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

THE CHEVY SUPER SERIES RETURNS TO TAZEWELL SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                CARTERSVILLE, GA – The Chevrolet Performance Super Series returns to the site of one of its most memorable races of last season, Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN, for Round 4 of the 2014 season with a 50-lap $3,000-to-win $300-to-start race this Saturday night.  Both race fans and competitors have held an excited anticipation for this year’s event.

                Tazewell Speedway is an extremely fast high-banked quarter-mile clay oval that has gained a reputation for high-speed close-quarters racing that is compared to racing unlimited hydroplanes in a bath tub.  Many of the nation’s top dirt late model drivers have put Tazewell Speedway on the national map of dirt track racing, while making a name for themselves at the same time.

                A victory at Tazewell Speedway gets noticed on the national stage of dirt late model racing because that driver has proven that not only do they have skill, but also a level of courage that is just a little bit higher than the rest.

                Enter Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA, who arrived at the Bad Fast Taz last season with a good share of national notoriety as the 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion.  Going into the Tazewell Speedway race, William Thomas of Phenix City, AL and Tim Busha of Boaz, AL had made most of the headlines with the new dirt late model series.

Turner and the majority of the Chevy Super Series drivers had never seen the track nestled in the Cumberland Mountains just south of the Tennessee-Kentucky state line.  They had heard all of the stories about The Taz – the speed, the tight racing, and the calamity it all brings to those who dare to venture too high on the hills that make up the racing surface.

To the race fans at Tazewell Speedway, America’s first Factory Backed and Factory Built was a two-fold unknown commodity.  They arrived at the track early, before the gates even opened, and talked among themselves about what they were about to see.

The race cars were powered by the production-based all-aluminum Chevrolet Performance CT 525 Engine.  This is the same Chevrolet LS 3 engine that comes in the Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet SS sold at Chevrolet dealerships worldwide.  Most fans had read about the new engine for dirt late models and were curious about how it ran.

Most of the fans were also unfamiliar with most of the drivers in the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  They did know one of its stars, Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN.  They knew the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee had won a lot of races with the Chevrolet Performance CT 525 against open engines with more horsepower and a higher price tag.

Last year’s Tazewell Speedway race was a continuation from a previous date when qualifying took place, but rain postponed the main event.  Johnson was late getting to the track on the earlier date, and missed qualifying. 

On this later date, Johnson would start at the tail of the field to start the race.  East Tennessee race fans were anxious to see Johnson try to work his way to the front, a feat they had seen The Chattanooga Flash perform time and time again through the years.  They knew if Johnson could pull that off at Tazewell Speedway, it would be well worth the price of admission.

As the fans filed through the gates at Tazewell Speedway, they experienced something new and refreshing to them.  The cars and stars of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series were right there in the grandstand area to greet them by occupying the Chevy Fan Zone. 

Before a race car turned a wheel on Tazewell Speedway that night, the race fans got an up close look at the race cars and the innovative Chevrolet Performance CT 525 Engine that powered them.  They also were introduced to and got to know the drivers that would attempt to drive them around the high-banks of Tazewell Speedway in the hours ahead during the evening.

When the Chevy Fan Zone Experience was over, the fans settled into their seats, and the drivers, with a nervous anticipation, buckled into their race cars for the big show.  When the green flag dropped to start the race, the fans realized they weren’t going to need the whole seat, but just the edge.  The drivers realized they were not going to have time to be nervous because they were too busy.

The on track performance of both the cars and the drivers of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series were fast and at close quarters.  Busha took the lead followed by Tuner and Thomas.  After a caution flag, Turner would choose the outside for a “Dixie Style” double-file restart.

Turner was trying to get around the outside of Busha on the restart to take the lead.  Now everyone knows that a driver runs the high side at Tazewell Speedway at their own peril.  Attempting to race next to the outside barriers at Tazewell Speedway has been compared to playing Russian Roulette.

Matthew Turner received neither of those memos.

Turner slammed the steel guard rail with enough force to launch the race car up on its left side in a shower of sparks.  Thomas got underneath for second, but before another car could get by, Turner landed the car coming off the second turn and it rocketed forward to settle into the third spot.  Turner survived the forbidden outer most banking of The Taz, and made a mental note of that.

Thomas and Busha battled side-by side for the lead, while Turner closed from the third spot.  Thomas was inside of Busha, who ran the outside groove.  Now there was more race track to the outside of Busha, but those familiar with The Taz will tell you that nobody goes up there and finishes the race.  For most drivers that dare to run there, it’s a trip back to the pits on the back of a wrecker.

