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

April 8, 2016

HEDGECOCK SWEEPS NeSMITH LATE MODEL SEASON OPENER AT HOME TRACK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

               SWEETWATER, TN – Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, TN swept the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season opener on Friday night at I-75 Raceway driving the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket.  Hedgecock was the fast qualifier with a new track record, and then led all 40 lap of the main event to capture his first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series victory.

               “It feels good to finally win one of these NeSmith Late Model races and to do it here close to home is even more special,” Hedgecock said.  “We’ve led a lot of laps in these races, but we could never get the win.  This is how you like to win races by setting fast time and then leading all of the laps.”

               Riley Hickman of Cleveland, TN finished second in the Hickman Manufacturing CVR, and John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN took the third spot in the Sam’s Restaurant Equipment Special.  Richie Stephens of Smith Station, AL was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race after a fourth-place effort driving the K&J Trucking Special.

               Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL drove the Edge’s Gas Company Special to a fifth-place finish, and Scott Dedwylder of Vossburg, MS was sixth in the Scott’s Body Shop Special.  Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, GA finished seventh in the Billy Kennedy CVR, and Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN took the eighth spot in the Autozone CVR.

               Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL started 21st in the Summit Resources Trak-Star and finished ninth to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.  Jason Manley of Loudon, TN rounded out the Top 10 in the Mighty Muffler and Brake CVR.

               The top nine qualifiers broke the track record of 13.552 seconds set last season by Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN.  Hedgecock took Fast Time honors with a lap around I-75 Raceway in 13.302 seconds for a new track record.  In other preliminary action, the two ten-lap B-Main Races were won by Anthony White of Clinton, TN in the Stone Plus Special and Williams.

               Hedgecock took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Hickman, Henderson, Edge and Ownbey.  On lap two, Henderson tried to drive his Rebel Diesel Duayne Hommel Tribute Rocket to the inside of Hickman to challenge for the second spot in turn three.  The two cars got together and spun, triggering a multi-car pile-up and bringing out the first of five caution flags.

               Henderson was ticketed with the caution flag and had to go to the rear of the field for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart.  The field went back to green flag action, but not for long, as the defending and three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN cut down a left-rear tire on lap four.

               On the restart, Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL spun his Adam Gauldin Racing GRT out of the eighth spot in turn two.  Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS cut down a left-front tire on lap five to bring out the fourth caution flag.  Hedgecock had Hickman, Edge, Ownbey, Stephens, Dedwylder, Ross White of Knoxville, TN in the R.T. Clapp Professional Car Care Special, Williams, McIntosh and Shaw doubled up behind him for the restart.

               When the green flag came back out, Edge, Ownbey and Stephens broke out three wide in turn two to battle for the third spot.  By the time they got back to the start/finish line, Stephens held the third spot with Ownbey in fourth, and Edge fell back to the fifth spot.

               Hedgecock reached the cars on the tail of the lead lap by the 12th lap, and Hickman began to chip away at the leader's 12 car-length advantage.  With Hickman on his rear bumper, Hedgecock got a break when the fifth and final caution flag came out on lap 27 with Gauldin stalled on the high side of turn two.

               Track conditions led NeSmith Late Model officials to call for a single-file restart with Hedgecock leading Hickman, Stephens, Ownbey, Edge, Dedwylder, McIntosh, Williams, Shaw and Manley.  On the restart, Ownbey got to the inside of Stephens in turn three, and he then drove under the Rocketman coming off the fourth turn to take the third spot.

               Hedgecock once again encountered lapped traffic on lap 35 and Hickman closed in and looked like he was going to make it a hard fought battle to the checkered flag.  Hedgecock was up to the challenge, as he was able to put a lapped car between himself and Hickman with three laps to go.  That move sealed the deal for Hedgecock as he took the checkered flag with a 1.532 second margin of victory.

               The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to I-75 Raceway on Saturday night for Round 2 of the 2016 season with a $2,500-to-win 50-lap main event.

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 1 AT I-75 RACEWAY IN SWEETWATER, TN ON 4/8/16:

POS       STRT    CAR #   DRIVER                             HOMETOWN                   LAPS     $ WON
1.            1             23           Cory Hedgecock                             Loudon, TN                       40           $2,000
2.            2             R1          Riley Hickman                 Cleveland, TN                   40           $1,000
3.            7             J0           John Ownbey                    Cleveland, TN                   40           $700
4.            3             00           Richie Stephens (R)         Smith Station, AL            40           $550
5.            4             18           Chase Edge                        LaFayette, AL                  40           $500
6.            10           33           Scott Dedwylder                              Vossburg, MS                   40           $425
7.            13           K37       Donald McIntosh             Dawsonville, GA                             40           $375
8.            12           95           Brandon Williams (R)    Crossville, TN                   40           $350
9.            21           1s           Jeremy Shaw                    Millport, AL                      40           $325
10.          8             32           Jason Manley                   Loudon, TN                       40           $300
11.          5             H2          Matt Henderson                              Loudon, TN                       40           $275
12.          23           25           Justin McRee                    Woodstock, AL                40           $250
13.          20           32h        Greg Huskey                     Knoxville, TN                   40           $225
14.          22           19           Marcus Minga                  Shannon, MS                     40           $200
15.          14           15           Jason Britton (R)             Alexander City, AL         39           $175
16.          19           00m       Ruben Mayfield                Lenoir City, TN                39           $150
17.          24           121        Michael Blount                 Sumrall, MS                      38           $140
18.          17           5             Ronnie Johnson                Chattanooga, TN             38           $125
19.          15           30           Ryan King                         Seymour, TN                     37           $125
20.          6             0             Ross White                        Knoxville, TN                   25           $125
21.          9             17           Adam Gauldin (R)           Talladega, AL                   25           $125
22.          16           22           Will Roland (Y)                Jasper, GA                        3             $125
23.          18           10           Matthew Turner                             Dawsonville, GA                             3               $125
24.          11           2x           Anthony White                 Clinton, TN                        1             $125

