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

September 9, 2014

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 24 ROUND UP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                CARTERSVILLE, GA – For only the third time during the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season, point leader Chris Holley of Dayton, TX did not win the Late Model feature race on Saturday night in Week 24 action at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX, and therefore did not clinch the $10,000 National Championship in the RP Racing Special.

                Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS, Holley’s Championship challenger, did pick up his 11th NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model win on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS driving the MP Trucking Special.  So, the title hunt will continue to Week 25 with a simple scenario to determine the National Champion with three weeks left in the 2014 season.

                If Holley wins a race, or finishes second, he clinches the championship.  If Holley fails to finish to finish first or second in the remaining races of the season, Palasini has a mathematical chance to win the title on a tie-breaker, but Palasini has to win out in the remaining point opportunities in the last three weeks of the season, and that includes a big event this weekend.

                Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL will host Double Feature races this Saturday night for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Models that include a Week 20 Make-Up Race.  Palasini has to win both races to keep his championship hopes alive.  

                If Palasini wins out the remainder of the season, he would match Holley in points at 700, and in two tie-breaker scenarios, as they would each have 15 fifty-point wins and two 49-point second-place finishes.  To date, Palasini has three 48-point third-place finishes, while Holley has none. 

To create an even more bizarre tie-breaker scenario, if Palasini wins out, Holley could finish third in each of the last three weeks of the season and they would still be tied the title.  The tie breaker would be a lone fourth-place finish for Palasini from Week 1 of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS on March 29.

                Holley did not start the Week 24 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model feature race on Saturday night at Battleground Speedway.  He did not have trouble with his race car, but it was rather of his own choice.  Being the point leader, Holley is trying to pick his battles wisely.

                “We had a two-hour rain delay after we got to the track, and it was still in pretty rough shape for the heat races,” Holley said.  “We had a bad draw for the heat race, and we would have had to risk tearing up our only race car to get to the front and get a good starting spot for the feature.  So, we just decided to sit this one out, and try again next week, hoping for better track conditions.”

                Holley leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a perfect 14 week total of 700 points represented by 14 fifty-point wins with a 15th win in the tie-breaker bank, and two 49-point second-place finishes in 18 races.  Palasini is second with 694 points represented by ten 50-point wins, two 49-point second-place finishes, and two third-place finishes.

                Palasini had two 50-point wins in Week 19 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition and one only counted in his best 14 week point total, but the other one went into his tie-breaker bank.  He also has a 48-point third-place finish and a 47-point fourth-place finish in his tie-breaker bank.  Palasini’s worse finish of the season in his 18 races was a fifth-place finish on June 7 in a Week 10 Make-Up Race at Greenville Speedway.

                If the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Championship battle isn’t enough drama for you, try the red-hot battle for the third spot in the standings where just ten points separate third through tenth in the points fund paying spots.  Only three of the eight drivers in the third through tenth spots in the standings were able to race in Week 24 competition.

                Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS drove The Strength Center Special to his ninth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS.  The victory netted Arnold six points and vaulted him from sixth to third in the point standings.

                Arnold has a best 14 week total of 690 points after nine wins, 15 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 25 races.  Arnold will now try to net on a 47 in his next race.  Delbert Smith of Wichita, KS did not compete in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 action and dropped to fourth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 689 points.

Smith has six NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series wins, 15 top five finishes and 17 top ten finishes in 17 races driving the BSB Manufacturing Special.  Smith’s home track, Salina Speedway in Salina, KS, was off for Week 24, and Smith will try and net on a 47 in his next race.

                Ryan King of Seymour, TN and Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN were ready to qualify on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN, but Mother Nature had other ideas and rained the show out.  That dropped King and Ballenger to fifth and six respectively in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings.

                King has a best 14 week total of 686 points after seven wins, 15 top five finishes and 18 top ten finishes in 18 races driving the Brian King Roofing Stinger.  He will be trying to net on a 46 in his next race.  Ballenger has a best 14 week total of 685 points after five wins, 15 top five finishes and 17 top ten finishes driving the Rehel Diesel Special.  Ballenger will try to net on a 47 in his next race.

                Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL had his Adam Gauldin Racing GRT lined up and ready to go for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model feature at Arkadelphia Speedway on Saturday night, but rain washed out the rest of the program, and Gauldin did not net any points for Week 24.

                Arkadelphia Speedway officials originally announced on Saturday night they would run Double Features on September 20 with a Week 24 Make-Up Race for the 16-car field that included several NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Top 10 contenders.  But on Monday, Arkadelphia Speedway officials notified NeSmith Racing officials that they were cancelling that event. 

                That leaves Gauldin in a three-way tie with Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS and Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS for the seventh spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings, as each driver has a best 14 week total of 682 points.  Gauldin has five wins, 16 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 22 races.  Gauldin will try to net on a 46 in his next race. 

