crusapr
06-05-2011, 05:27 AM
SYLVANIA, GA – Brandon Overton of Appling, GA drove the Budweiser Rocket to a $2,500 victory Saturday night in the 50-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series event at Screven Motor Speedway. Overton started third, took the lead on lap 16, and never looked back to take a 2.682 margin of victory at the checkered flag.
Overton was also the apparent winner in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series race on Friday night at Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, GA, but series officials found a chemically treated left-tire on his car during the post-race technical inspection. Overton was disqualified and left the track with no money and no trophy.
On Saturday night, Overton’s car passed the post-race technical inspection, so he got to go to the pay window and take the trophy home with him.
“This is our first late model win, and it feels good to be able to take this trophy home with us after last night,” Overton said. “Our car was a little on the tight side, so just tried to keep it on the bottom of the track. If anyone was going to pass me, they were going to have to do it on the outside.”
Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN took the second spot in the Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Special after the apparent runner-up finisher Bob Robertson of Evans, GA in the Huddle House Special was found light at the scales during the post-race weigh in.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC came back from a lap 23 spin to charge back through the field and finish third in the AES Racing Special. Chesley Dixon of Swainsboro, GA took the fourth spot in the Central Fence Company Rocket.
Jeremy Faircloth of Swainsboro, GA started 16th and finished fifth in the Big Dog Racing Warrior to earn the Hedman Husler Award. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA also made a big charge in the Hedman Husler to finish sixth after starting 17th. Brian Connor of Augusta, GA was seventh in the Lazor’s Trailers Special, and Ches Chester of Twin City, GA finished eighth in the Chester Timber Special.
Robert Diekemper of Bloomingdale, GA came back from a lap 26 spin and drove the Baird Transport Special to a ninth-place finish. Diekemper was also the Fast Qualifier among the 26-car field with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 15.915 seconds. Mark Rosner of Maryville, TN rounded out the top ten in the J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment Stinger.
Diekemper took the lead at the start of the race from the pole position followed by Breuer, Overton, Robertson and Gentry. The VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year point leader, and winner of the second 12-lap B-Main, Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL drove the Edge’s Gas Company Special from the 12th starting spot up to ninth by lap 6, and Albert Cosnahan of Stillmore, GA moved from the ninth starting hole to sixth on lap eight in the Braddy Electric GRT.
The first of nine caution flags came out on lap nine when Mark Tice of Avon, MS spun the Precision Marine Trak-Star in turn four. Diekemper led Breuer, Overton, Robertson, Gentry, Cosnahan, Steve Cook of Mt. Airy, NC in the AES Racing Special, Jimmy Sharpe of Vidalia, GA in the Vidalia Transmission Special, Edge and Rosner down for the double-file restart.
When the field went green, Overton was able to get around the outside of Breuer to take over the second spot. On lap ten, Robertson passed Breuer for the third spot with an inside move coming off the fourth turn.
Overton began to put pressure on Diekemper for the lead, and on lap 16, he got inside of the leader coming off the fourth turn and took the lead. Diekemper dropped to the third spot on lap 18 when Robertson got inside coming off the second turn and took over the second spot going down the backstretch.
Lapped traffic came into play in turn three on lap 21 when Frank Wilson of Harold, FL spun the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star in front of Overton, who just made it by on the inside, but Robertson got collected. Wilson was charged with the caution and Robertson restarted in the second spot. Wilson ended up finishing 14th and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race.
Things got busy on the restart, as Robertson, Diekemper and Breuer began to wage an all-out war for the second spot. Diekemper got into the back of Robertson, knocking him sideways, which Diekemper took advantage of to take over the second spot, bringing Breuer with him into third.
On lap 22, Breuer got into Diekemper going inside in turn three. When they got to turn two on lap 23, Breuer spun, which triggered a multi-car melee to bring out the caution flag. Several top ten running cars were collected in the incident and had to go to the pits for repairs. Among the cars forced out were the fourth-place car of Edge, and the eighth-place car of Sharpe. Edge earned the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
When the field was reset for the double-file restart, Overton led Gentry, Diekemper, Robertson, Cooke, Chester, Rosner, Turner, Mitch Fulford of Montrose, GA, who started 23rd in the Dublin Tire Company Rocket, and Dixon in the top ten. Robertson got inside Gentry going down the backstretch on the restart to take over the second spot, and Cooke passed Gentry for third on lap 24.
