crusapr
07-03-2011, 04:43 AM
PENTON, AL – The numbers were working for William Thomas of Phenix City, AL on Saturday night at Penton Raceway. His car number is 22, and in his second NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series race of the season, he took his second win in the “Stars and Stripes 50 and his second straight win at Penton Raceway driving the J.W. Miller Land and Timber Special.
It was a clean sweep for Thomas as he set fast time among the 31 entrants with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 14.420 seconds to earn the pole position for the main event, and he led all 50 laps of the race to win with a 2.609 second margin of victory over Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA in the PW Performance GRT.
The only time Darda could get close to Thomas was on restarts and on one occasion in lapped traffic, an episode Thomas remembered well.
“I really had one close call in lapped traffic as we went three-wide in the corner, and I made contact with someone and almost had to stop,” Thomas said. “Other than that, it was a good race for this new car, and the first win for it.”
Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL took the third spot in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race. Bob Robertson of Evans, GA finished fourth in the Huddle House Special, and NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC drove the AES Racing Special to a fifth-place finish.
Russ Ogletree of Phenix City, AL finished sixth in the Northeast Alabama Audiology Special, and Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC took the seventh spot in the CANCO Rocket. Ryan King of Anniston, AL was eighth in the David King Automotive Special, and Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA drove the Hedman Husler to a ninth-place finish.
David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN rounded out the top ten in the Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Warrior. Gentry now trails Breuer in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings by 32 points.
Thomas beat outside front row starter Robertson into the first turn at the drop of the green flag, but the first of four caution flags came out on lap one when Mark Tice of Avon, MS spun the Precision Marine Trak-Star in turn two to necessitate a complete restart. When the field went back to green, Thomas took the lead again, followed by Darda, Robertson, Edge and Breuer.
The second caution flag out on lap three after a multi-car chain-reaction crash in turn four. Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, NC got sideways in turn four, and when the dust cleared, Larry Harrod of Plains, GA in the Harrod Logging Special, Oliver Gentry of Newman, GA in the Gentry Used Auto Parts GRT and Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL in the Scorpion Race Cars Special were stacked up.
Gentry was able to continue, but Harrod and Stephens were done for the night. That earned Harrod the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award. The “Dixie-Style” double-file restart saw Edge get by Robertson for the third spot, Ogletree pass Cantrell for the sixth position and David Earl Gentry climbed into the top ten.
Thomas took an eight car-length advantage into lapped traffic on lap nine, and by the 15th lap he had pulled out to a half-straightaway lead over Darda, Edge, Robertson and Breuer. On lap 30, Breuer had a close call, as he stalled going down the backstretch, but his slowing car came back to life in turn three, and back up to race speed. Breuer had a big enough advantage over Ogletree that he didn’t lose a position.
Thomas had stretched his lead out to a full straightaway over Darda by lap 35, but that would be erased with a caution flag on lap 39 when Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS spun the Billy Riels Racing GRT in turn four and collected David Earl Gentry. Gentry got his spot back for the restart.
Thomas led Darda, Edge, Robertson, Breuer, Ogletree, Cantrell, Dana Eiland of Salem, AL in the Audy’s Auto Parts GRT, King and David Earl Gentry down for the restart. Thomas pulled out to a six car-length advantage over Darda by the time the field got to turn three. Darda was busy trying to hold Edge off for the second spot, while Eiland and King battled for the eighth spot.
King was able to get by Eiland on lap 43, but one lap later, the two made contact and King spun in turn four. Eiland was charged with the caution flag and King got his spot back for the restart. In the seven lap dash to the finish, Thomas once again pulled away and stretched out to a half-straightaway lead by lap 48.
The best battle on the track was for the third spot between Edge and Robertson, who kept trying to get an inside run on Edge coming off the corners. Edge was able to hang on to take third behind Thomas and Darda.
Frank Wilson of Harold, FL started 24th and finished 16th in the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star to earn the Hedman Husler Award. The four ten-lap preliminary heat races were won by Darda, Breuer, Edge, and Cantrell.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series “Ride For Life” two-seat dirt late model was on hand at the Stars and Stripes 50. Race fans bid for rides with Thomas, Edge, Breuer, Eiland, and Paul Walters of Valley, AL in a special auction, and fans also bought raffle tickets for a chance to win a ride at race speed. Just over $2,000 was raised to benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series now moves to East Alabama Motor Speedway on Sunday night for the $2,500-to-win “Salute To The Armed Forces 50,” Round 11 of the 2011 season.
