Richie Stephens Clinches NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division National Championship

RICHIE STEPHENS CLINCHES NeSMITH PERFORMANCE PARTS STREET STOCK DIVISION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

(September 8, 2015 - CARTERSVILLE, GA) – Richie Stephens of Salem, AL has clinched the 2015 NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division National Championship after Week 24 competition.  Stephens has a perfect best 14 week total of 700 points driving the Rocketman Race Cars Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine.

                With three weeks left in the 2015 season, Stephens has 20 wins, 27 top five finishes and 29 top ten finishes in 33 races.  Stephens had two seconds on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS that included a Week 9 Make-Up Race, and a fourth-place finish at The Mag on Sunday night.

                The main development over the weekend that sealed the deal for Stephens and closed the window of opportunity for his only competition for the title, Brooks Strength of Raymond, MS, was the announcement on Sunday by Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS that they would be cancelling their remaining Friday night NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division races this season.

                Going into Week 24 NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division competition, Strength had to win ten 50-point races and Stephens win none for him to win the championship.  Strength finished fourth on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway and third on Sunday night at The Mag driving the Sauls Farm Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine.

                Those Week 24 finishes combined with the loss of the Hattiesburg races closed the window of opportunity for Strength and clinched the title for Stephens.  The top three spots in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division point standings have been decided, as Strength will finish second and third will go to Branden Harris of Molino, FL, who did not compete in Week 24 action.

                Strength is second in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings with a best 14 week total of 697 points after 11 wins and 20 top five finishes in 21 races.  Harris is third with a best 14 week total of 689 points after seven wins, 16 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 22 races driving the Coastal Engine and Machine Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine.

                Steve Pate of Heflin, AL is fourth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 669 points after two wins and 18 top five finishes.  Pate drove the Pate Racing Chevrolet to a 12th place finish on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway and did not net any NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division points. 

                Larry Faulk of Monroeville, AL drove the Faulk Motorsports Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine to a second-place finish on Saturday night at Southern Raceway in Milton, FL to net five points.  Faulk is fifth in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings with a best 14 week total of 667 points after three wins, 15 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 22 races.

                Bo Bailey of Milton, FL was able to net three points on Saturday night after finishing fourth at Southern Raceway in the L&L Construction Services Chevrolet.  Bailey is sixth in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings with a best 14 week total of 666 points after two wins, 17 top five finishes and 22 top ten finishes in 23 races.

                Jason Jarrell of Hattiesburg, MS is seventh in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings with a best 14 week total of 654 points after one win, 14 top five finishes, and 19 top ten finishes in 24 races driving the Jarrell Rigged Race Cars Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine.  Jarrell did not compete in Week 24 action.

                Kevin Mitchell of Pensacola, FL is eighth in the standings with 649 points after one win, nine top five finishes and 12 top ten finishes in 15 NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division races driving the Guy Brothers Roofing Chevrolet.  Mitchell did not compete in Week 24 action. 

Jay Geddie of Ellisville, MS is ninth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 648 points after ten top five finishes and 17 top ten finishes in 19 races driving the Geddie Tree Service Chevrolet.  Geddie did not net and NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division points after a 35-point sixth-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway.

                David Williamson of Seminary, MS rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings with a best 14 week total of 643 points after 11 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 23 races.  Williamson did not net any points after a 39-point second-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in the Sauls Farm Ford.

                In other NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division Week 24 action, Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL unloaded a new High Roller Race Car Street Stock powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine and won three races in two nights at Magnolia Motor Speedway. 

PHOTO CUTLINE:  Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL unloaded a new #17 High Roller Race Car Street Stock powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine and won three NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division races in two nights at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS.  McRee won the Week 9 Make-Up Race on Saturday night, and then came back and collected the $1,000 top prize in the second Saturday night race.  McRee swept the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division Labor Day Shootout on Sunday night with another $1,000 victory.  (NeSmith Media Photo By Bruce Carroll) 

McRee won the Week 9 Make-Up Race on Saturday night, and then came back and collected the $1,000 top prize in the second Saturday night race.  McRee swept the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division Labor Day Shootout on Sunday night with another $1,000 victory.

Roger Flynn of Denham Springs, LA took a 40-point win on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway driving the Flynn Racing Chevrolet, and David Windham of Florala, AL drove the Florala Pharmacy Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine to his third NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division win of the season on Saturday night at Southern Raceway.

Joel Landers of Shelbyville, TN picked up his fifth NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division win of the season on Sunday night at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, TN driving the Joel’s Tire and Brake Chevrolet powered by a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine.