ENTRIES:  27
FAST QUALIFIER:  Hedgecock, 13.302 Seconds (New Track Record)
PROVISIONALS:  McRee and Blount
LEAD CHANGES:  None
LAPS LED:  Hedgecock, 1-40
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE:  Shaw (started 21st and finished 9th)
SUNOCO YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE:  Roland
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE:  Stephens
CAUTIONS:  5
MARGIN OF VICTORY:  1.532 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE:  39 Minutes and 47.668 Seconds
NEXT RACE:  April 9, I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN, 50-laps $2,500-to-win

QUALIFYING (Top 10 Transfer To Main Event):

POS

CAR #

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CHASSIS

1ST LAP

2ND LAP

TIME

1

23

Cory Hedgecock

Loudon, TN

Rocket

13.524

13.302

13.302

2

R1

Riley Hickman

Cleveland, TN

CVR

13.388

13.376

13.376

3

00

Richie Stephens - R

Smith Station, AL

Scorpion

13.400

13.602

13.400

4

18

Chase Edge

LaFayette, AL

Mastersbilt

13.418

13.504

13.418

5

H2

Matt Henderson

Loudon, TN

Rocket

13.439

13.620

13.439

6

0

Ross White

Knoxville, TN

Mastersbilt

13.575

13.487

13.487

7

J0

John Ownbey

Cleveland, TN

Longhorn

13.523

13.493

13.493

8

32

Jason Manley

Loudon, TN

CVR

13.550

13.510

13.510

9

17

Adam Gauldin – R

Talladega, AL

GRT

13.520

13.534

13.520

10

33

Scott Dedwylder

Vossburg, MS

Capital

13.560

13.558

13.558

11

2x

Anthony White

Clinton, TN

Longhorn

13.576

13.606

13.576

12

95

Brandon Williams - R

Crossville, TN

CVR

13.783

13.580

13.580

13

00m

Rubin Mayfield

Lenoir City, TN

CVR

13.598

13.849

13.598

14

19

Marcus Minga

Shannon, MS

Rocket

13.823

13.638

13.638

15

37k

Donald McIntosh

Dawsonville, GA

CVR

13.954

13.649

13.649

16

15

Jason Britton – R

Alexander City, AL

Pierce

13.855

13.700

13.700

17

9

Heath Hindman

Signal Mountain, TN

Mastersbilt

13.774

13.794

13.774

18

22

Will Roland – Y

Jasper, GA

Warrior

13.799

14.050

13.799

19

30

Ryan King

Seymour, TN

Stinger

13.825

13.937

13.825

20

10

Matthew Turner

Dawsonville, GA

Turner

14.457

13.833

13.833

21

5

Ronnie Johnson

Chattanooga, TN

Trak-Star

14.635

13.851

13.851

22

32h

Greg Huskey

Knoxville, TN

Pierce

13.882

14.235

13.882

23

24

Barry Goodman

Spring City, TN

Rocket

13.914

14.268

13.914

24

29

Rusty Ballenger

Sevierville, TN

Mastersbilt

14.053

13.944

13.944

25

25

Justin McRee

Woodstock, AL

HRRC

14.147

13.948

13.948

26

121

Michael Blount

Sumrall, MS

HRRC

14.198

14.734

14.198

27

1s

Jeremy Shaw

Millport, AL

Trak-Star

14.287

14.459

14.287

B-MAINS (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):

               1ST B-MAIN:  1. A. White; 2. McIntosh; 3. King; 4. Johnson; 5. Mayfield; 6. Shaw; 7. Goodman; 8. Hindman; 9. McRee.

               2ND B-MAIN:  1. Williams (R); 2. Britton (R); 3. Roland (Y); 4. Turner; 5. Huskey; 6. Minga; 7. Blount; 8. Ballenger.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 4/8/16:

1. 23 Cory Hedgecock – 100
2. R1 Riley Hickman – 96
3. J0 John Ownbey – 94
4. 00 Richie Stephens (R) – 92
5. 18 Chase Edge – 90
6. 33 Scott Dedwylder – 88
7. K37 Donald McIntosh – 86
8. 95 Brandon Williams (R) – 84
9. 1s Jeremy Shaw – 82
10. 32 Jason Manley – 80
11. H2 Matt Henderson – 78
12. 25 Justin McRee – 76
13. 32h Greg Huskey – 74
14. 19 Marcus Minga – 72
15. 15 Jason Britton (R) – 70
16. 00m Ruben Mayfield – 68
17. 121 Michael Blount – 66
18. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 64
19. 30 Ryan King – 62
20. 0 Ross White - 60

R – Denotes Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate

Y – Denotes Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series Driver