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

February 1, 2013

RIGHT FOOT RONNY BACK IN VICTORY LANE AFTER THIRD NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS WIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                OCALA, FL – Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, AL returned to familiar ground on Friday night at Bubba Raceway Park as he pulled his Sparks Motorsports Special into victory lane for the third time in four nights after winning the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rock Auto.com Speedweeks Presented By Racecar Engineering 40-lap main event.

                Hollingsworth started fifth and worked his way to the front of the pack to take the lead on the sixth lap.  Right Foot Ronny then held off a late race challenge from Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA to take the $2,000 victory.

                “We’ve been good here since we unloaded for practice on Monday, and tonight we just tried to stay out of trouble in the early laps,” Hollingsworth said.  “Once we took the lead we were committed to the bottom of the race track.  I got into Davenport one time, and I apologize for that, but I guess that’s just part of racing trying to hold your ground.”

                Davenport took the second spot in the AES Racing Special for his best finish in four NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rock Auto.com Speedweeks Presented By Racecar Engineering races this week.  Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN finished third for the second straight night in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special.

                Tait Davenport of Benton, KY claimed the fourth spot in the Murtco Special.  Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL started 17th and finished fifth in the Harrod Logging Special to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.  Joey Coulter of Concord, NC was sixth in the Wolfpack Racing Rocket.

                John Over of Uniontown, PA drove the K2 Engineering Warrior to a seventh-place finish and Justin McRee of Cottondale, AL took the eighth spot in the High Roller Race Cars Special.  Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS finished ninth in the Lamar Auto Salvage GRT, and Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL rounded out the top ten in the Brandon Ford Warrior.

                The early laps of the race were wild and action-packed with two first-lap multi-car tangles necessitating two complete restarts.  The first accident took place in turn four that sent the Outlaw Race Parts TNT driven by Shan Smith of Dade City, FL and the Custom Spraying GRT driven by Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS to the pit area.

                The second pile-up coming off the fourth turn on the complete restart sent Jeff Smith of Chatsworth, GA in the Bilstein Shocks Warrior and Walker Arthur of Forest, VA in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special to the sidelines and out of the race.

                The field went green for the third time and polesitter Mike Pegher Jr. of Cranberry, PA in the 1 Cochran Rocket took the lead followed by Tait Davenport, Coulter and Hollingsworth.  On lap two, Hollingsworth moved up to the third spot getting around Coulter.  The third caution flag of the race came out on lap three when Jeff Mathews of Valrico, FL spun the CURS Warrior in turn four.

                The caution was brought out for the fourth time on the restart when Jason Fitzgerald of Middleburg, FL in the M&M Transport Refrigeration GRT, Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL, and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion and point leader coming into the race, David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN tangled in turn four.

                Fitzgerald and Smith were done for the night, and Gentry lost five laps in the pit area making repairs to the Eads Farms/Hardy & Associates Warrior.  Gentry came back and salvaged an 18th-place finish, but he lost the point lead.  That misfortune earned Gentry the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award. 

                The double-file restart was waved for the next restart, but the single-file order didn’t slow Hollingsworth down in his mission to the front of the pack.  On the sixth lap, Hollingsworth passed Tait Davenport for the second spot going into turn one, and then grabbed the lead from Pegher coming off the fourth turn.

                Johnson was also on the move, as he moved up to the second spot on lap seven, and began to chase down Hollingsworth, as the leader began to encounter lapped traffic on lap nine.  Jonathan Davenport had moved up to fourth from his tenth starting spot by lap ten, and passed Pegher for third on lap 17.

                Jonathan Davenport got inside Johnson in turn one on lap 22 to take over the second spot, and Tait Davenport moved past Johnson on lap 24 to take over the third spot.  Jonathan Davenport closed to within one car length of Hollingsworth on lap 29, and on the next lap tried to get inside of the leader in turn one.

                Hollingsworth shut the door on Davenport, who had to slam on the brakes to keep from getting into the back of Hollingsworth, who pulled out to a four car-length advantage going down the backstretch.