When Turner arrived behind Busha and Thomas, he had nowhere to go in an attempt to take the lead.  Well, at least that’s what most people thought.  There was that unused strip of red clay between the right side of Busha’s race car and the wall.  Beyond that, nothing but the heavens and eternity. 

Tazewell Speedway is built into the side of a mountain.  It’s a long way down to mother earth on the dark side of that wall.

On lap 23, Turner dared to go where only angels dared to tread.  He set his race car up on the top shelf of Tazewell Speedway.  The crowd made a collective gasp when Turner made the move.  The photographers pointed their cameras skyward in anticipation of getting that once-in-a-lifetime shot of an airborne race car leaving the ballpark with nothing around it but sky.

Sparks from the meeting of metal on concrete filled the night air as Turner drew even with Busha and Thomas.  It was now a matter of physics, and perhaps a little bit of fate, as to whether or not Turner would stay within the confines of The Taz. 

Not enough power and Turner’s momentum would carry the right rear of the car over the wall.  Too much power and the right front of the car would make the race car climb the wall and take flight.  The Chevrolet Performance CT 525 Engine gave Turner just what he needed.  He rocketed off the fourth turn to take the lead, and would go on to win the race.

The race fans at Tazewell Speedway have seen just about every traveling dirt late model series there is that have made a lot of history at the track through the years.  Tazewell Speedway Promoters Gary and Brad Hall listen to what the fans are saying about the races.

“All the fans have talked about is last year’s Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race, Matthew Turner’s high side pass for the lead, and wanting to know when they were coming back,” Brad Hall said.  “I’ve seen the best of the best in dirt late model racing at Tazewell Speedway, and the only two drivers I’ve ever seen successfully race where Matthew Turner raced on the track are Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Owens.”

The drivers of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series share the desire of the race fans to return to The Bad Fast Taz.  When asked what track they enjoyed the most, besides their home track, it was almost unanimous that they wanted to return to Tazewell Speedway.

Many of the drivers that visited Tazewell Speedway for the first time last year will return with a little more knowledge of its treacherous high banks.  Turner, Busha, David Brannon of Elora, TN, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS, Adam and Ross Martin of Talladega, AL, Mark Dowdy of Waterloo, AL, Ted Lackey of Munford, AL, Frank Wilson of Milton, FL, Carlton Freeman of Eastaboga, AL, and Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL are expected to return this Saturday night.

Johnson didn’t disappoint the Tazewell Speedway fans either last year.  Johnson came from the back of the pack to finish fourth.  He will be back for another visit to Tazewell Speedway this Saturday night as the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series point leader. 

Joining Johnson, Turner and the rest of the Chevy Super Series veterans from last year’s race will be another new group of drivers for the fans to get to know before the race in the Chevy Fan Zone.  Like the newbies from last year’s race, this group of drivers should have the same nervous anticipation about Tazewell Speedway this Saturday night.

Dingus Griffin of Ohatchee, AL and Tyler Crowder of Lamont, FL are tied for the second spot in the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series standings, 12 points behind Johnson.  Jake Knowles of Tyrone, GA is a title contender this season, while Jacob Grizzle of Blairsville, GA, Lavon Sparks of Phenix City, AL and Jadon Frame of Winchester, TN are Top 10 drivers new to the series this season.

So will the racing angels that reside in the heavens outside the walls of Tazewell Speedway once again show Matthew Turner favor, or will they present another daring hero on Saturday night to the appreciative fans of The Taz?

On Saturday night, the pit gate opens at 4 p.m. and the grandstand gate opens at 5 p.m.  Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The Chevy Fan Zone will be open in the Grandstand area from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  The Drivers Meeting is set for 7 p.m. with racing scheduled for 7:45 p.m.

Tazewell Speedway is located three miles northwest of Tazewell, TN off U.S. Highway 25E at 1400 Bacchus Road, Tazewell, TN  37879.  For more information call 423-626-2222, or visit their web site at www.tazewellspeedway.net.  You can also like their Facebook page at Tazewell Speedway.

                For more information about the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.525superseries.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. 

Chevrolet Performance Parts is the Title Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  Schaeffer’s Oil Presented By Chad Wallace and Heather Newsome is the Official Oil of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  AR Bodies is an Official Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  Cruise With The Champions is an Official Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.  Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2014 are Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, KRC Power Steering, David Smith Carburetors, Kinser Air Filters, and Shorty’s Shock Service.

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