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

February 7, 2014

FITZGERALD POWERS TO NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS BRUNSWICK WIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                BRUNSWICK, GA – Jason Fitzgerald of Middleburg, FL drove the M&M Transport and Refrigeration GRT to a convincing victory Friday night at the Super Bowl of Racing Presented By Rock Auto.com for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at Golden Isles Speedway.  Fitzgerald took the lead on the second lap and never looked back for his first series career win.

                Jeremy Faircloth of Swainsboro, GA finished second in the CJR Forestry Warrior and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC was third in the Tri-County Race Track Special.  Walker Arthur of Forest, VA took the fourth spot in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special and Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL was the Rookie of the Race after a fifth-place effort in the Old Man’s Garage Special.

                Robert Diekemper of Bloomingdale, GA took the sixth spot in the Baird Transport Special and Mack McCarter of Gatlinburg, TN was seventh in the CVR Race Cars Special.  The defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN started 21st and finished eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special.

                Fast Qualifier Jacob Anderson of Murphy, NC finished ninth in the Scrapy’s Metal Special.  Anderson out-qualified the 43-car field with a lap around the 4/10-mile clay oval in 16.319 seconds.  Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL rounded out the top ten in the Dave’s Towing Special. 

The preliminary ten-lap B-Main Races were won by Noah, Arthur, Jak Kicklighter of Savannah, GA in the Kicklighter Construction Special and Montana Dudley of Phenix City, AL in the Eiland Pools Rocket.  Dudley was unable to start the main event after breaking an axle in his B-Main winning effort.

Anderson and Fitzgerald battled side-by-side for the lead for the first two laps of the 30-lap main event before Fitzgerald took the lead.  Donald Brasher of Burlington, NC trailed the lead duo in the Mega Plumbing Rocket followed by Faircloth and Cook.  The first of six caution flags came out on lap four when Dalton Cook stalled the Wrap Tech Signz Special in turn four.

Fitzgerald led Anderson, Brasher, Faircloth, Cook, Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, NC in the AES Racing Special, McCarter, Noah, Arthur, and Whitener down for the restart.  Brasher got around Anderson for second when the field went back to green flag action, but the field was slowed again by caution on lap five when Kicklighter spun in turn two.

Brasher’s stay in the second spot was short-lived as he dropped back to seventh on the next restart.  Cook was on the move and advanced from fourth to second by lap six.  Cook was looking for his second win of the day after winning earlier in the afternoon.  Cook had a ways to go to get there, as Fitzgerald had a half-straightaway lead by lap ten.

Cook’s chance to catch Fitzgerald came in lapped traffic, which the leaders began to encounter on lap 12.  Cook was camped out on Fitzgerald’s back bumper by lap 17, but the lapped traffic went away on lap 18 when Scott Lagasse Jr. stalled the Boy Scouts of America Special in turn one to bring out the third caution flag of the race.

Fitzgerald led the field down for the restart with Cook, Faircloth, Anderson, Whitener, McCarter, Cooke, Arthur, Noah and Brasher doubled up behind him.  A wild battle for fourth broke out among four drivers when the green flag came out.  McCarter spun in turn three, but Whitener was ticketed with the caution for giving him an assist.

On the next “Dixie Style” double-file restart, the battle for second-place was on, as Faircloth drove around the outside of Cook down the backstretch.  Cook tried to step to the outside and retake the position coming off the fourth turn, but Faircloth slide up the racetrack and made contact with Cook, who had the choice of lifting or parking his car in the flagstand.

The caution flag came out on lap 23 when Cooke spun in turn three and collected two-time series champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN in the Lewis Fabrication/CSB Consultants Special and Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL in the Yellow Hammer Construction Special.  All three cars were done for the night.

Faircloth and Cook renewed their battle for second on the restart, while Fitzgerald pulled away.  As the leader came off the fourth turn to get the white flag signaling one lap to go, the white gave way to the yellow caution flag when Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL spun the Edge’s Gas Company Special in turn two.