                The caution light was turned on for the fifth time on lap 33 when Pegher and Mack McCarter of Gatlinburg, TN in the McCarter Lumber CVR, who were battling for the sixth spot, tangled on the front stretch.  Pegher was done for the night, and McCarter was ticketed for the caution.  McCarter was able to rally back for a 12th-place finish and the Rookie of the Race Award.

                Ryan Montgomery of Fairmont, WV took over the sixth spot for the restart after starting 23rd in the Central Supply Warrior.  Montgomery brought out the final caution flag of the race when he spun in turn four on the restart.  Montgomery would hustle back through the field and salvage an 11th-place finish.

                The line-up for the eight-lap dash to the finish saw Hollingsworth leading Jonathan Davenport, Tait Davenport, Johnson, Coulter, Lloyd, Over, McRee, Blount, and Mathews down to the green flag.  Johnson would get to the inside on Tait Davenport going down the front straightaway on lap 34 to reclaim the third spot. 

With five laps to go, Hollingsworth held a five car-length advantage over Jonathan Davenport, and he would go on to take the win with a .697 margin of victory.  Lloyd got by Coulter for the fifth spot on the final lap, and Bronson would charge up into the top ten.

In preliminary action, Coulter out-timed the 57-car field with a lap in 14.774 seconds to take the Smiley’s Racing Products Fast Time Award.  The six ten-lap Heat Races were won by Pegher, Adkins, Coulter, Hollingsworth, Tait Davenport, and Johnson. 

The three 12-lap B-Main Races were won by Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN in the Wade’s Body Shop Special, McCarter, and Bronson.  Greg Robertson of Waynesboro, VA won the ten-lap Last Chance Race in the Wynbridge Rocket.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rock Auto.com Speedweeks Presented By Racecar Engineering finale will take place at Bubba Raceway Park on Saturday night with a 50-lap $3,000-to-win main event.  The $10,000 Speedweeks point fund that will reward the top 30 drivers in points will also be decided.

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.  You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 4 AT BUBBA RACEWAY PARK IN OCALA, FL ON 2/1/13:

POS        STRT      CAR #    DRIVER                 HOMETOWN                      LAPS      $ WON 
1.            5              18h         Ronny Hollingsworth      Northport, AL                    40           $2,000
2.            10           49           Jonathan Davenport       Blairsville, GA                     40           $1,000
3.            4              5              Ronnie Johnson                                Chattanooga, TN              40           $700
4.            2              18d         Tait Davenport                  Benton, KY                          40           $550
5.            17           21           Ivedent Lloyd Jr.               Ocala, FL                              40           $600
6.            3              2c            Joey Coulter                       Concord, NC                       40           $425
7.            8              K2           John Over                           Uniontown, PA                 40           $375
8.            7              25           Justin McRee                     Cottondale, AL                  40           $350
9.            14           121         Michael Blount                  Sumrall, MS                        40           $325
10.          21           40b         Kyle Bronson                     Brandon, FL                        40           $300
11.          23           12           Ryan Montgomery          Fairmont, WV                    40           $275
12.          20           51           Mack McCarter (R)          Gatlinburg, TN                   40           $250
13.          25           10           Matthew Turner                              Dawsonville, GA                               40           $225
14.          22           33           Jeff Mathews                    Valrico, FL                            40           $200
15.          19           117         Jake Teague                       Oliver Springs, TN            40           $175
16.          18           27           Larry Harrod                       Plains, GA                            39           $150
17.          12           110         Brent Barrett (R)              Cleveland, MS                   37           $140
18.          15           56           David Earl Gentry             Murfreesboro, TN           35           $125
19.          1              1c            Mike Pegher Jr.                                Cranberry, PA                    32           $125
20.          26           18           Chase Edge                         LaFayette, AL                     30           $125
21.          24           11k         Austin Kirkpatrick (R)      Ocala, FL                              30           $125
22.          27           73           Greg Robertson                                Waynesboro, VA              8              $125
23.          16           17ss       Shan Smith                         Dade City, FL                      3              $125
24.          13           7              Jason Fitzgerald                                Middleburg, FL                  2              $125
25.          6              19           Josh Adkins (R)                 Talladega, AL                      2              $125
26.          9              87           Walker Arthur                   Forest, VA                           0              $125
27.          11           17s         Jeff Smith                            Chatsworth, GA                                0              $125