At the halfway point, Diekemper began to fall back through the field, and Turner was up to the fifth spot. Diekemper spun in turn two on lap 26 while running sixth to bring out the fourth caution flag of the race. The top ten for the restart consisted of Overton, Robertson, Cooke, Gentry, Turner, Dixon, Rosner, Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS in the Billy Riels Racing GRT, Chester, and Fulford.
Gentry got by Cooke for the third spot on the restart before the caution flag came back out on lap 27 when Fulford spun in turn four. Lining up for the restart in the top ten were Overton, Robertson, Gentry, Cooke, Dixon, Turner, Faircloth, Rosner, Chester, and Connor. Wholesale position changes were the rule when the double-filed cars went green.
Dixon got by Cooke for the fourth spot, Faircloth passed Turner for the sixth position, and Breuer got up on the outside groove to sail up from 11th to eighth. Fulford spun for the second time in turn two on lap 32 and Cosnahan was ticketed for spinning Chester in turn two on the restart for light up the caution lamp for the sixth and seventh time.
It didn’t take long for business to pick up among the top ten drivers when the field went back to green flag action. Cooke passed Dixon for the fourth spot and Breuer got by Faircloth for seventh. Breuer got by Turner for sixth on lap 35. Dixon got back around Cooke for fourth on lap 37, and Breuer passed his teammate Cooke for fifth on lap 39.
Caution flag number eight came out on lap 40 when Lee spun in turn four. Breuer stepped to the outside on the restart to pass Dixon for the fourth spot coming down the front straightaway on lap 41. The final yellow came out on lap 42 when Cooke spun in turn two. Overton led Robertson, Gentry, Breuer, Dixon, Faircloth, Turner, Connor, Rosner and Diekemper down for the nine lap dash to the finish.
Overton began to pull away from Robertson, who was battling with Gentry and Breuer for the second spot, and Faircloth and Turner battled for the sixth spot in the final laps. Turner passed Faircloth on the inside on lap 43 to take the sixth spot, but Faircloth recaptured the position on lap 46.
Overton continued to pull away and had a full straightaway lead over Robertson at the checkered flag. Everyone from third on back moved up one spot when Robertson failed to make the required weight after the race.
The next two events for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be a pair of 50-lap $2,500-to-win races at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL on July 2, and at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL on July 3.
For more information 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.
Overton was also the apparent winner in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series race on Friday night at Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, GA, but series officials found a chemically treated left-tire on his car during the post-race technical inspection. Overton was disqualified and left the track with no money and no trophy.
On Saturday night, Overton’s car passed the post-race technical inspection, so he got to go to the pay window and take the trophy home with him.
“This is our first late model win, and it feels good to be able to take this trophy home with us after last night,” Overton said. “Our car was a little on the tight side, so just tried to keep it on the bottom of the track. If anyone was going to pass me, they were going to have to do it on the outside.”
Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN took the second spot in the Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Special after the apparent runner-up finisher Bob Robertson of Evans, GA in the Huddle House Special was found light at the scales during the post-race weigh in.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC came back from a lap 23 spin to charge back through the field and finish third in the AES Racing Special. Chesley Dixon of Swainsboro, GA took the fourth spot in the Central Fence Company Rocket.
Jeremy Faircloth of Swainsboro, GA started 16th and finished fifth in the Big Dog Racing Warrior to earn the Hedman Husler Award. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA also made a big charge in the Hedman Husler to finish sixth after starting 17th. Brian Connor of Augusta, GA was seventh in the Lazor’s Trailers Special, and Ches Chester of Twin City, GA finished eighth in the Chester Timber Special.
Robert Diekemper of Bloomingdale, GA came back from a lap 26 spin and drove the Baird Transport Special to a ninth-place finish. Diekemper was also the Fast Qualifier among the 26-car field with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 15.915 seconds. Mark Rosner of Maryville, TN rounded out the top ten in the J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment Stinger.
Diekemper took the lead at the start of the race from the pole position followed by Breuer, Overton, Robertson and Gentry. The VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year point leader, and winner of the second 12-lap B-Main, Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL drove the Edge’s Gas Company Special from the 12th starting spot up to ninth by lap 6, and Albert Cosnahan of Stillmore, GA moved from the ninth starting hole to sixth on lap eight in the Braddy Electric GRT.