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.
It was a clean sweep for Thomas as he set fast time among the 31 entrants with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 14.420 seconds to earn the pole position for the main event, and he led all 50 laps of the race to win with a 2.609 second margin of victory over Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA in the PW Performance GRT.
The only time Darda could get close to Thomas was on restarts and on one occasion in lapped traffic, an episode Thomas remembered well.
“I really had one close call in lapped traffic as we went three-wide in the corner, and I made contact with someone and almost had to stop,” Thomas said. “Other than that, it was a good race for this new car, and the first win for it.”
Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL took the third spot in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race. Bob Robertson of Evans, GA finished fourth in the Huddle House Special, and NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC drove the AES Racing Special to a fifth-place finish.
Russ Ogletree of Phenix City, AL finished sixth in the Northeast Alabama Audiology Special, and Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC took the seventh spot in the CANCO Rocket. Ryan King of Anniston, AL was eighth in the David King Automotive Special, and Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA drove the Hedman Husler to a ninth-place finish.
David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN rounded out the top ten in the Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Warrior. Gentry now trails Breuer in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings by 32 points.
Thomas beat outside front row starter Robertson into the first turn at the drop of the green flag, but the first of four caution flags came out on lap one when Mark Tice of Avon, MS spun the Precision Marine Trak-Star in turn two to necessitate a complete restart. When the field went back to green, Thomas took the lead again, followed by Darda, Robertson, Edge and Breuer.
The second caution flag out on lap three after a multi-car chain-reaction crash in turn four. Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, NC got sideways in turn four, and when the dust cleared, Larry Harrod of Plains, GA in the Harrod Logging Special, Oliver Gentry of Newman, GA in the Gentry Used Auto Parts GRT and Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL in the Scorpion Race Cars Special were stacked up.
Gentry was able to continue, but Harrod and Stephens were done for the night. That earned Harrod the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award. The “Dixie-Style” double-file restart saw Edge get by Robertson for the third spot, Ogletree pass Cantrell for the sixth position and David Earl Gentry climbed into the top ten.
Thomas took an eight car-length advantage into lapped traffic on lap nine, and by the 15th lap he had pulled out to a half-straightaway lead over Darda, Edge, Robertson and Breuer. On lap 30, Breuer had a close call, as he stalled going down the backstretch, but his slowing car came back to life in turn three, and back up to race speed. Breuer had a big enough advantage over Ogletree that he didn’t lose a position.
Thomas had stretched his lead out to a full straightaway over Darda by lap 35, but that would be erased with a caution flag on lap 39 when Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS spun the Billy Riels Racing GRT in turn four and collected David Earl Gentry. Gentry got his spot back for the restart.
Thomas led Darda, Edge, Robertson, Breuer, Ogletree, Cantrell, Dana Eiland of Salem, AL in the Audy’s Auto Parts GRT, King and David Earl Gentry down for the restart. Thomas pulled out to a six car-length advantage over Darda by the time the field got to turn three. Darda was busy trying to hold Edge off for the second spot, while Eiland and King battled for the eighth spot.
King was able to get by Eiland on lap 43, but one lap later, the two made contact and King spun in turn four. Eiland was charged with the caution flag and King got his spot back for the restart. In the seven lap dash to the finish, Thomas once again pulled away and stretched out to a half-straightaway lead by lap 48.
The best battle on the track was for the third spot between Edge and Robertson, who kept trying to get an inside run on Edge coming off the corners. Edge was able to hang on to take third behind Thomas and Darda.
Frank Wilson of Harold, FL started 24th and finished 16th in the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star to earn the Hedman Husler Award. The four ten-lap preliminary heat races were won by Darda, Breuer, Edge, and Cantrell.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series “Ride For Life” two-seat dirt late model was on hand at the Stars and Stripes 50. Race fans bid for rides with Thomas, Edge, Breuer, Eiland, and Paul Walters of Valley, AL in a special auction, and fans also bought raffle tickets for a chance to win a ride at race speed. Just over $2,000 was raised to benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series now moves to East Alabama Motor Speedway on Sunday night for the $2,500-to-win “Salute To The Armed Forces 50,” Round 11 of the 2011 season.
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.