ENTRANTS:  57
SMILEY’S RACING PRODUCTS FAST QUALIFIER:  Coulter, 14.774 Seconds
PROVISIONALS:  Turner and Edge
LEAD CHANGES:  1
LAP LEADERS:  Pegher, 1-5; Hollingsworth, 6-40
LAPS LED:  Hollingsworth, 35; Pegher, 5
HEDMAN HUSLER OF THE RACE AWARD:  Lloyd (started 17th and finished 5th)
ROOKIE OF THE RACE:  McCarter
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD:  Gentry
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD:  Chase Washington
RACE CAR ENGINEERING 5TH-PLACE AWARD:  Lloyd
KRC 6TH-PLACE AWARD:  Coulter
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD:  Over
RACECAR ENGINEERING 8TH-PLACE AWARD:  McRee
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD:  Blount
KRC 10TH-PLACE AWARD:  Bronson
MIKE’S CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD:  Montgomery
SHORTY’S SHOCK SERVICE 12TH-PLACE AWARD:  McCarter
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD:  Turner
J.T. KERR RACING EQUIPMENT 14TH-PLACE AWARD:  Mathews
KINSER AIR FILTERS 15TH-PLACE AWARD:  Teague
AR BODIES 16TH-PLACE AWARD:  Harrod
CAUTIONS:  6
MARGIN OF VICTORY:  .697 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE:  51 Minutes and 2.530 Seconds

SMILEY’S RACING PRODUCTS QUALIFYING: 
GROUP 1:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              25           Justin McRee     Cottondale, AL  HRRC     15.390   15.048   15.048
2              1c            Mike Pegher Jr.                Cranberry, PA    Rocket  15.505   15.337   15.337
3              7f            Jason Fitzgerald                Middleburg, FL  GRT        15.576   15.392   15.392
4              117         Jake Teague       Oliver Springs, TN            Bloomquist         15.528   15.517   15.517
5              73           Greg Robertson                Waynesboro, VA              Rocket  15.705   15.561   15.561
6              11p         Jorden Peters    Fort Erie, ON CAN            Rocket  15.588   15.664   15.588
7              21k         Kelly Walker       Moultrie, GA      Mastersbilt         15.752   15.930   15.752
8              D2           Noland Dalton   Morgantown, WV            Warrior 15.780   15.980   15.780
9              18           Chase Edge         LaFayette, AL     Mastersbilt         15.899   15.869   15.869
10           33           Jeff Mathews    Valrico, FL            Warrior 16.097   16.105   16.097
                                                                                                               
GROUP 2:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              19           Josh Adkins - R  Talladega, AL      Barry Wright       15.131   15.041   15.041
2              K2           John Over           Uniontown, PA Warrior 15.569   15.350   15.350
3              121         Michael Blount  Sumrall, MS        GRT        15.963   15.672   15.672
4              21f          Todd Frank         Mellen, WI          Rocket  16.029   15.764   15.764
5              38           Chase Washington          Houlka, MS         Barry Wright       15.870   15.772   15.772
6              14           Johnny Collins   Jacksonville, FL  Mastersbilt         15.821   15.915   15.821
7              4g           Bob Gardner      Metamora, IL     Rayburn               16.725   15.868   15.868
8              27L         Michael Lake      Uniontown, PA Warrior 16.137   16.306   16.137
9              91           Billy Tedford       Thaxton, MS      Trak-Star              16.668   17.056   16.668
                                                                                                               
GROUP 3:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              2c            Joey Coulter       Concord, NC       Rocket  15.103   14.774   14.774
2              7k           Jak Kicklighter    Savannah, GA    Barry Wright       15.015   14.928   14.928
3              87           Walker Arthur   Forest, VA           Mastersbilt         15.279   15.059   15.059
4              56           David Earl Gentry             Murfreesboro, TN           Warrior 15.397   15.205   15.205
5              21m       Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN    Warrior 15.529   15.238   15.238
6              68           Brad Smith          Clemmons, NC  Lazer     15.408   15.312   15.312
7              12           Ryan Montgomery          Fairmont, WV    Warrior 15.317   15.491   15.317
8              2s            Andrew Satterlee            Rochester Mills, PA         Rocket  15.427   15.383   15.383
9              1              Johnny Stokes   Columbus, MS   GRT        15.469   15.511   15.469
10           24           Mark Tice            Avon, MS            Mastersbilt         15.582   15.504   15.504
                                                                                                               
