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

July 17, 2014

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 17 PREVIEW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series has now entered the time frame when some drivers begin to drop from the Top 10 of the point standings and other drivers begin to appear.  Going into Week 17 of the 27-week season, drivers that have reached the 14-week mark are netting fewer points than drivers below them in the standings earning full points.

                There are nine NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 17 races in six states with three events on Friday night, and six races on Saturday night.  The results of these races will begin the shift in the Top 10 of point standings with new names beginning to appear.

                Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS, Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, TN, and Salina Speedway in Salina, KS are on the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 17 Friday night schedule.

                Saturday night NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 17 races are on tap for Arkadelphia Speedway in Bremen, AL, Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX, East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL, Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS, St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA, and Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.

                Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL will be racing to stay on top the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings, as going into Week 17 competition he has a best 14 week total of 667 points and he will be trying to net on the lowest weekly total of his 14 weekly point totals which is a 43. 

That means if Gauldin gets a 50-point win in a field of eight cars or higher, he would net seven points.  That would bring Gauldin’s best 14 week point total to 674.  Gauldin has the fifth highest Weekly Point Average (WPA) among the Top 20 drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings at 47.64 out of a possible 50.

Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is second in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 657, and he will be trying to net on a 41 in Week 17 competition.  A 50-point win brings Lee’s best 14 week total up to 666 points.  Lee has the seventh highest WPA at 46.93.

Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL is third in the standings with a best 14 week total of 644 points, and looking to net on a 41.  The 12-year-old sensation will be looking to raise up his WPA, which is just outside the Top 10 at 46.  A 50-point win would bring Skinner’s best 14 week total to 653 points and raise his WPA to 46.64.

Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS is fourth in the standings with 620 points, and the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS is fifth with 610 points.  Both of these drivers are poised to climb up the standings, as they both have one more week to earn full points.

A 50-point win for Bridgmon brings his point total up to 670, and a 50-point NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win for Daspit raises his point total to 660.  Bridgmon has the fourth highest WPA at 47.69, and Daspit has the eighth highest WPA at 46.92.

Doug Sanchagrin of Florence, MS is sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 587 points, and he will be trying to net on a 25.  A 50-point win in Week 17 competition could bring his best 14 week total up to 612 points.

Heath Minor of Ralph, AL is seventh in the standings with 578 points and two more weeks to earn full points.  That gives Minor the third highest WPA among the Top 20 in the point standings at 48.16.  A pair of 50-point wins over the next two weeks of NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition could bring Minor’s point total up to 678 points.

Chris Holley of Dayton, TX is the man everyone is watching.  He may be eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 548 points, but he has the highest WPA of any driver in the Top 20 of the point standings at 49.82, and he has three more weeks to earn full points.

Holley is on track for a “Perfect Season” of 14 50-point wins.  In his first 11 weeks of NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition, Holley has nine wins, and in the two races he didn’t win, he finished second. 

Only one driver has recorded a Perfect Season in the eight-year history of the series, and that was Daspit last year in winning the National Championship.  Oh by the way, one of the two drivers that beat Holley this season was Daspit.

Henry Pullen of Pittsboro, MS is ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 544 points, and he has two more weeks to earn full points.  Sid Scarbrough of Florence, MS rounds out the top ten in the standings with 541 points and one more week to earn full points.

There are four drivers in the second ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings that are among the Top 10 on the WPA list, and have the potential to climb into the Top 10 of the point standings in Week 17 competition.

Adam Beeler of Knoxville, TN is 13th in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 531 points, but he has the second highest WPA among the Top 20 drivers at 48.27 and three more weeks to earn full points.  Ryan King of Seymour, TN is 15th in the standings with 520 points, has the sixth highest WPA at 47.27, and has three more weeks to earn full points.

Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN and Lee Burdett of Bessemer, AL are tied for the 16th spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 514 points apiece, and each driver can earn full points for three more weeks.  They also share the ninth highest WPA at 46.27.

Here are eight names to write down and remember for the upcoming weeks:  Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS, Jamie Green of Crosby, TX, Delbert Smith of Wichita, KS, Chris Kratzer of Haysville, KS, Darrick Klima of Belleville, KS, Daniel Smith of Wichita, KS, Cody Smith of Holt, FL and Nick Thrash of Meridian, MS.  These are drivers outside the Top 20 of the point standings with WPAs of 46 or higher.

Drivers participating at NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned tracks compete against each other through a points system that counts their 14 best weekly point totals over the 27-week season that runs through September 28. 

The 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion will earn $10,000 and the Top 10 drivers in the final National point standings will also receive cash awards from the point fund.  Drivers will also compete for an additional point fund at each series sanctioned track.

The dirt late model race cars in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series are powered by the economical Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engines that are built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications.  There are two engines to choose from, the 400 horsepower aluminum-head 604 engine and the 350 horsepower steel-head 602 engine that gets a 100-pound weight break. 

                These engines are in stock and ready for free next day delivery anywhere in the Southeast from NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA.  The Chevrolet Performance 604 Engine is $5,495 and the Chevrolet Performance 602 Engine is $3,295 at NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA.  To place an order, call Tim Bland at 1-877-497-3624.

Complete Week 17 results and updated point standings for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series will be available on Monday with the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Round Up.  For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned tracks, visit the Weekly Racing Series all-new web site at www.nesmithracing.com

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.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 17 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

July 18:

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS
LEXINGTON 104 SPEEDWAY – LEXINGTON, TN
SALINA SPEEDWAY – SALINA, KS

July 19:

ARKADELPHIA SPEEDWAY – BREMEN, AL
BATTLEGROUND SPEEDWAY – HIGHLANDS, TX
EAST ALABAMA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – PHENIX CITY, AL
MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – COLUMBUS, MS
ST. TAMMANY RACEWAY – LACOMBE, LA
TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK – EASTABOGA, AL

 

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.  Schaeffer’s Oil Presented By Chad Wallace and Heather Newsome is the Official Oil of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2014 are Dominator Race Products, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Schoenfeld Headers, Kinser Air Filters, Performance Rod & Custom, and David Smith Carburetors.  2014 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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