Five of the Top 7 drivers in the NeSmith/AR Bodies Street Stock Division point standings, including the Top 3, after the first 24 weeks of competition, and five of the six Week 24 race winners have a $3,495 Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine under the hoods of their respective race cars.  To place an order, call Tim Bland at NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick and GMC in Claxton, GA at 1-877-497-3624.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division.  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 PERFORMANCE PARTS STREET STOCK DIVISION POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 9/6/15:

POS  CAR #    DRIVER                      PTS     RACES   WINS     TOP 5

1      69            Richie Stephens       700        33           20           27

2      18            Brooks Strength       697        21           11           20

3      2               Branden Harris        689         22           7             16

4      07            Steve Pate                669        19            2             18

5      3               Larry Faulk               667        22           3             15

6      05            Bo Bailey                  666          23           2             17

7      20            Jason Jarrell             654        24           1             14

8      99            Kevin Mitchell          649        15           1             9

9      37            Jay Geddie               648        19                          10

10    28            David Williamson    643        23          

11    41            Brandon Kilpatrick  642        16           3

12    18c          Cliff Childers            634        18                          8

13    2m           Bubba McGhee       630        20                          7

14    6              Calvin Cook              614        14           4             10

15    777         Brandon Leftwich    613        15           1

16     1             John Smartt              601        14           5             13

17     26c         Cole Cameron         601        16                          4

18     7             David Windham       599        14           3             11

19     74           Scotty Vowell          594         15                          2

20     21           Russell Chapman   586        13           3

NeSMITH PERFORMANCE PARTS STREET STOCK DIVISION WEEK 24 RESULTS:

September 4:

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS:

1. 41 Roger Flynn

2. 28 David Williamson

3. 02 Bubba Trotter

4. 3 Kody Barber

5. 67 Roman Davis

6. 37 Jay Geddie

7. 10 Anthony Kates

September 5:

MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – COLUMBUS, MS:

(May 24 Make Up Race):

1. 17 Justin McRee

2. 69 Richie Stephens

3. 2 Lee Ray

4. 24 Tony Silvestri

5. 16 Terry Taylor

6. 3 Shay Knight

7. 5 Danny Christian

8. 75 Charlie Gardner

9. 13 Mark Barnett

10. 59 Brandon Hardin

11. 22 John Beard

12. 111 Wayne Medders

(Week 24 Race):

1. 17 Justin McRee

2. 69 Richie Stephens

3. 151 Calvin Cook

4. 18 Brooks Strength

5. 5 Danny Christian

6. 56 Chase Washington

7. 2 Lee Ray

8. 82 Trey Bright

9. 3 Shay Knight

10. 04 Dean Travis

11. 5k T.K. King

12. 07 Steve Pate

13. 50 Eddie Rickman

14. 24 Tony Silvestri

15. 12s Josh Stringer

16. 3 Tracy Pickering

17. 13 Mark Barnett

18. 111 Wayne Medders

19. 22 John Beard

20. 14 Ben Keith

21. 16 Terry Taylor

22. 711 Clint Crawford

23. 53 Scooter Ware

24. 75 Charlie Gardner

25. 00 Billy Wilkins DNS

26. 59 Brandon Hardin DNS

27. 14 Tim Harris DNS

SOUTHERN RACEWAY – MILTON, FL:

1. 7 David Windham

2. 3 Larry Faulk

3. 42 Kyle Kichler

4. 05 Bo Bailey

5. 66 Donnie Ellis

6. 10 Aaron Huffstutler

7. 02 J.C. Wilson

8. 41 Brandon Kilpatrick

9. 20 Curtis Faircloth DQ

September 6:

MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – COLUMBUS, MS:

1. 17 Justin McRee

2. 151 Calvin Cook

3. 18 Brooks Strength

4. 69 Richie Stephens

5. 3 Shay Knight

6. 82 Trey Bright

7. 90 Brian Rickman

8. 2 Lee Ray

9. 5 Danny Christian

10. 04 Dean Travis

11. 11 Spencer Hughes

12. 16 Terry Taylor

13. 53 Scooter Ware

14. 50 Eddie Rickman

15. 5k T.K. King

16. 24 Tony Silvestri

17. 12s Josh Stringer

18. 74 Scotty Vowell

19. 111 Wayne Medders

20. 56 Mark Barnett

21. 14 Ben Keith

22. 3p Tracy Pickering

23. 22 John Beard

24. 75 Tody Ratcliff

DUCK RIVER RACEWAY PARK – WHEEL, TN:

1. 2 Joel Landers

2. 05 Jimmy Woodard

3. S1 John Smartt

4. 27 Jason James

5. 20 Michael Kirby

6. 40 Kevin Pack

7. 70 Steve Hadley

8. 00 Bobby Joe Robinson

9. 21 Tim Wilson

10. 70s Kelby Bemonbreum

11. 50 Marcus McCrary

12. 84 Jason Savage

13. 15 Trevor Woodard

14. 10 Michael Blade

15. 01 Justin Owens DNS

NeSmith Performance Parts at NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division.  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 Performance Parts Street Stock Division.  Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division. 

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