GROUP 4:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              18h         Ronny Hollingsworth      Northport, AL    Barry Wright       14.930   14.909   14.909
2              1p           Darren Peters    Fort Erie, ON CAN            Rocket  15.303   15.171   15.171
3              54           Dalton Myers     Riverview, FL     Snow Bros.         15.535   15.338   15.338
4              49           Jonathan Davenport       Blairsville, GA     Barry Wright       15.762   15.463   15.463
5              17ss       Shan Smith         Dade City, FL      TNT        15.559   15.916   15.559
6              C11         Cliff Williams      Star, MS               Trak-Star              16.139   15.575   15.575
7              51           Mack McCarter - R           Gatlinburg, TN   CVR        15.732   NT          15.732
8              19m       Marcus Minga   Shannon, MS     Rocket  16.032   15.796   15.796
9              311         Kenneth Monahan - R   Lakeland, FL       CVR        15.843   15.898   15.843
                                                                                                               
GROUP 5:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              18d         Tait Davenport  Benton, KY          Longhorn             15.246   15.217   15.217
2              21           Ivedent Lloyd Jr.               Ocala, FL              Scorpion              15.443   15.219   15.219
3              17s         Jeff Smith            Chatsworth, GA                Warrior 15.461   15.227   15.227
4              11k         Austin Kirkpatrick - R      Ocala, FL              Barry Wright       15.303   15.262   15.262
5              29           Jason Welshan Maryville, TN     Mastersbilt         15.611   15.338   15.338
6              11           Doug Horton      Bruceton Mills, WV         Warrior 15.624   15.371   15.371
7              25B         Greg Belyea       Frankford, ON CAN         Rocket  15.466   15.558   15.466
8              2              Marty Hardy       Biloxi, MS            GRT        15.756   15.648   15.648
9              47           Shannon Lee      Lumberton, MS                GRT        15.809   15.906   15.809
10           97           David McDonald               Brighton, ONT Can           Rocket  16.174   15.857   15.857
                                                                                                               
GROUP 6:                                                                                           
POS        CAR #    DRIVER HOMETOWN      CHASSIS               LAP 1     LAP 2     TIME
1              110         Brent Barrett - R               Cleveland, MS   GRT        15.482   15.311   15.311
2              40b         Kyle Bronson     Brandon, FL        Warrior 15.401   15.312   15.312
3              5              Ronnie Johnson                Chattanooga, TN              Mastersbilt         15.345   15.489   15.345
4              22           Cecil Eunice        Blackshear, GA  Snow Bros.         15.486   15.596   15.486
5              10c         Ronnie Cooper  McKenzie, TN    Rocket  15.623   15.552   15.552
6              27           Larry Harrod       Plains, GA            Scorpion              15.672   15.711   15.672
7              3              Phillip Pittman   Vidalia, GA          Rocket  15.819   15.748   15.748
8              10           Matthew Turner              Dawsonville, GA               Stinger  16.220   15.998   15.998
9              72           Frank Wilson      Harold, FL            Trak-Star              16.952   18.342   16.952

HEAT RACES (10 Laps – Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):

                1ST HEAT:  1. Pegher; 2. McRee; 3. Fitzgerald; 4. Teague; 5. Mathews; 6. Robertson; 7. Dalton; 8. Edge; 9. J. Peters; 10. Walker.

                2ND HEAT:  1. Adkins (R); 2. Over; 3. Blount; 4. Washington; 5. Frank; 6. Gardner; 7. Collins; 8. Lake; 9. Tedford.

                3RD HEAT:  1. Coulter; 2. Arthur; 3. Gentry; 4. Tice; 5. Martin (R); 6. Stokes; 7. B. Smith; 8. Montgomery; 9. Kicklighter; 10. Satterlee.

                4TH HEAT:  1. Hollingsworth; 2. J. Davenport; 3. S. Smith; 4. McCarter (R); 5. Williams; 6. D. Peters; 7. Myers; 8. Minga; 9. Monahan (R).