For Fitzgerald, it was business as usual on the restart as he pulled away from the field in the final two laps to take a 1.2 second margin of victory to the checkered flag.  The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to Golden Isles Speedway on Saturday night for a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new 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 2 AT GOLDEN ISLES SPEEDWAY IN BRUNSWICK, GA ON 2/7/14:

POS        STRT     CAR #    DRIVER                               HOMETOWN                     LAPS     $ WON 
1.             2              7              Jason Fitzgerald                                Middleburg, FL                  30           $2,500
2.             4              4              Jeremy Faircloth               Swainsboro, GA                  30           $1,250
3.             6              53           Ray Cook                             Brasstown, NC                    30           $850
4.             8              87           Walker Arthur                    Forest, VA                            30           $700
5.             7              56n         Chris Noah (R)                    Rainbow City, AL              30           $650
6.             17           5d           Robert Diekemper             Bloomingdale, GA             30           $550
7.             10           51           Mack McCarter                  Gatlinburg, TN                   30           $500
8.             21           5              Ronnie Johnson                  Chattanooga, TN                30           $550
9.             1              64a         Jacob Anderson                  Murphy, NC                         30           $400
10.          14           58           Mark Whitener                   Middleburg, FL                  30           $375
11.          12           110         Brent Barrett                      Cleveland, MS                     30           $350
12.          3              93           Donald Brasher                  Burlington, NC                   30           $300
13.          20           2c            Joey Coulter                        Concord, NC                        30           $280
14.          11           14           Wil Herrington (R)            Cochran, GA                       30           $260
15.          23           18           Tait Davenport                   Benton, KY                          30           $250
16.          16           111         Steven Roberts                    Jesup, GA                             30           $240
17.          24           64           Braden Mitchell (R)           Russellville, AL                  29           $220
18.          5              17c         Steve Cooke                         Mt. Airy, NC                        21           $200
19.          15           56           David Earl Gentry             Murfreesboro, TN             21           $200
20.          22           19m        Josh Adkins                         Talladega, AL                     21           $200
21.          13           18e         Chase Edge                          LaFayette, AL                     18           $200
22.          18           8              Scott Lagasse Jr.                St. Augustine, FL                18           $200
23.          9              7k           Jak Kicklighter (R)            Savannah, GA                     10           $200
24.          19           1d           Dalton Cook                        Columbus, GA                     3              $200

ENTRIES:  43
FAST QUALIFIER:  Anderson; 16.319 Seconds
PROVISIONALS:  Davenport and Adkins
LEAD CHANGES:  1
LAP LEADERS:  Anderson, 1; Fitzgerald, 2-30
LAPS LED:  Fitzgerald, 29; Anderson, 1
ROOKIE OF THE RACE:  Noah
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD:  Gentry
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD:  Montana Dudley
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD:  McCarter
VELOCITA RACEWEAR 8TH-PLACE AWARD: Johnson
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD:  Anderson
AR BODIES 10TH-PLACE AWARD:  Whitener
MIKE CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD:  Barrett
SHORTY’S SHOCK SERVICE 12TH-PLACE AWARD:  Brashear
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD:  Coulter
J.T. KERR RACING EQUIPMENT 14TH-PLACE AWARD:  Herrington
KINSER AIR FILTERS 15TH-PLACE AWARD:  Davenport
CAUTIONS:  6
MARGIN OF VICTORY:  1.248 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE:  41 Minutes and 14.344 Seconds
QUALIFYING (Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

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

                1ST B-MAIN:  1. Noah (R); 2. Herrington (R); 3. Gentry; 4. D. Cook; 5. Mitchell (R); 6. Sealy; 7. Martin; 8. Blount; 9. Brown.

                2ND B-MAIN:  1. Arthur; 2. McCarter; 3. Whitener; 4. Lagasse; 5. Davenport; 6. Becton; 7. Neiheiser; 8. Minga; 9. Walker.

                3RD B-MAIN:  1. Kicklighter (R); 2. Edge; 3. Diekemper; 4. Johnson; 5. Sta. Roberts; 6. Adkins; 7. Eunice; 8. Hester; 9. Egner.

                4TH B-MAIN:  1. Dudley (R); 2. Barrett; 3. Ste. Roberts; 4. Coulter; 5. Washington; 6. Cantrell; 7. B. Faircloth; 8. Carter; 9. Dunn; 10. Godsey DNS.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 2/7/14:

1. 53 Ray Cook – 194
2. 51 Mack McCarter – 178
3. 56n Chris Noah (R) – 174
4. 2c Joey Coulter – 168
4. 58 Mark Whitener – 168
4. 5d Robert Diekemper – 168
4. 4 Jeremy Faircloth – 168
8. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 154
8. 87 Walker Arthur – 154
10. 18 Tait Davenport – 152
11. 7k Jak Kicklighter (R) – 150
12. 8 Scott Lagasse Jr. – 146
12. 19m Josh Adkins – 146
14. 56 David Earl Gentry – 136
15. 17c Steve Cooke – 130
15. 7 Jason Fitzgerald – 130
17. 18e Chase Edge – 126
18. 64a Jacob Anderson – 112
19. 55 Montana Dudley (R) – 108
19. 110 Brent Barrett - 108

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.  RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Racecar Engineering is the Official Parts Supplier of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Renegade Race and Performance Fuels are a series Associate Sponsor and fuel supplier.  AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2013 are Dominator Race Products, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, 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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NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:  Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157

February 7, 2014

COOK TAKES NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS SEASON OPENER AT GOLDEN ISLES SPEEDWAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                BRUNSWICK, GA – Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC took the lead with five laps to go and drove the Tri-County Race Track Special to victory in the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season opener on Friday afternoon in the Super Bowl of Racing Presented By Rock Auto.com at Golden Isles Speedway.