The first of nine caution flags came out on lap nine when Mark Tice of Avon, MS spun the Precision Marine Trak-Star in turn four. Diekemper led Breuer, Overton, Robertson, Gentry, Cosnahan, Steve Cook of Mt. Airy, NC in the AES Racing Special, Jimmy Sharpe of Vidalia, GA in the Vidalia Transmission Special, Edge and Rosner down for the double-file restart.
When the field went green, Overton was able to get around the outside of Breuer to take over the second spot. On lap ten, Robertson passed Breuer for the third spot with an inside move coming off the fourth turn.
Overton began to put pressure on Diekemper for the lead, and on lap 16, he got inside of the leader coming off the fourth turn and took the lead. Diekemper dropped to the third spot on lap 18 when Robertson got inside coming off the second turn and took over the second spot going down the backstretch.
Lapped traffic came into play in turn three on lap 21 when Frank Wilson of Harold, FL spun the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star in front of Overton, who just made it by on the inside, but Robertson got collected. Wilson was charged with the caution and Robertson restarted in the second spot. Wilson ended up finishing 14th and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race.
Things got busy on the restart, as Robertson, Diekemper and Breuer began to wage an all-out war for the second spot. Diekemper got into the back of Robertson, knocking him sideways, which Diekemper took advantage of to take over the second spot, bringing Breuer with him into third.
On lap 22, Breuer got into Diekemper going inside in turn three. When they got to turn two on lap 23, Breuer spun, which triggered a multi-car melee to bring out the caution flag. Several top ten running cars were collected in the incident and had to go to the pits for repairs. Among the cars forced out were the fourth-place car of Edge, and the eighth-place car of Sharpe. Edge earned the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
When the field was reset for the double-file restart, Overton led Gentry, Diekemper, Robertson, Cooke, Chester, Rosner, Turner, Mitch Fulford of Montrose, GA, who started 23rd in the Dublin Tire Company Rocket, and Dixon in the top ten. Robertson got inside Gentry going down the backstretch on the restart to take over the second spot, and Cooke passed Gentry for third on lap 24.
At the halfway point, Diekemper began to fall back through the field, and Turner was up to the fifth spot. Diekemper spun in turn two on lap 26 while running sixth to bring out the fourth caution flag of the race. The top ten for the restart consisted of Overton, Robertson, Cooke, Gentry, Turner, Dixon, Rosner, Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS in the Billy Riels Racing GRT, Chester, and Fulford.
Gentry got by Cooke for the third spot on the restart before the caution flag came back out on lap 27 when Fulford spun in turn four. Lining up for the restart in the top ten were Overton, Robertson, Gentry, Cooke, Dixon, Turner, Faircloth, Rosner, Chester, and Connor. Wholesale position changes were the rule when the double-filed cars went green.
Dixon got by Cooke for the fourth spot, Faircloth passed Turner for the sixth position, and Breuer got up on the outside groove to sail up from 11th to eighth. Fulford spun for the second time in turn two on lap 32 and Cosnahan was ticketed for spinning Chester in turn two on the restart for light up the caution lamp for the sixth and seventh time.
It didn’t take long for business to pick up among the top ten drivers when the field went back to green flag action. Cooke passed Dixon for the fourth spot and Breuer got by Faircloth for seventh. Breuer got by Turner for sixth on lap 35. Dixon got back around Cooke for fourth on lap 37, and Breuer passed his teammate Cooke for fifth on lap 39.
Caution flag number eight came out on lap 40 when Lee spun in turn four. Breuer stepped to the outside on the restart to pass Dixon for the fourth spot coming down the front straightaway on lap 41. The final yellow came out on lap 42 when Cooke spun in turn two. Overton led Robertson, Gentry, Breuer, Dixon, Faircloth, Turner, Connor, Rosner and Diekemper down for the nine lap dash to the finish.
Overton began to pull away from Robertson, who was battling with Gentry and Breuer for the second spot, and Faircloth and Turner battled for the sixth spot in the final laps. Turner passed Faircloth on the inside on lap 43 to take the sixth spot, but Faircloth recaptured the position on lap 46.
Overton continued to pull away and had a full straightaway lead over Robertson at the checkered flag. Everyone from third on back moved up one spot when Robertson failed to make the required weight after the race.
The next two events for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be a pair of 50-lap $2,500-to-win races at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL on July 2, and at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL on July 3.
For more information 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.