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Central Mississippi Speedway Clayhill Motorsports Park Columbus Speedway Malden Speedway Milan Speedway Moulton Speedway North Alabama Speedway Riverside Speedway Volunteer Speedway Whynot Motorsports Park St. Francois County Speedway

64 Speedway Central Mississippi Speedway Clayhill Motorsports Park Columbus Speedway I-30 Speedway Jackson Motor Speedway Malden Speedway Milan Speedway Moulton Speedway North Alabama Speedway North Mississippi Speedway Riverside Speedway St. Francois County Speedway Volunteer Speedway Whynot Motorsports Park

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

April 29, 2015

NeSMITH LATE MODELS READY FOR FESTIVE TALLADEGA NASCAR WEEKEND AT TST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division is ready for the festive atmosphere that is Talladega NASCAR Weekend with two races at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. When the sun goes down, you never know who you’re going to see that has made the trip across Speedway Boulevard from the big track to the Hornet’s Nest.

Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2015 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season will take place at Talladega Short Track for the first time on Talladega NASCAR Weekend. There will be a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race on Friday night, and a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on Saturday night.

Friday night’s race will also commemorate the 200th NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Race since the series’ inception in 2005. To celebrate the milestone, the NeSmith Late Model Fast Qualifier on Friday night will pocket $200, and the Fast Qualifier on Saturday night will receive $201 to commemorate the 201st race.

The defending and two-time NeSmith Late Model National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN will lead the NeSmith Late Model regulars into Talladega Short Track with the point lead in quest of his unprecedented third straight title.

Even though he leads the point standings, Johnson hasn’t even come close to the record setting performance of last season with a record eight wins. Johnson will be anxious to return to Talladega Short Track this weekend because one of his eight wins last season came at Talladega Short Track.

In the first six races of the 2015 season, Johnson has not won a race, and the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee has not even led a lap of NeSmith Late Model competition. In six races, Johnson has 484 points after two top five finishes and four top ten finishes.

Johnson’s closest challenger right now for the $10,000 National Championship is Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL. Edge is 22 points behind Johnson and is fresh off a victory in the last NeSmith Late Model race at Waycross Motor Speedway in Waycross, GA on April 10.

Just 20 points Edge behind Edge in the NeSmith Late Model point standings is the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year point leader Ryan King of Seymour, TN. King leads a tight four-way for not only the Rookie of the Year point lead, but also the fourth spot in the NeSmith Late Model point standings. Trailing King in the standings are Rookies Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL, Cody Martin of Christiana, TN, and Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN.

Cale Conley of Vienna, WV is eighth in the NeSmith Late Model point standings, and he will be a very busy young driver this weekend. During the day, Conley will be on the South side of Speedway Boulevard at his regular job wheeling the Tri-Star Motorsports Toyota in the tight draft at 200 miles per hour around Talladega Super Speedway in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition.

At night, Conley will take the short golf cart ride to the North side of Speedway Boulevard to compete with the NeSmith Late Models in a race car prepared by veteran dirt late model crew chief Danny Myers. Conley competed in the first five NeSmith Late Model races this season in Florida and Georgia before getting busy with his day job.

Other NeSmith Late Model regulars expected are Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS, Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS, Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL, Rodgerick Dykes of Smith Station, AL, Frank Wilson of Milton, FL, and out of town NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series regulars that include Robbie Starnes of Houston, TX and Chad Williams of Lake City, AR.

Along with the NeSmith Late Models, the Super Late Models will be in action on both Friday night and Saturday night at Talladega Short Track. For the first time in the history of Talladega NASCAR Weekend competition at Talladega Short Track, drivers will be able to compete in more than one late model division, and several drivers will be “Double Dipping.”

Drivers that will be Double Dipping in both the NeSmith Late Models and the Super Late Models will be Johnson, defending Southern All-Star Champion Riley Hickman of Cleveland, TN, two-time NeSmith Late Model Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS, former Southern All-Star Champion Ivedent Lloyd Jr, of Ocala, FL, Tim Busha of Boaz, AL, Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS, and Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL.

The NeSmith Late Model races this Friday night and Saturday night at Talladega Short Track will also be two races for the ages. At age 82, Legendary Hall of Fame driver Red Farmer of Hueytown, AL will be in action, as he is every Saturday night in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition at Talladega Short Track.

On the other end of the age spectrum, 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL leads the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point standings for NeSmith Late Model driver 18 years of age and younger. Skinner has already won a NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series race this season at Talladega Short Track and had a top five finish in the NeSmith Late Model Touring event there last season.

Many of Skinner’s current challengers for the $1,000 Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series title will be at Talladega Short Track this Friday night and Saturday night, as youth will be served with 15-year-old Bryant Marsh of Corinth, MS, who is second in the Sunoco Young Gun points, 16-year-old Cole Daffron of Pell City, AL in eighth, and 16-year-old Ryan Carter of Blackshear, GA who is just outside the top ten in 11th spot.

There will also be a strong contingent of Talladega Short Track NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model competitors on hand this Friday night and Saturday night that include Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL, David Kay of Eastaboga, AL, Mike Combs of Odenville, AL, Maddux Mullinax of Birmingham, AL and Adam Cummings of Odenville, AL.

On both Friday and Saturday, the pit gate will be open at 9 a.m., and pit passes will go on sale at 3 p.m. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. and hot laps will follow the Drivers Meeting.

Talladega Short Track is located at 4343 Speedway Blvd., Eastaboga, AL 36260. Fans and competitors are encouraged to approach Talladega Short Track from the East on Speedway Blvd. off the Eastaboga Exit #173 off I-20 to avoid any congestion around Talladega Super Speedway. For more information call 256-831-1413, visit the track web site at www.talladegashorttrack.com, or like their Facebook page at Talladega Short Track.

For more information and rules 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.

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. 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 Late Models. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Racecar Engineering is the Official Parts Supplier of the NeSmith Late Models. Beyea Headers is the NeSmith Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor. Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the NeSmith Late Models. Panama City Cycles is the Official ATV Provider of the NeSmith Late Models. AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. NeSmith Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2015 are CrateInsider.Com and Image Screen Printing. 2015 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.

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