NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
May 1, 2015
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Thomas Takes Talladega NeSmith Late Model Win

by Roby Helm
EASTABOGA, AL – William Thomas of Phenix City, AL took the lead on lap five and never looked back to win the 40-lap  main event on Friday night at Talladega Short Track driving the Save More Special. The victory was the 12th NeSmith Late Model career win for Thomas that moved him into a tie for the second spot on the all-time series win list.

Thomas swept the show by also winning the Save More Laundry Equipment Fast Time honors over the 55-car field with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 14.074 seconds to earn the pole position for the main event.

Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL took the early race lead from his outside front row starting spot, but once Thomas took the lead on lap five, he was able to maintain a three second lead, even in heavy lapped traffic.

“Our car was good right out of the trailer, and once we got rolling, we took the lead, but I thought second spot might have been closer when we got into lapped traffic,” Thomas said. “We’re ready to do it again tomorrow night, so we’ll just clean the car up, make sure everything is tight and be ready to go.”

Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL finished second in the Edge’s Gas Company Special, and the defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN was third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special. Johnson now holds a 20-point lead over Edge in the NeSmith Late Model National point standings.

Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS took the fourth spot in the Bryson Motorsports Special, and Nick Lyons of Centrailia, IL finished fifth in the F&L Salvage Special. Gauldin settled for sixth in the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT, and Todd Morrow was seventh in the A Plus Collision Center GRT.

Ryan King of Anniston, AL drove the David King Automotive Special to an eighth-place finish and 12-year-old Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL was ninth in the Vahlco Wheels Rocket. Clem was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race and the Sunoco Race Fuels Young Gun of the Race. Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN rounded out the top ten in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes Rocket.

In preliminary action, the four 12-lap B-Main races were won by Cale Conley of Vienna, WV in the AAA General Contractors Special, Lyons, 15-year-old Bryant Marsh of Corinth, MS in the Modern Woodmen Trak-Star, and Rodgerick Dykes of Smith Station, AL in the Brasswell Bodies Warrior.

Gauldin grabbed the lead at the start of the race followed by Thomas, Edge, 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL in the Skinner Body Shop CVR, and Johnson. Thomas challenged Gauldin for the lead on lap five on the inside, and made the pass for the point stick coming off the fourth turn. By lap 12, Thomas has reached the cars on the tail end of the lead lap.

The fifth lap also saw Cooley move up and engage in a side-by-side battle with Johnson for the fifth spot. The pair of two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champions reeled in Skinner, and went three-wide with youngster on lap 12. By the time they raced back to the flagstand, it was Cooley in fourth, Johnson fifth, and Skinner dropping back to sixth.

Despite being in heavy lapped traffic on lap 15, Thomas pulled out to a full straightaway lead over Gauldin, who had Edge closing in to challenge him for the second spot. Thomas’ advantage was gone when the first of two caution flags came out on lap 19 when Cody Martin of Christiana, TN spun the Martin Motorsports Warrior in turn two.

Thomas had the field doubled up behind him for the “Dixie-Style Double-File Restart” with Gauldin, Edge, Cooley, Johnson, Skinner, Lyons, Dykes, Marsh, and Morrow in second through tenth respectively. On the restart, Skinner spun out of the sixth spot in turn two to light up the caution bulb for the second and final time.

Johnson stepped to the outside on the next restart to pass Cooley for fourth. Edge passed Gauldin for second on lap 20, and Johnson sailed around the outside of Gauldin for third on lap 23. Gauldin continued to fall back through the field, as Cooley dropped him back to fifth on lap 24.

By lap 26, Thomas had opened up a half straightaway lead over Edge, who had a full straightaway lead over Johnson and Cooley, who rekindled their side-by-side battle for the third spot. Thomas was in heavy lapped traffic by lap 32, but Edge was unable to close in during the last eight laps of the race. Thomas took the checkered flag with a 3.532 second margin of victory.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will return to Talladega Short Track on Saturday night with a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on night two of Talladega NASCAR Weekend.

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

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 7 AT TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK IN EASTABOGA, AL ON 5/1/15:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 19 William Thomas Phenix City, AL 40 $2,200
2. 4 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 40 $1,125
3. 6 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 40 $825
4. 7 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 40 $550
5. 8 2x Nick Lyons Centrailia, IL 40 $500
6. 2 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL 40 $425
7. 18 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN 40 $375
8. 14 55 Ryan King Anniston, AL 40 $350
9. 15 14 Tyler Clem (R/Y) St. Petersburg, FL 40 $325
10. 22 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 40 $300
11. 10 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL 40 $275
12. 9 1m Bryant Marsh (Y) Corinth, MS 39 $250
13. 13 42 Kasey Hall Geraldine, AL 39 $225
14. 17 81 Adam Cummings Odenville, AL 39 $200
15. 20 222 Carlton Freeman Eastaboga, AL 39 $175
16. 24 21m Cody Martin (R) Christiana, TN 39 $150
17. 19 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 38 $140
18. 23 10 Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 38 $125
19. 21 55d Montana Dudley Phenix City, AL 38 $125
20. 3 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) Oxford, AL 18 $125
21. 12 2s Kyle Shaw Millport, AL 18 $125
22. 16 41 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 4 $125
23. 11 5x Logan Yates Lineville, AL 0 $125
24. 7 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV 0 $125

ENTRIES: 55
FAST QUALIFIER: Thomas, 14.074 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Crane and Martin
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Gauldin, 1-4; Thomas, 5-40
LAPS LED: Thomas, 36; Gauldin, 4
CAUTIONS: 2
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 3.532 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 35 Minutes and 27.298 Seconds
NEXT RACE: Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL on 5/2/15 – 50 Laps, $2,500-to-win

