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

September 29, 2014

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES 2014 FINAL ROUND UP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                CARTERSVILLE, GA - The 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season has come to an end with a scramble for the third through tenth spots in the point standings in Week 27 competition.  When it was all said and done, this season was one of the closest in the nine-year history of the series that saw 478 different drivers earn points.

                The 2014 National Champion had a “Perfect Season” for the second-straight year, and the top five in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings were separated by just seven points.  The Top 10 drivers were separated by just 18 points after 27 weeks of racing.

                The Top 10 drivers in the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings are National Champion Chris Holley of Dayton, TX, National Championship Runner-Up Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS, Delbert Smith of Wichita, KS, Ryan King of Seymour, TN, Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS, Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL, Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN, Chris Kratzer of Haysville, KS, Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS and Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS.

                These drivers will collect from the $20,000 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point fund and receive an invitation to the NeSmith Racing Annual Awards Banquet in January at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA.  National Champion Holley will receive a check for $10,000.

                Holley turned in a perfect season with 700 points represented by14 fifty-point wins driving the RP Racing Special.  He added a 15th win for good measure to go along with a pair of second-place finishes in 18 races.  Holley was looking for a record-breaking 16th win of the season on Saturday night at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX, but they rained out before the feature race.

                Palasini is the National Championship Runner Up for the second straight year with a best 14 week total of 696 points.  The third-generation driver had 12 wins and 19 top five finishes in 19 races driving the MP Trucking Special.  The majority of Palasini’s wins came at his home track, Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS.  Palasini did not compete in Week 27 action.

                Smith will be the third-place driver in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings by virtue of a tie-breaker.  Smith and King tied in their respective point totals with a best 14 week total of 694.  They both had eight wins this season, but Smith broke the tie with seven second-place finishes to six for King.

                In NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 27 competition, both Smith and King went to the point well twice through Make-Up features, and both drivers had a win and a second-place finish. 

Smith drove the BSB Manufacturing Special to his eighth win of the season on Saturday night in a NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 25 Make-Up feature at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS to net one point.  His second-place finish came on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS where he netted one point.  For the season, Smith had eight wins, 18 top five finishes and 20 top ten finishes in 20 races.

King picked up his eighth win of the season on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN driving the Brian King Roofing Stinger to net three points.  King started off the evening by finishing second in the Week 24 Make-Up Race to net two points.  For the season, King had eight wins, 18 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 21 races.

Arnold ended the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season on a winning note by driving The Strength Center Special to his tenth win of the season on Saturday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS to net three points.  With a fifth-place finish in the point standings, Arnold had a best 14 week total of 693 points after ten wins, 17 top five finishes and 20 top ten finishes in 28 races.

Gauldin finished sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 689 points after six wins, 19 top five finishes and 25 top ten finishes in 26 races driving the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT.  Gauldin finished second on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL to net one point.  Gauldin led the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings from Week 2 to Week 18.

Ballenger finishes seventh in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings, giving 411 Motor Speedway its second driver in the Top 10 of the points chase.  Ballenger had a best 14 week total of 687 points after five wins, 18 top five finishes and 20 top ten finishes in 21 races driving the Rebel Diesel Special.

In NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 27 action, Ballenger finished third in the Week 24 Make-Up at 411 Motor Speedway, but was unable to net any points.  Ballenger came back in the Week 27 feature to finish second and net one point.

Kratzer takes the eighth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 685 points.  Kratzer took his fifth win of the season on Friday night at Salina Speedway driving the O’Hara and O’Hara Special.  Kratzer has five wins, 20 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 21 races in giving Salina Speedway its second representative at the Annual Awards Banquet.

Lee will finish ninth in the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings for his fifth Top 10 appearance.  Lee has a best 14 week total of 683 points and he was the busiest driver of the 2014 season, competing in 34 races.  Lee had five wins, a series-leading 25 top five finishes and 30 top ten finishes driving the Billy Riels Racing GRT.  Lee was able to net one point in Week 27 action with a third-place finish on Saturday night at Hattiesburg Speedway.

Bridgmon will round out the Top 10 in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 682 points after four wins, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 23 races driving the Robinson Electric Supply Special.  Bridgmon did not compete in Week 27 action.

