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

May 13, 2015

SKINNER TAKES OVER SUNOCO YOUNG GUNS CHALLENGE SERIES POINT LEAD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                  CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Late Model drivers under the age of 18 in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series have been making news on and off the track over the past two weeks, as 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL has taken sole possession of the point lead over 12-year-old Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL.

                Skinner drove the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR to his second NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model win of the 2015 season last Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.  Skinner now has 274 Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series points with two wins, three top five finishes, and four top ten finishes in six races.

Skinner has also made news off the track, as the Alabama Department of Highway Safety has used Skinner as its spokesman for its “Click It Or Ticket” campaign.  The fast teenager has filmed a series of Public Service Announcements that will air showing that even though Skinner is not yet old enough to have an Alabama Driver’s License; he knows the benefit of wearing a seat belt through his racing experience.

Clem is second in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series standings with 224 points.  Clem made headlines on May 2 when the 12-year-old driver led 27 laps of the 50-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring race at Talladega Short Track in the Vahlco Wheels Rocket, while holding off a pair of two-time National Champions in Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN and Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS.

Johnson, a National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee, passed Clem for the lead on lap 32 and went on to win the race, while Clem used up his tires and had to settle for fourth in the race.  All of the post-race attention from the fans, however, was not on the winner, but rather on Clem for his amazing drive.  Johnson said it best by saying, “I may have won the race, but Tyler stole the show!”

Clem has two top five finishes and four top ten finishes in five NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring events.  Drivers can earn Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series points in both NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring races and in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model races.

The third spot in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series standings belongs to 15-year-old Bryant Marsh of Corinth, MS with 218 points.  Marsh made a tough 31-car field on Saturday night in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model race at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS. 

Marsh finished outside the Top 10, but still earned 41 points in the Modern Woodmen Trak-Star.  In six NeSmith Late Model races, Marsh has two top five finishes and three ten finishes.  Marsh has competed in one National Touring Division race.

Cole Daffron of Pell City, AL is fourth in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series standings with 197 points after two top ten finishes in six races.  The 16-year-old driver drove the TSR Race Cars Warrior to a sixth-place finish on Saturday night in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model race at Talladega Short Track.

Josh Banes of Learned, MS rounds out the top five of the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series standings with 177 points after one top five finish and four top ten finishes in four races.  The 17-year-old driver finished eighth on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS driving the Diversified Pest Management Special.

Sunoco Race Fuels, the Official Race Fuel of NeSmith Racing, will put up a $5,000 Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point fund that will pay back through the first ten spots of the point standings at the end of the season.  The top Sunoco Young Gun at the end of the season will pocket $1,000 from Sunoco Race Fuels.

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.

SUNOCO YOUNG GUNS CHALLENGE SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 5/9/15:

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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