Winner's Circle

Sunoco Victory Lane

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 Round Up

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 24 ROUND UP

(September 8, 2015 - CARTERSVILLE, GA) – Week 24 competition in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series saw a change for the second spot in the National point standings and the numbers tighten up as just eight points separate second through fifth in the points chase with three weeks left in the 2015 season.  National Champion Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS took the week off as drivers battled for the nine spots behind him.

Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS drove the MP Trucking Special to his eighth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS to net nine points and move up to the second spot in the standings.  Palasini has a best 14 week total of 693 points after eight wins and 16 top five finishes in 20 races.

Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL held the second spot going into the weekend, and went on the road in search of netting on a 47.  That meant that the 14-year-old Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point leader had to finish third or better to net one point,  Skinner traveled to Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS on Friday night, Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS on Saturday night, and Greenville Speedway on Sunday night.

The best Skinner could do was a fourth-place finish on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway and he was unable to net any points and dropped to third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with a best 14 week total of 689 points.  Skinner has seven wins, 16 top five finishes, and 19 top ten finishes in 22 races driving the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR.

Robbie Starnes of Livingston, TX kept pace in the battle for the National Championship Runner-Up honors with his fifth win of the season on Friday night at Battleground Race Park in Highlands, TX in the Lonestar Hydro Maintenance Special.  Starnes followed that up with win number six of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season on Sunday night at the Southern Crate Late Model Series co-sanctioned race at Golden Triangle Speedway in Beaumont, TX.

Starnes was able to net two points and is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 687 points.  Starnes has six wins, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 21 races.

The 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS drove the Billy Riels Racing Special to his seventh win of the season on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway to stay in the hunt for the second spot.  Daspit is fifth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 685 points after seven wins, 14 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 22 races.

Greg Fore of Greenville, MS is sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 679 points after four wins, 13 top five finishes and 17 top ten finishes in 20 races.  Fore finished second on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in the Washington Body Shop GRT to net four points.

Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is seventh in the standings with a best 14 week total of 675 points after one win, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 22 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series races.  Lee drove the Billy Riels Racing Special to a second-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway to net three points.

Joseph Joiner of Milton, FL finished sixth on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in the Three Trade Consultants Special, but was unable to net any points.  Joiner, who also leads the NeSmith Panhandle Challenge Series point standings, is eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 668 points after two wins, 16 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 20 races.

Cole Daffron of Pell City, AL is ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 654 points after 11 top five finishes and 14 top ten finishes in 16 races.  Daffron finished 15th on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in the TSR Race Cars Warrior and was unable to net any points.  The 17-year-old driver is also second in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point standings for NeSmith Late Model drivers 18 years of age and younger.

Bobby Jordan of McCarley, MS rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 649 points after two wins, ten top five finishes, and 14 top ten finishes in 24 races.  Jordan did not start the feature race on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in the SMJ Race Parts Trak-Star and he did not net any points.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 action, Darrick Klima of Belleville, KS drove the Dirt Racing Source Special to his third win of the season on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS.  Kevin Sitton of Baytown, TX captured his eighth win of the season on Saturday night in the Southern Crate Late Model Series co-sanctioned event at 171 Speedway in Leesville, LA driving the Mirage Construction Special.

Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL drove the Freeman Farms Trak-Star to his third NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway.  Dusty Leonard of Marysville, KS picked his fourth win of the season on Saturday night in the NeSmith/NCRA race at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS driving the Brice Leonard Insurance Special.  Scott Phillips of Salina, KS took his first win of the season on Sunday night in the NeSmith/NCRA race at Belleville Speedway in Belleville, KS in the Kansas Home Movers Special.

""

PHOTO CUTLINE:  Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL drove the #1s Freeman Farms Trak-Star to his third NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Saturday night by besting a 45 car field of NeSmith Late Models at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS.  (NeSmith Media Photo by Bruce Carroll) 

The battle for the 2015 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Series Championship is beginning to tighten up, as Shaw gave Three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Champion Trak-Star Race Cars built by Boland Performance of Cuba, AL its 13th win of the season and a move to within four points of the current point leader four-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufactures Challenge Champion GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR, who has 17 wins on the season.

Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, WV is third with nine wins and CVR Race Cars of Lenoir City, TN is fourth with seven wins.  Warrior Race Cars built by Goddard Performance of Knoxville, TN is still looking for their first win of the season.

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.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 9/6/15:

POS   CAR #       DRIVER             PTS      RACES  WINS

1        4            Michael Arnold         700        31           18

2        8           Mike Palasini Jr.        693        20           8

3       11          Cruz Skinner - Y        689        22           7

4       77          Robbie Starnes         687        21           6

5       347        Noah Daspit              685        22           7

6        17         Greg Fore                  679         20           4

7        47         Shannon Lee             675        22           1

8        10         Joseph Joiner            668        20           2

9        7           Cole Daffron - Y       654         16          

10     J8          Bobby Jordan            649        24           2

11     232       Jamey Boland            643        22           2

12     56jr       Colton Horner-Y       635        19           8

13     20         Kevin Sitton 627        15           8

14     33         Sid Scarbrough          623        19          

15     7p         Peter Hazzard            620        16          

16     7            Hunter Lewis             611        16          

17     01          Nick Thrash               607        16           1

18     41          Al Kouhout                 599        14          

19     22          Lucky Keeton            591        15           1

20     D8jr   Christopher Showah   579           17

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 24 RESULTS:

September 4:

BATTLEGROUND RACE PARK – HIGHLANDS, TX:

1. 77 Robbie Starnes

2. 20 Kevin Sitton

3. 14 Brant Tirello

4. 23 Howard Willis

5. 1 Doug Begnaud

6. 56jr Colton Horner – Y

7. 65 Lucas Peterson

8. 32 Ricky Begnaud

9. 22 Trinity Richardson

10. 17 Josh Brock

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS:

1. 347 Noah Daspit

2. 47 Shannon Lee

3. 11 Tim Dees

4. 36 Taylor Jarvis

5. 14 Chase Cooper

6. 10 Joseph Joiner

7. 11 Cruz Skinner

8. 7 Hunter Lewis

9. 11w Wayne Byrd

10. 41 Al Kouhout

11. C4 Chris Reid

12. 55 Pat Nichols

13. 4 Scott Land

14. 78 Calvin Martin

SALINA SPEEDWAY – SALINA, KS:

1. 2k Darrick Klima

2. 55 Chris Kratzer

3. 7d Dusty Leonard

4. 92s Daniel Smith

5. 92 Delbert Smith

6. 64 Kurt Abell

7. 70t Terry Malm

8. 70 Bill Grit

9. 147 Jim Melton

10. 1 Trinket Kinderknecht

11. 12 Ryan Grit

12. 194 Scott Phillips DQ/LT

September 5:

171 SPEEDWAY – LEESVILLE, LA (Southern Crate Late Model Series):

1. 20 Kevin Sitton

2. 77 Robbie Starnes

3. 125 Lew Lyles

4. 56jr Colton Horner – Y

5. 02 Joey Couvillion

6. 50 Joe Credidio

7. 14 Brant Tirello

8. 77L Tony Lindsey

9. 51 Michael Cedars

10. 65 Lucas Peterson

MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – COLUMBUS, MS:

1. 1s Jeremy Shaw

2. 18 Chase Edge

3. 888 Jason Cliburn

4. 33b Eric Cooley

5. 01 Nick Thrash

6. 232 Jamey Boland

7. 2s Kyle Shaw

8. 1 Johnny Stokes

9. 57 Josh Adkins

10. 73 Evan Ellis

11. 11 Cruz Skinner – Y

12. 34 Doug Sanchagrin

13. 7h Matt Henderson

14. 222 Mike Boland

15. 7 Cole Daffron – Y

16. 4j Josh Banes – Y

17. 84 Randall Beckwith

18. 110 Brent Barrett

19. 28 Sam Hughes

20. 91 Billy Tedford

21. 311 Chase Washington

22. 73n Ashley Newman

23. 17 Justin McRee

24. 5 Ronnie Johnson

25. 43 Kurt Radojcsics DNS

26. G4 Shelby Sheedy DNS

27. J88 Jered Smith DNS

28. 121 Michael Blount DNS

29. 69 Lane McKee DNS

30. 00 Monte Skinner DNS

31. 2L Thomas Langley DNS

32. 2B Tyler Burgess DNS

33. 10c Ryan Crane DNS

34. 1m Eric Carr DNS

35. 196 Billy Scarbrough DNS

36. 2 Mark Stokes DNS

37. 1b Bryant Marsh – Y DNS

38. 38 D.J. Brasfield DNS

39. 347 Noah Daspit DNS

40. 30 Ryan King DNS

41. R3 Ryan Rigdon DNS

42. 19 Marcus Minga DNS

43. 10 Rick Leverette DNS

44. 3 Shay Knight DNS

45. 14 Jeffrey Cooper DNS

81 SPEEDWAY – WICHITA, KS (NeSmith/NCRA):

1. 7d Dusty Leonard

2. 92 Delbert Smith

3. 55 Chris Kratzer

4. 92s Daniel Smith

5. 2x Lyle Shepard

6. 194 Scott Phillips

7. 77 Jeremy Petty

8. 12 Ryan Grit

9. 2k Darrick Klima

10. 147 Justin Kinderknecht

September 6:

GREENVILLE SPEEDWAY – GREENVILLE, MS:

1. 8 Mike Palasini Jr.

2. 17 Greg Fore

3. 70 Dewayne Estes

4. 11 Cruz Skinner – Y

5. C4 Cole Burns

6. 46 Kenny Carpenter

7. 25 Billy Pate

8. 17 Will Ross

9. 14 Charles Freeman

10. 12 Carl Kilgore

11. 4x Zach Edwards

12. C55 David Carpenter

13. 88 Howard Irby Jr. DNS

14. J8 Bobby Jordan DNS

GOLDEN TRIANGLE SPEEDWAY – BEAUMONT, TX (Southern Crate Late Model Series):

1. 77 Robbie Starnes

2. 20 Kevin Sitton

3. 23 Howard Willis

4. 14 Brant Tirello

5. 56jr Colton Horner – Y

6. 77 Tony Lindsey

7. 32 Ricky Begnaud

8. 65 Lucas Peterson

9. 1 Doug Begnaud

BELLEVILLE HIGH BANKS – BELLEVILLE, KS (NeSmith/NCRA)

1. 194 Scott Phillips

2. 55 Chris Kratzer

3. 7d Dusty Leonard

4. 92s Daniel Smith

5. 2k Darrick Klima

6. 77 Jeremy Petty

7. 147 Jim Melton

8. 92 Delbert Smith

9. 64 Kurt Abell

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models.  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 Late Models.  Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models.  RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models.  Beyea Headers is the NeSmith Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor.  Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the NeSmith Late Models.  Panama City Cycles is the Official ATV Provider of the NeSmith Late Models.  AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models.  NeSmith Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2015 are CrateInsider.Com, Integra Racing Shocks, Image Screen Printing, and Gresham Race Parts.  2015 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars. 

-30-