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

May 1, 2015

THOMAS TAKES TALLADEGA NeSMITH LATE MODEL WIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                EASTABOGA, AL – William Thomas of Phenix City, AL took the lead on lap five and never looked back to win the 40-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series 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, 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 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
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE:  Clem
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER AWARD:  Henderson (started 22nd and finished 10th)
SUNOCO RACE FUELS YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE AWARD:  Clem
INTEGRA SHOCKS FIFTH-PLACE AWARD:  Lyons
CRATE INSIDER.COM SIXTH-PLACE AWARD:  Gauldin
IMAGE SCREEN PRINTING NINTH-PLACE AWARD:  Clem
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

SAVE MORE COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT QUALIFYING (Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

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.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 5/1/15:

1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 578
2. 18 Chase Edge – 558
3. 30 Ryan King (R) – 508
4. 10 Ryan Crane (R) – 482
5. 87 Walker Arthur – 464
6. H2 Matt Henderson (R) – 442
7. 21m Cody Martin (R) – 436
8. 14c Cale Conley – 392
9. 14 Tyler Clem (R/Y) – 346
10. 19 William Thomas – 284
11. 55 Montana Dudley – 280
12. 1 Johnny Stokes – 274
13. 25 Justin McRee – 272
14. 58 Mark Whitener – 268
15. 4 Jeremy Faircloth – 264
16. 3 Chesley Dixon – 256
17. 5d Rodgerick Dykes – 254
18. 111 Max Blair – 246
19. 29 Mallory Harvey – 242
20. 66 Jake Knowles - 228

R – Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate

Y – Sunoco Young Gun Challenge Series Candidate

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. 

-30-