                Cook started ninth and moved up to the second spot by lap eight.  When early race leader Walker Arthur of Forest, VA began to encounter lapped traffic with ten laps to go, Cook closed in and made up a half straightaway deficit.  Arthur pushed up the banking in turn one on lap 26, and Cook dove underneath to take the lead.

                “I couldn’t catch Arthur until he got into that lapped traffic because until then, it seemed like we were running the same speed,” Cook said.  “He tried to lap a car on the outside and the lapped car moved up in front of him.  That opened the door for me to take the lead.”

                The victory was the second straight NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win for Cook, who won the 2013 season finale in November in the Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race.  That win was in a different car, but Cook had some valuable pieces from that winning mount on his car Friday afternoon.

                “We won the race in November with another car, but we took the shocks off that car and put them on my car that I drove today,” Cook said.  “We put the same set up under it, and it worked again for us this afternoon.”

                Jak Kicklighter of Savannah, GA drove the Kicklighter Construction Special to a second place finish and was the Rookie of the Race.  NASCAR star Joey Coulter of Concord, NC took the third spot in the Wolfpack Racing Rocket, and Mack McCarter of Gatlinburg, TN was fourth in the CVR Race Cars Special.

                Scott Lagasse Jr. of St. Augustine, FL drove the Boy Scout of America Special to a fifth-place finish, and Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL finished sixth in the Dave’s Towing Special.  Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL was seventh in the Yellow Hammer Construction Special, and Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL grabbed the eighth spot in the Old Man’s Garage Special.

                Tait Davenport of Benton, KY started 24th and finished ninth in the Murtco, Inc., Special, and Robert Diekemper of Bloomingdale, GA rounded out the top ten in the Baird Transport Special.  In preliminary action, the four ten-lap B-Main Races were won by Noah, Whitener, Cook, and Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL in the Edge’s Gas Company Special.

Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL set fast time honors among the 45 entrants with a lap around the 4/10-mile clay oval in 16.435 seconds in the Madsen Machine/High Roller Race Cars Special, and earned the pole position for the 30-lap main event.  McRee led the first lap of the race before Arthur took over the lead on lap two after starting fourth.

The first of seven caution flags came out on lap six when Chase Washington of Houlka, MS hit the first turn guard rail in the Jerry Inmon Racing Special.  Arthur had McRee, Steve Cook of Mt. Airy, NC, Kicklighter, McCarter, Cook, Mallory Harvey of Baxley, GA in the Rentz Farms Rocket, Whitener, Noah, and Kelly Walker of Moultrie, GA doubled up behind him for the “Dixie Style” double-file restart.

On the restart, Cook and Harvey moved up through the field and into the third and fourth spots respectively.  The caution came out for the second time on lap seven when Walker cut down the left-rear tire on his Lassiter Tractor Company Special.  The top ten for restart was Arthur, McRee, Cook, Harvey, Kicklighter, Whitener, Coulter, Diekemper and Edge.

The yellow caution bulb got a workout, as Cooke spun the AES Special on the restart, Stacey Robert of Sylvester, GA spun the Park Built Body Company Special in turn three on lap eight, and then McRee spun out of the fourth spot in turn three on lap nine.  The next restart saw Arthur leading Cook, McCarter, Kicklighter, Whitener, Coulter, Diekemper, Lagesse, Adkins, and Montana Dudley of Phenix City, AL in the Eiland Pools Rocket down for the restart.

When the field went back to green, Kicklighter got by McCarter for third, but the field was slowed to stop on lap 14 when Roberts flipped in turn two, and his race car came to rest on its roof.  Roberts was O.K., but was done for the day.  On the restart, Coulter moved up to the fourth spot.

Arthur held a half-straightaway lead over Cook on lap 20, but then the leader began to encounter heavy lapped traffic.  The temperature gauge on Arthur’s Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special was pegged and steam began to wisp from underneath the car. 

