will clinch his second straight $20,000 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship.

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

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 19 AT MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN COLUMBUS, MS ON 8/31/14:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 10 C11 Cliff Williams Star, MS 40 $2,000
2. 11 1s Jeremy Shaw Millport, AL 40 $1,000
3. 8 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS 40 $700
4. 12 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 40 $550
5. 21 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS 40 $500
6. 6 R1 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 40 $425
7. 3 01 Nick Thrash Meridian, MS 40 $375
8. 23 56 Chris Noah (R) Rainbow City, AL 39 $350
9. 24 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 39 $325
10. 22 11m Joey Mullenix Elrod, AL 39 $300
11. 17 13 Chad McCool Millport, AL 36 $275
12. 16 33 Justin Carter Pontotoc, MS 36 $250
13. 18 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL 24 $225
14. 5 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 22 $200
15. 4 24 Ryan Oswalt Northport, AL 22 $175
16. 15 R3 Chase Washington Houlka, MS 22 $150
17. 19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 19 $140
18. 13 147 Hunter Carroll Columbus, MS 19 $125
19. 1 110 Brent Barrett Cleveland, MS 3 $125
20. 9 2s Kyle Shaw Millport, AL 3 $125
21. 20 14 Chance Inman Bruce, MS 3 $125
22. 7 6 Neil Baggett Shannon, MS 3 $125
23. 14 73 Evan Ellis Plantersville, MS 2 $125
24. 2 B17 Ronny Hollingsworth Northport, AL 40 $125 DQ/LT

ENTRIES: 38
FAST QUALIFIER: Barrett, 14.203 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Noah and Minga
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Barrett, 1-3; Hollingsworth, 4-40
LAPS LED: Hollingsworth, 37; Barrett, 3
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Noah
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD: Barrett
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD: Tyler Burgess
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD: Thrash
SCHAEFFER’S OIL 8TH-PLACE AWARD PRESENTED BY CHAD WALLACE AND HEATHER NEWSOME: Noah
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD: Minga
AR BODIES 10TH-PLACE AWARD: Mullenix
MIKE CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD: McCool
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 12TH-PLACE AWARD: Carter
KINSER AIR FILTERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD: Skinner
CAUTIONS: 10
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.519 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 1 Hour, 2 Minute and 56.530 Seconds

QUALIFYING (Top 10 Transfer To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 110 Brent Barrett Cleveland, MS GRT 14.288 14.203 14.203
2 B17 Ronny Hollingsworth Northport, AL HRRC 14.347 14.216 14.216
3 01 Nick Thrash Meridian, MS GRT 14.393 14.250 14.250
4 24 Ryan Oswalt Northport, AL Mastersbilt 14.583 14.345 14.345
5 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL HRRC 14.432 14.349 14.349
6 R1 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 14.415 14.678 14.415
7 6 Neil Baggett Shannon, MS Mastersbilt 14.568 14.442 14.442
8 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS GRT 14.459 14.447 14.447
9 2s Kyle Shaw Millport, AL Trak-Star 14.540 14.459 14.459
10 C11 Cliff Williams Star, MS Trak-Star 14.556 14.468 14.468
11 1s Jeremy Shaw Millport, AL Trak-Star 14.473 14.524 14.473
12 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL Mastersbilt 14.630 14.481 14.481
13 11r Joey Mullenix Elrod, AL Mastersbilt 14.635 14.485 14.485
14 56n Chris Noah - R Rainbow City, AL Mastersbilt 14.698 14.537 14.537
15 R3 Chase Washington Houlka, MS GRT 15.074 14.605 14.605
16 147 Hunter Carroll Columbus, MS Mastersbilt 15.131 14.606 14.606
17 73 Evan Ellis Plantersville, MS Barry Wright 14.621 14.809 14.621
18 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.631 14.621 14.621
19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS Trak-Star 14.640 14.670 14.640
20 13 Chad McCool Millport, AL Mastersbilt 14.787 14.678 14.678
21 54 Richie Beasley Terry, MS Mastersbilt 14.866 14.700 14.700
22 33 Justin Carter Pontotoc, MS Trak-Star 14.953 14.704 14.704
23 232 Jamey Boland Cuba, AL Trak-Star 14.751 14.708 14.708
24 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS Barry Wright 14.916 14.716 14.716
25 7 Todd Gray Coker, AL Mastersbilt 14.719 14.734 14.719
26 44 Lain Hawk Thomasville, AL Trak-Star 15.023 14.737 14.737
27 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS Mastersbilt 14.752 14.760 14.752
28 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 14.995 14.830 14.830
29 14 Chance Inman Bruce, MS GRT 15.001 14.855 14.855
30 2 Tyler Burgess Quitman, MS Mastersbilt 15.004 14.890 14.890
31 25c Chris O'Connor Cantonment, FL HRRC 15.024 14.953 14.953
32 28j Joey Hiatt Enterprise, MS Warrior 15.513 14.999 14.999
33 311 Henry Pullen Pittsboro, MS Barry Wright 15.051 16.389 15.051
34 33 Sid Scarbrough Florence, MS Trak-Star 15.099 15.882 15.099
35 G33 Greg Dedwylder Vossburg, MS GRT 15.473 15.176 15.176
36 19b Terry Mosley Gilbertown, AL Trak-Star 15.562 15.724 15.562
37 25g Jammie Gowers Vincent, AL GRT 15.682 15.697 15.682
38 3 Shay Knight Columbus, MS Pierce NT NT NT

B-MAINS (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. J. Shaw; 2. Ellis; 3. McCool; 4. Inman; 5. Noah (R); 6. Hawk; 7. Dedwylder; 8. Boland; 9. Hiatt; 10. Knight DNS.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Edge; 2. Washington; 3. Skinner; 4. M. Stokes; 5. Burgess; 6. Beasley; 7. Pullen; 8. Mosley; 9. Beckwith.

3RD B-MAIN: 1. Carroll; 2. Carter; 3. Blount; 4. Mullenix; 5. Gray; 6. Scarbrough; 7. Minga; 8. O’Connor; 9. Gowers.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 8/31/14:

1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 1,632
2. 56 Chris Noah (R) – 1,414
3. 51 Mack McCarter – 1,158
4. 1 Johnny Stokes – 1,132
5. 121 Michael Blount – 1,122
6. 110 Brent Barrett – 1,078
7. 19 Marcus Minga – 1,052
8. 18 Chase Edge – 1,006
9. 87 Walker Arthur – 838
10. 19m Josh Adkins – 804
11. J39 Jimmy Elliott – 668
12. 73 Ashley Newman – 660
13. 25 Justin McRee – 6364
14. 38 Chase Washington – 566
15. 18d Tait Davenport – 552
16. 17 Ronald Dunn – 508
17.8a Todd Morrow – 464
18. 55 Montana Dudley (R) – 430
19. 64 Jacob Anderson – 336
20. 38c Chip Brindle - 332

R – Denotes Rookie of the Year Candidate