crusapr
11-20-2011, 03:53 AM
MERIDIAN, MS – Rodney Wing of Meridian, MS posted a wire-to-wire $5,000 victory in the 6th Annual Coca-Cola Zero 75 for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park in the Lawson Construction Rocket. Wing had a close call with a lapped car on lap 32, but he just made it through and then breezed to victory.
Coming through the fourth turn on the 32nd lap, the lapped car of Ryan King of Anniston, AL spun in front of Wing, who had to take evasive action through the infield and just clipped a utility tire that marked the inside of the race track.
“I thought we were in trouble when the lapped car spun in front of us and we hit that utility tire, but we re-enforced our front bumper with some plywood, and it held up,” Wing said. “We really needed this win because our funds were getting pretty low this late in the season. Not much of this race car belongs to me, but I sure do love to drive it.”
Mike Boland of Cuba, AL was able to get close to Wing early in the race, but had to settle for second in The Strength Center Trak-Star, a half-straightaway behind Wing at the checkered flag. Point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC finished third in the AES Racing Special and extended his point lead over two-time series champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN to 46 points.
Gentry, who was six points behind Breuer coming into the race, was the first car out of the race on lap six when his Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Warrior was forced into the backstretch wall by another car and finished 26th. Gentry’s misfortune earned him the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS took the fourth spot in the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics GRT which moved him into the tenth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings. Two-time series champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS started 18th and finished fifth in the Harrod Logging Special.
Larry Harrod of Plains, GA was sixth in the Harrod Logging Special and Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS drove the Billy Riels Racing GRT to a seventh-place finish. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA started 22nd and finished eighth in the Hedman Husler to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.
Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL was ninth in the Tower Maintenance/Edge’s Gas Company Special and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race. Daniel Bridgeman of Meridian, MS rounded out the top ten in the Robinson Electric Supply Special.
Wing took the lead at the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting spot followed by pole sitter Harrod, Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL in the Century Dedicated, Inc. Trak-Star, Breuer and Boland. McRee, Breuer and Boland broke out in a three-wide battle for third on lap three. J-Mac held the spot on lap four leaving Breuer and Boland going wheel-to-wheel for fourth.
The first of six caution flags came out on lap six after Gentry crashed on the backstretch. On the restart, Neil Baggett of Shannon, MS spun the Montgomery Farms Special coming off the fourth turn, collecting three other cars. On the next restart, McRee and Boland got back by Harrod dropping him to the fourth spot.
Chris O’Connor of Cantonment, FL stalled the Dean’s Solid Surfacing Warrior in turn three to light up the caution bulb for the third time on lap nine. Boland drove around the outside of McRee on the restart to take over the second spot, and pulled up underneath Wing on lap 10 to challenge for the lead.
The side-by-side battle for the lead was interrupted by the fourth caution flag of the race on lap 12 when Baggett stalled on the backstretch with a cut tire. The restart saw wholesale changes among the top five drivers.
McRee got by Boland for the second spot, Breuer passed Harrod for fourth, and Stokes passed Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS in the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star for the sixth spot. Stokes was on the move, as he passed Harrod for the fifth spot on lap 14. Two drivers from the back of the pack were also moving through the field.
Turner climbed into the tenth spot after starting 22nd, and Randy King of Meridian, MS was running 11th by lap 15 after starting 24th in the H&H Sales Special. Wing had pulled out to a full straightaway lead over McRee when he began to encounter the cars on the tail of the lead lap on the 19th tour.
McDuffie pulled to the infield on lap 22 giving up the sixth spot, and on lap 29, Boland got by McRee for second, but McRee was able to retake the spot on lap 31. The fifth caution flag came out on lap 32. It was the King and Wing connection, as King spun the David King Automotive Special in from the Wing in turn four.
Wing was able to sneak through the infield without any damage to up line on the point for the restart followed by McRee, Boland, Breuer, Stokes, Harrod, Cooley, Bridgeman, Randy King and Turner. Boland took over the second spot on lap 37 when McRee slowed and went to the pit area. The final caution flag came out on lap 48 when Ryan King stalled in turn four.