After Arthur had his miscue with the lapped car and Cook took the lead on lap 26, Arthur’s race car gave up the ghost on lap 27 to bring out the last caution flag.  Cook breezed home to take the win in the last five laps of the race, as he pulled away from Kicklighter and Coulter.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new 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.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS PENDING TIRE TEST OF ROUND 1 AT GOLDEN ISLES SPEEDWAY IN BRUNSWICK, GA ON 2/7/14:

POS        STRT     CAR #    DRIVER                               HOMETOWN                     LAPS     $ WON 
1.             9              53           Ray Cook                             Brasstown, NC                    30           $2,500
2.             5              7k           Jak Kicklighter (R)            Savannah, GA                     30           $1,250
3.             12           2c            Joey Coulter                        Concord, NC                        30           $850      
4.             6              51           Mack McCarter                  Gatlinburg, TN                   30           $700
5.             15           8              Scott Lagasse Jr.                St. Augustine, FL                30           $650
6.             8              58           Mark Whitener                   Middleburg, FL                  30           $550
7.             19           19m        Josh Adkins                         Talladega, AL                     30           $500
8.             7              56n         Chris Noah (R)                    Rainbow City, AL              30           $450
9.             24           18           Tait Davenport                   Benton, KY                          30           $500
10.          14           5d           Robert Diekemper             Bloomingdale, GA             30           $375
11.          16           55           Montana Dudley (R)          Phenix City, AL                  30           $350
12.          11           29           Mallory Harvey                 Baxley, GA                          30           $300
13.          21           56           David Earl Gentry             Murfreesboro, TN             30           $280
14.          20           4              Jeremy Faircloth               Swainsboro, GA                  30           $260
15.          23           5              Ronnie Johnson                  Chattanooga, TN                30           $250
16.          10           18e         Chase Edge                          LaFayette, AL                     30           $240
17.          3              17c         Steve Cooke                         Mt. Airy, NC                        30           $220
18.          22           121         Michael Blount                   Sumrall, MS                        29           $200
19.          4              87           Walker Arthur                    Forest, VA                            26           $200
20.          17           11           Stacey Roberts                    Sylvester, AG                      12           $200
21.          1              03           Justin McRee                       Woodstock, AL                   8              $200
22.          2              21k         Kelly Walker                      Moultrie, GA                       7              $200
23.          18           27           Ben Faircloth                      Swainsboro, GA                  6              $200
24.          13           38           Chase Washington             Houlka, MS                          5              $200

ENTRIES:  45
FAST QUALIFIER:  McRee, 16.435 Seconds
PROVISIONALS:  Johnson and Davenport
LEAD CHANGES:  2
LAP LEADERS:  McRee, 1; Arthur, 2-25; Cook, 26-30
LAPS LED:  Arthur, 24; Cook, 5; McRee, 1
ROOKIE OF THE RACE:  Kicklighter
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD:  Arthur
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD:  Todd Neiheiser
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD:  Adkins
VELOCITA RACEWEAR 8TH-PLACE AWARD: Noah
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD:  Davenport
AR BODIES 10TH-PLACE AWARD:  Diekemper
MIKE CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD:  Dudley
SHORTY’S SHOCK SERVICE 12TH-PLACE AWARD:  Harvey
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD:  Gentry
J.T. KERR RACING EQUIPMENT 14TH-PLACE AWARD:  J. Faircloth
KINSER AIR FILTERS 15TH-PLACE AWARD:  Johnson
CAUTIONS:  7
MARGIN OF VICTORY:  .960 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE:  38 Minutes and 18.004 Seconds
QUALIFYING (Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

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

                1ST B-MAIN:  1. Noah (R); 2. Harvey; 3. Lagasse; 4. Adkins; 5. Neiheiser; 6. Fitzgerald; 7. Johnson; 8. Godsey; 9. Sealy; 10. Eunice.

                2ND B-MAIN:  1. Whitener; 2. Coulter; 3. Dudley (R); 4. J. Faircloth; 5. Davenport; 6. Anderson; 7. Carter; 8. Herrington (R); 9. Jorgensen (R); 10. Brasher DNS.

                3RD B-MAIN:  1. Cook; 2. Washington; 3. Sta. Roberts; 4. Gentry; 5. Martin; 6. Dunn; 7. Ste. Roberts; 8. Minga; 9. Egner; 10. Stokes.

                4TH B-MAIN:  1. Edge; 2. Diekemper; 3. B. Faircloth; 4. Blount; 5. Mitchell (R); 6. Becton; 7. Barrett; 8. Brown; 9. Cantrell DNS.

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.  RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Racecar Engineering is the Official Parts Supplier of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  Renegade Race and Performance Fuels are a series Associate Sponsor and fuel supplier.  AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2013 are Dominator Race Products, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, 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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