Honorable mention has to be given to Adam Beeler of Knoxville, TN, who could have given 411 Motor Speedway three drivers in the Top 10 of the point standings.  Beeler had the second-highest Weekly Point Average for several weeks, and was ahead of King and Ballenger in the point standings.  Beeler was in a position to battle for the championship until he broke his ankle in a home accident that sidelined him for the season on the eve of Week 20 competition.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 27 action, Chase King of Seymour, TN drove the Speed Of Light Stinger to his first win of the season in the Week 24 Make-Up Race on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway.  Lee Burdett of Bessemer, AL picked up his second win of the season on Saturday night at Arkadelphia Speedway in Bremen, AL driving the FG Lumber GRT.

Bryan Foy of Lacombe, LA drove the B&K Contracting Trak-Star to his third NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Saturday night at St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA.  Ronnie Cooper of McKenzie, TN was a winner for the fifth time this season on Saturday night at Camden Speedway in Camden, TN driving the Ronnie Cooper Trucking Rocket.

The 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL drove the Lostalot Racing Special to his second straight win on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track.

For 2014, a total of 478 different drivers competed in 233 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series events at 23 different tracks in nine different states, and 85 of those drivers had at least one win this season.

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.

FINAL 2014 NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS:

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 27 RESULTS:

September 26:

SALINA SPEEDWAY – SALINA, KS
1. 55 Chris Kratzer
2. 92 Delbert Smith
3. 2k Darrick Klima
4. 15 Alan Reinert
5. 10 Jill Roberg
6. 70 Terry Malm
7. 12 Ryan Grit
8. 92s Daniel Smith

September 27:

411 MOTOR SPEEDWAY – SEYMOUR, TN:
(Week 24 Make-Up Race):
1. 44 Chase King
2. 30 Ryan King
3. 29 Rusty Ballenger
4. 79c Marty Calloway
5. 31 Brad Seagle
6. 11 Cruz Skinner
7. 15 Bryson Dennis
8. 33 Warren McMahan
9. 586 Cody Brake
10. 7 William Overbey

(Week 27 Race):
1. 30 Ryan King
2. 29 Rusty Ballenger
3. 79c Marty Calloway
4. 44 Chase King
5. 31 Brad Seagle
6. 15 Bryson Dennis
7. 33 Warren McMahan
8. 7 William Overbey
9. 11 Cruz Skinner
10. 586 Cody Brake

ARKADELPHIA SPEEDWAY – BREMEN, AL:
1. B97 Lee Burdett
2. 7 Jon Biles
3. 8 Michael Richardson
4. 19 Caleb Coan
5. 37 Tim Parker
6. 29 Justin McGatha
7. 22 Huston Hinton
8. 2 Tim Beverly

CAMDEN SPEEDWAY – CAMDEN, TN:
1. 10 Ronnie Cooper
2. 73 Ashley Newman
3. 6 Jesse Bailey
4. 00 Bronson Berry
5. 1 Bryant Marsh
6. 18 Jayme Medlin
7. 63 Dennis Bush
8. 00g Ben Garner DQ

81 SPEEDWAY – WICHITA, KS:
(Week 25 Make-Up Race):
1. 92 Delbert Smith
2. 2k Darrick Klima
3. 55 Chris Kratzer
4. 15 Alan Reinert
5. 92s Daniel Smith
6. 10 Jill Roberg
7. 12 Ryan Grit
8. 15 Nathan Mayes DNS

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS:
1. 4 Michael Arnold
2. 21 Wayne Murphy
3. 47 Shannon Lee
4. 54 Richie Beasley
5. 8 Owen Stockstill
6. 00 Monte Skinner
7. 2T Tootie Arnold
8. 232 Jamey Boland
9. 11 Wayne Byrd
10. 10 Austin Dempsey
11. 41 Al Kouhout
12. 347 Noah Daspit
13. 28 David Williamson

ST. TAMMANY RACEWAY – LACOMBE, LA:
1. 7 Bryan Foy
2. 221 Tyler Allen
3. 22 Ben Bishop
4. 55 Pat Nichols
5. 24 Nick Gaines

TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK – EASTABOGA, AL:
1. 07 Jimmy Elkins Jr.
2. 47 Adam Gauldin
3. 19 Gathan Burns
4. 5 Mike Combs
5. 33 Shane Layfield
6. 30 Karl Parks
7. 31 Roy Newsome
8. 9 Kelvin Kennedy
9. 13 Cale Finley

BATTLEGROUND SPEEDWAY – HIGHLANDS, TX:
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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