Bridgmon, who also did not compete in Week 24 action, has four wins, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 22 races driving the Robinson Electric Supply Special.  Bridgmon will try to net on a 47 in his next race.

Lee has four wins, 22 top five finishes and 26 top ten finishes in a series leading 30 races this season driving the Billy Riels Racing GRT.  Lee was able to move into the three-way tie for the seventh spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings after netting three points on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway with a second-place finish.  Lee will try to net on a 47 in his next race.

Chris Kratzer of Haysville, KS rounds out the Top 10 of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 680 points.  Kratzer has four wins, 17 top five finishes and 18 top ten finishes in 18 races driving the O’Hara & O’Hara Special.  Kratzer’s home track, Salina Speedway, was off for Week 24 competition, so Kratzer decided to make a little trip.

                Kratzer towed 12 hours to Battleground Speedway because he just wanted to see if he could beat point leader Chris Holley.  He didn’t get to find out because Holley didn’t start the feature race, but Kratzer still made it pay off, as he netted two points with a second-place finish behind race winner Kevin Sitton of Baytown, TX in the Neal Racing Special. 

As tight as the points are, every point earned could be worth a lot of money when it’s all said and done in three weeks, as just 18 points separate tenth through 15th in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings. 

Among those on the outside looking in of a points fund-paying position are the 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS, 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL, Darrick Klima of Belleville, KS, Daniel Smith of Wichita, KS, and Heath Minor of Ralph, AL.  They are 11th through 15th respectively in the point standings.

                In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 action, Ben Garner of Greenfield, TN drove the Bobby Garner Farms Special to his first series win of the season on Saturday night at Camden Speedway in Camden, TN.

                Stephen Brantley of Monroeville, AL took the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model win on Saturday night at Southern Raceway in Milton, FL driving the Airport Sports Center Trak-Star to his second series win of the season in a race co-sanctioned by the South Eastern Crate Series.  Cody Smith of Holt, FL finished second in the Smith’s Performance Rocket and was crowned the 2014 South Eastern Crate Series Late Model Champion. 

Along with 411 Motor Speedway and Arkadelphia Speedway, NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 action at St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA was also rained out on Saturday night.

After 24 weeks of the 27-week 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season, a total of 461 different drivers have earned points.  The complete NeSmith Chevrolet WRS point standings are posted on the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS 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 POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 9/6/14:

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 24 RESULTS:

September 5:

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS:
1. 4 Michael Arnold
2. 47 Shannon Lee
3. 33 Sid Scarbrough
4. C11 Cliff Williams
5. 22 Ronnie Roberts
6. 347 Noah Daspit
7. 34 Doug Sanchagrin
8. G33 Greg Dedwylder
9. 28 David Williamson
10. KC1 Kash Wilson
11. 41 Al Kouhout
12. 11 Wayne Byrd

September 6:

BATTLEGROUND SPEEDWAY – HIGHLANDS, TX:
1. 97 Kevin Sitton
2. 55 Chris Kratzer
3. 84 Mike Davenport
4. 99 Randy Lovell
5. 23Chris Jewell
6. 83 Joseph Penney
7. 96 Donald Mick
8. 22 Trinity Richardson
9. 00 Jamie Green
10. 45 Earl Cannon
11. 17 Chris Holley DNS

CAMDEN SPEEDWAY – CAMDEN, TN:
1. 00 Ben Garner
2. 63 Dennis Bush
3. 00b Bronson Berry
4. 6 Jimmy Halford
5. 11 Kevin Fuller
6. 7 Robert Hughes

SOUTHERN RACEWAY – MILTON, FL:
1. 02 Stephen Brantley
2. 3 Cody Smith
3. 12 Tracey Sutton
4. 31 Craig Turner
5. 45 Scott Land
6. 12m Brian Moseley
7. 221 Tyler Allen
8. 1T Vic Dolohite
9. 73 Larry Havens
10. 7 Travis Snellgrove
11. 10c Ryan Crane
12. 1 Gary Maher
13. 4 Michael Arnold
14. X1 Josh Joiner
15. 72 Frank Wilson
16. 10 John Joiner
17. 6 Brandon Hood
18. 72h Todd Neiheiser

GREENVILLE SPEEDWAY – GREENVILLE, MS:
1. 8 Mike Palasini Jr.
2. 70 Dewayne Estes
3. J8 Bobby Jordan
4. 7p Peter Hazzard
5. 84 Randall Beckwith
6. 21 Ryan Colby
7. 88 Howard Irby Jr.
8. 1c Jason Botsford
9. 20 Tyler Arnold

411 MOTOR SPEEDWAY – SEYMOUR, TN:
Rained Out

ARKADELPHIA SPEEDWAY – BREMEN, AL:
Rained Out

ST. TAMMANY RACEWAY – LACOMBE, LA:
Rained Out

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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