                5TH HEAT:  1. T. Davenport; 2. J. Smith; 3. Lloyd; 4. Kirkpatrick (R); 5. Horton; 6. Lee; 7. Belyea; 8. Welshan; 9. Hardy; 10. McDonald.

                6TH HEAT:  1. Johnson; 2. Barrett; 3. Harrod; 4. Turner; 5. Bronson; 6. Cooper; 7. Pittman; 8. Eunice; 9. Wilson.

B-MAIN RACES (12 Laps – Top 2 Transfer To Main Event):

                1ST B-MAIN:  1. Teague; 2. Mathews; 3. Washington; 4. Robertson; 5. Gardner; 6. Collins; 7. Dalton; 8. Lake; 9. Edge; 10. Walker; 11. Frank; 12. J. Peters; 13. Tedford DNS.

                2ND B-MAIN:  1. McCarter; 2. Montgomery; 3. D. Peters; 4. Martin (R); 5. Myers; 6. Williams; 7. Stokes; 8. Monahan (R); 9. Tice; 10. B. Smith; 11. Minga; 12. Kicklighter DNS; 13. Satterlee DNS.

                3RD B-MAIN:  1. Bronson; 2. Kirkpatrick (R); 3. Lee; 4. Welshan; 5. Belyea; 6. Eunice; 7. Cooper; 8. Pittman; 9. Wilson; 10. Turner; 11. Horton; 12. Hardy; 13. McDonald.

LAST CHANCE RACE (10 Laps – Winner Transfers To Main Event):  1. Robertson; 2. Welshan; 3. Washington; 4. Myers; 5. Lee; 6. Belyea; 7. Gardner; 8. D. Peters; 9. Martin (R) DNS; 10. Collins DNS; 11. Williams DNS; 12. Eunice DNS.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 2/1/13 (Based On Best 3 of 4 Races):

1. 18h Ronny Lee Hollingsworth – 300
2. 49 Jonathan Davenport – 278
3. 40b Kyle Bronson – 276
4. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 276
5. 25 Justin McRee – 270
6. 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr. – 266
7. 56 David Earl Gentry – 262
8. 12 Ryan Montgomery – 250
9. 33 Jeff Mathews – 244
10. 17ss Shan Smith – 228
11. 51 Mack McCarter (R) – 226
12. 117 Jake Teague – 226
13. 11 Doug Horton – 224
14. 2c Joey Coulter – 222
15. 87 Walker Arthur – 216
16. 10 Matthew Turner – 212
17. 18d Tait Davenport – 212
18. 11k Austin Kirkpatrick (R) – 212
19. 110 Brent Barrett (R) – 210
20. 7 Jason Fitzgerald – 210

ROCK AUTO.COM SPEEDWEEKS PRESENTED BY RACECAR ENGINEERING POINT STANDINGS AFTER 4 OF 5 RACES:

1. 49 Jonathan Davenport – 356
2. 18h Ronny Lee Hollingsworth – 352
3. 40b Kyle Bronson – 328
4. 56 David Earl Gentry – 326
5. 25 Justin McRee – 326
6. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 324
7. 21 Ivedent Lloyd – 320
8. 12 Ryan Montgomery – 298
9. 17ss Shan Smith – 280
10. 33 Jeff Mathews – 280
11. 10 Matthew Turner – 272
12. 51 Mack McCarter (R) – 272
13. 110 Brent Barrett (R) – 270
14 2c Joey Coulter – 268
15. 11 Doug Horton – 258
16. 117 Jake Teague – 256
17. 27 Larry Harrod – 252
18. 18d Tait Davenport – 252
19. 11k Austin Kirkpatrick (R) – 248
20. 87 Walker Arthur – 246

R – Denotes Rookie of the Year Candidate

 

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain and Performance Dealer six years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast.  Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor.  Bilstein Shocks is the Official Spec Shock of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Old Man’s Garage is the sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Old Man’s Garage Weekly Racing Series.  RockAuto.com and VP Racing Fuels are Official Sponsors of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2013 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, AR Bodies, Velocita Racewear, and Performance Rod & Custom.  2013 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, Stinger Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars. 

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