NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
I-75 Speedway
September 12, 2015
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It Was A Hollywood NeSmith Late Model Win For Henderson At I-75

by Roby Helm
SWEETWATER, TN - It was a race with a “Hollywood” ending. Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN drove the Rebel Diesel Rocket #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car to the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win Saturday night at I-75 Raceway. Duayne “Hollywood” Hommel was there himself to share in the win, and was the first one in an emotional victory lane to greet the winner.

Not only was Hommel there to witness the win, but according to Henderson, he contributed to the victory.

“Duayne was telling me before qualifying how many turns on the suspension here, and how many turns there, and that’s what we did,” Henderson said. “So, what did we do, go out and set fast time. Then he tells us what tire we need on each corner, so that’s what we did. We led all 50 laps, and I was so happy that Duayne was here tonight when I took the checkered flag, I was just crying my eyes out and fist pumping out the window. Nights like this are ones you seem to only dream about, but tonight it came true. It was just awesome to see him when I got to victory lane!”

In 2003, Hommel was quickly becoming a rising star on the National stage of dirt late model racing, but a highway accident late that season left him with a serious head injury that ended his career. Hommel may now have to get around in a wheelchair, and he may have trouble speaking, but Henderson’s winning testimony shows that Hommel is still as sharp as a tack when it comes to race cars.

The evening at I-75 Raceway not only ended special, but it started off pretty special as well. During intermission, the NeSmith Late Model drivers came to the grandstands with their helmets in an effort to help another injured driver, Jeff Smith of Dalton, GA, who broke his neck in an accident during the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race at I-75 Raceway on August 14.

After having surgery, Smith is on the mend, but he will be in a halo device for three months, and can’t work. The great race fans at I-75 Raceway reached into their pockets and purses to collect $1,612.37 for Jeff Smith and his family.

Then, the performance by Henderson for Hommel in the H2 car just put the icing on the cake. The win also gave Henderson the Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Race Award. With purse money and special contingency awards, Henderson’s second win of the season was worth $2,725.00.

Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Lenoir City, TN finished second in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket, and Anthony White of Clinton, TN drove the Stone Plus Special to a third-place showing. Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL took his third straight fourth-place finish in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN drove the Auto Depot Special to his fifth straight top five finish.

The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN increased his point lead in his quest of an unprecedented third straight title finished sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Trak-Star. Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN was seventh in the Williams and Sons Farms CVR.

Jason Welshan of Maryville, TN drove the Hidden Hollow Motorsports Special to an eighth-place finish and Ryan King of Seymour, TN took the ninth spot in the Brian King Roofing Stinger. Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN rounded out the top ten in the A-Plus Collision Center GRT. Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL started 17th and finished 11th in the Panama City Cycles Rocket to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.

During qualifications, Henderson toured the 3/8-mile clay oval in 13.552 seconds to earn his series-leading fourth Fast Time Award of the 2015 season and the pole position for the 50-lap main event. He also picked up a $100 bonus from Seiler Brothers Lumber Company of Sweetwater, TN.

The first ten laps of the race was afflicted with yellowflagitis. The caution light beamed eight times in the first ten tours including twice at the start of the race. Henderson took the lead at the start of the race followed by third starting Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), who dove under outside front row starter White for the second spot.

Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN in the Wade’s Body Shop Special and Justin Summers of Greenback, TN brought about a complete restart after they got together in turn one. The next start saw Brad Coffey of Maryville, TN spin the Coffey Racing Warrior down the backstretch on the opening lap. That made for complete restart number two.

The third time was the charm to get the first lap of the race in, but asking for two might have been a little too much, as a multi-car tangle in turn four sent Summers on his roof, but he was O.K. after crawling out of his bent racer under his own power. The field did get one lap in the books before the red flag came out, bringing about a “Dixie Style” Double File Restart.

Doubled up behind race leader Henderson were Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, King, Williams, Johnson, Morrow, and Coffey in second through tenth respectively. Johnson got busy after the restart, coming from eighth to sixth. Crane spun in turn four on lap seven to unfurl the fourth yellow flag of the race.

The restart saw William Overbey of Norris, TN spin the Overbey Racing Special in turn four, so they doubled them up and tried it again. On this restart, everyone was bumping and gouging for the bottom groove of the track with the exception of King, who tried to dust off the top shelf of the track looking for traction that he never found. King fell from seventh to ninth.

The sixth caution flag was displayed on lap nine when Teague stalled in turn two, The top ten for the restart was Henderson on the point with Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, Johnson, Williams, Welshan, King and Coffey doubled up behind him.

On the restart, Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN spun to the high side of the track in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes Special, hooked the dirt berm at the top of the racing surface, putting his race car on its side, but it landed upright on the top of the berm. Ballenger was O.K., but it necessitated the second red flag of the race to retrieve Ballenger’s machine.

NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series official called for a single-file restart and the field settled in without incident until lap 11 when Ballenger slowed on the track with damage suffered in his losing bout with the berm. After the next restart, the flagman could have put the yellow flag in its case because it wasn’t needed the rest of the way.

Henderson began lapping cars on the 19th tour of the race with a 1.2 second lead on Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word). The second-place driver did close to within six tenths of a second of Henderson on lap 35, but the leader opened his margin back up and took a ,833 second margin of victory under the checkered flag.

The next race for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be on October 16-17 at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA for the 60-lap $5,000-to-win Showdown On The Coast, Round 21 of the 2015 season.

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 20 AT I-75 RACEWAY IN SWEETWATER, TN ON 9/12/15:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 50 $2,725
2. 3 23 Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Lenoir City, TN 50 $1,250
3. 2 2x Anthony White Clinton, TN 50 $850
4. 5 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 50 $825
5. 7 44 John Ownbey Cleveland, TN 50 $650
6. 9 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 50 $675
7. 6 95 Brandon Williams Crossville, TN 50 $500
8. 13 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN 50 $450
9. 4 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 50 $525
10. 10 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN 50 $375
11. 17 10c Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 50 $475
12. 11 88 Brad Coffey Maryville, TN 49 $300
13. 16 24 Barry Goodman Spring City, TN 48 $280
14. 18 7 William Overbey Norris, TN 46 $260
15. 15 29b Rusty Ballenger Sevierville, TN 10 $250
16. 12 117 Jake Teague Oliver Springs, TN 8 $240
17. 8 D2 Darren Goins Oliver Springs, TN 6 $220
18. 14 99 Justin Summers Greenback, TN 1 $200
19. 19 22 Will Roland (Y) Jasper, GA 0 $0/DNS

ENTRIES: 19
SEILER BROTHERS LUMBER FAST QUALIFIER: Henderson, 13.552 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAP LEADER: Henderson, 1-50
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Henderson
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Crane (started 17th and finished 11th)
INTEGRA SHOCKS FIFTH-PLACE AWARD: Ownbey
CRATE INSIDER.COM SIXTH-PLACE AWARD: Johnson
GRESHAM RACE PARTS SEVENTH-PLACE AWARD: Williams
IMAGE SCREEN PRINTING NINTH-PLACE AWARD: King
AR BODIES TENTH-PLACE AWARD: Morrow
CAUTIONS: 8
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .833 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 45 Minutes and 27.676 Seconds
NEXT RACE: October 16-17, Golden Isles Speedway, Brunswick, GA, 60 Laps, $5,000-To-Win

SEILER BROTHERS LUMBER QUALIFYING:

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 H2 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 13.966 13.552 13.552
2 2x Anthony White Clinton, TN Longhorn 13.554 13.608 13.554
3 23 Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Lenoir City, TN Rocket 14.042 13.583 13.583
4 30 Ryan King - R Seymour, TN Stinger 13.714 13.731 13.714
5 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 13.812 13.742 13.742
6 95 Brandon Williams Crossville, TN CVR 13.864 13.768 13.768
7 44 John Ownbey Cleveland, TN Longhorn 13.850 13.772 13.772
8 D2 Darren Goins Oliver Springs, TN DWB 14.543 13.868 13.868
9 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Trak-Star 13.908 13.958 13.908
10 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN GRT 14.064 13.998 13.998
11 88 Brad Coffey Maryville, TN Warrior 14.047 14.000 14.000
12 117 Jake Teague Oliver Springs, TN Longhorn 14.143 14.334 14.143
13 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN Mastersbilt 14.307 14.307 14.307
14 99 Justin Summers Greenback, TN Stinger 15.030 14.331 14.331
15 29 Rusty Ballenger Sevierville, TN Mastersbilt 14.753 14.368 14.368
16 24 Barry Goodman Spring City, TN Rocket 14.405 14.593 14.405
17 10c Ryan Crane - R Panama City, FL Rocket 14.630 14.443 14.443
18 7 William Overbey Norris, TN Rayburn 15.309 15.005 15.005
19 22 Will Roland - Y Jasper, GA Warrior NT NT NT

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 9/12/15:

1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 1,702
2. 30 Ryan King (R) – 1,614
3. 18 Chase Edge – 1,594
4. H2 Matt Henderson (R) – 1,578
5. 10c Ryan Crane (R) – 1,426
6. 19 Marcus Minga – 1,066
7. 21m Cody Martin (R) – 1,018
8. 33b Eric Cooley – 712
9. 25 Justin McRee – 584
10. 5d Rodgerick Dykes – 552
11. 22 Will Roland (Y) – 542
12. 121 Michael Blount – 492
13. 8a Todd Morrow – 484
14. 44 John Ownbey – 482
15. 14 Cale Conley – 482
16. 87 Walker Arthur – 464
17. 14c Tyler Clem (R/Y) – 438
18. 1 Johnny Stokes – 410
19. 55 Montana Dudley – 380
20. 2x Nick Lyons - 362