QUALIFYING (Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 19 William Thomas Phenix City, AL Longhorn NT 14.074 14.074
2 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL GRT 14.320 14.167 14.167
3 11 Cruz Skinner - Y Oxford, AL CVR 14.617 14.320 14.320
4 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.511 14.370 14.370
5 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Barry Wright 14.822 14.417 14.417
6 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 14.441 14.565 14.441
7 5 Logan Yates Lineville, AL Barry Wright 14.472 14.455 14.455
8 2x Nick Lyons Centrailia, IL Capital 14.545 14.855 14.545
9 1m Bryant Marsh - Y Corinth, MS Trak-Star 14.866 14.555 14.555
10 55 Ryan King Anniston, AL Barry Wright 14.649 14.573 14.573
11 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV Pierce 14.725 14.575 14.575
12 41 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL HRRC 14.603 14.583 14.583
13 81 Adam Cummings Odenville, AL GRT 14.586 14.601 14.586
14 H2 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 14.677 14.587 14.587
15 21 Joe Noogin Boaz, AL GRT 14.602 14.779 14.602
16 2s Kyle Shaw Millport, AL Trak-Star 14.665 15.319 14.665
17 147 Hunter Carroll Columbus, MS Mastersbilt 14.683 15.020 14.683
18 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN GRT 15.021 14.689 14.689
19 14 Tyler Clem - R/Y St. Petersburg, FL Rocket 14.696 14.755 14.696
20 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA Team 17 14.769 14.828 14.769
21 42 Kasey Hall Geraldine, AL GRT 14.923 14.782 14.782
22 7 Cole Daffron - Y Pell City, AL Warrior 14.960 14.786 14.786
23 20 Kevin Sitton Baytown, TX Mastersbilt 14.823 14.787 14.787
24 K5 David Kay Eastaboga, AL Barry Wright 14.838 14.788 14.788
25 57 Maddox Mullinax Birmingham, AL GRT 14.919 14.811 14.811
26 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 14.829 15.073 14.829
27 30 Ryan King - R Seymour, TN Stinger 14.848 15.044 14.848
28 222 Carlton Freeman Eastaboga, AL GRT 14.893 14.891 14.891
29 55 Montana Dudley Phenix City, AL Rocket 14.897 14.971 14.897
30 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL Warrior 14.942 14.912 14.912
31 371 Drew Benfield Toccoa, GA CVR 14.951 15.220 14.951
32 19 Trey Wood - Y Newnan, GA Warrior 14.953 15.593 14.953
33 21m Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN Warrior 15.319 14.984 14.984
34 101 Forrest Trent Talbott, TN Rocket 15.017 15.152 15.017
35 5 Mike Combs Odenville, AL TSR 15.023 15.840 15.023
36 23 Ahnna Parkhurst - Y Evans, GA Mastersbilt 15.027 15.413 15.027
37 03 Chris O'Connor Cantonment, FL HRRC 15.028 15.944 15.028
38 18 Mark Page Douglasville, GA GRT 15.121 15.265 15.121
39 02 Stephen Brantley Monroeville, AL Mastersbilt 15.581 15.160 15.160
40 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS HRRC 15.397 15.177 15.177
41 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS HRRC 15.670 15.242 15.242
42 77 Robbie Starnes Livingston, TX Mastersbilt 15.445 15.294 15.294
43 10 Ryan Crane - R Panama City, FL Trak-Star 15.717 15.361 15.361
44 181 Chad Williams Lake City, AR Trak-Star 15.707 15.391 15.391
45 37 Tim Parker Tuscaloosa, AL Mastersbilt 15.591 15.394 15.394
46 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL GRT 15.464 15.410 15.410
47 15 Jason Britton - R Alexander City, AL Pierce 15.527 15.572 15.527
48 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Rocket 15.813 15.543 15.543
49 F36 Cale Finley Athens, AL Pierce 15.655 15.546 15.546
50 F97 Red Farmer Hueytown, AL Rayburn 15.598 15.766 15.598
51 2 Thomas Lansley Perrish, AL Trak-Star 15.722 16.162 15.722
52 15 Nathan Mayes Springdale, AR Mastersbilt NT NT NT
53 00 Monte Skinner Saraland, AL Capital NT NT NT
54 17s Jeff Smith Dalton, GA Warrior NT NT NT

B-MAINS (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Conley; 2. Yates; 3. Clem (R/Y); 4. King (R); 5. Brantley; 6. Crane (R); 7. Benfield; 8. Combs; 9. Sitton; 10. Britton (R); 11. Noogin; 12. Langley DNS.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Lyons; 2. Shaw; 3. McRee; 4. Freemen; 5. Shipley; 6. Kay; 7. Cooper; 8. Williams; 9. Parkhurst (Y); 10. Wood (Y); 11. Blount; 12. Mayes DNS.

3RD B-MAIN: 1. Marsh (Y); 2. Hall; 3. Cummings; 4. Dudley; 5. O’Connor; 6. Carroll; 7. Mullinax; 8. Stokes; 9. Martin (Y); 10. Finley; 11. Parker; 12. M. Skinner DNS.

4TH B-MAIN: 1. Dykes; 2. King (AL); 3. Morrow; 4. Henderson (R); 5. Page; 6. Minga; 7. Trent; 8. Starnes; 9. Daffron (Y); 10. Mitchell; 11. Farmer; 12. Burdett; 13. Smith DNS.