Wing led Boland, Breuer, Cooley, Stokes, Harrod, Lee, Randy King, Turner and Bridgeman down for the restart. Stokes got by Cooley for the fourth spot, and by lap 55, Wing had pulled out to a half straightaway lead on Boland. The race went clean and green the rest of the way. Wing caught lapped traffic with ten laps to go, but Boland was unable to close in to challenge for the lead.
In preliminary action, the two 20-lap Microtel Inn B-Main Races were won by Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS in the Custom Spraying GRT and Lee. Randy King won the 18-lap Buddy’s Home Furnishings Last Chance Dash.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series moves to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS for a $2,000-to-win 40-lap event on Sunday afternoon. Gates open at 12 Noon with racing at 2 p.m.
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.
Coming through the fourth turn on the 32nd lap, the lapped car of Ryan King of Anniston, AL spun in front of Wing, who had to take evasive action through the infield and just clipped a utility tire that marked the inside of the race track.
“I thought we were in trouble when the lapped car spun in front of us and we hit that utility tire, but we re-enforced our front bumper with some plywood, and it held up,” Wing said. “We really needed this win because our funds were getting pretty low this late in the season. Not much of this race car belongs to me, but I sure do love to drive it.”
Mike Boland of Cuba, AL was able to get close to Wing early in the race, but had to settle for second in The Strength Center Trak-Star, a half-straightaway behind Wing at the checkered flag. Point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC finished third in the AES Racing Special and extended his point lead over two-time series champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN to 46 points.
Gentry, who was six points behind Breuer coming into the race, was the first car out of the race on lap six when his Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Warrior was forced into the backstretch wall by another car and finished 26th. Gentry’s misfortune earned him the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS took the fourth spot in the TJC Mortgage/Maximum Signs and Graphics GRT which moved him into the tenth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings. Two-time series champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS started 18th and finished fifth in the Harrod Logging Special.
Larry Harrod of Plains, GA was sixth in the Harrod Logging Special and Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS drove the Billy Riels Racing GRT to a seventh-place finish. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA started 22nd and finished eighth in the Hedman Husler to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.
Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL was ninth in the Tower Maintenance/Edge’s Gas Company Special and was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race. Daniel Bridgeman of Meridian, MS rounded out the top ten in the Robinson Electric Supply Special.
Wing took the lead at the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting spot followed by pole sitter Harrod, Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL in the Century Dedicated, Inc. Trak-Star, Breuer and Boland. McRee, Breuer and Boland broke out in a three-wide battle for third on lap three. J-Mac held the spot on lap four leaving Breuer and Boland going wheel-to-wheel for fourth.
The first of six caution flags came out on lap six after Gentry crashed on the backstretch. On the restart, Neil Baggett of Shannon, MS spun the Montgomery Farms Special coming off the fourth turn, collecting three other cars. On the next restart, McRee and Boland got back by Harrod dropping him to the fourth spot.
Chris O’Connor of Cantonment, FL stalled the Dean’s Solid Surfacing Warrior in turn three to light up the caution bulb for the third time on lap nine. Boland drove around the outside of McRee on the restart to take over the second spot, and pulled up underneath Wing on lap 10 to challenge for the lead.
The side-by-side battle for the lead was interrupted by the fourth caution flag of the race on lap 12 when Baggett stalled on the backstretch with a cut tire. The restart saw wholesale changes among the top five drivers.
McRee got by Boland for the second spot, Breuer passed Harrod for fourth, and Stokes passed Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS in the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star for the sixth spot. Stokes was on the move, as he passed Harrod for the fifth spot on lap 14. Two drivers from the back of the pack were also moving through the field.
Turner climbed into the tenth spot after starting 22nd, and Randy King of Meridian, MS was running 11th by lap 15 after starting 24th in the H&H Sales Special. Wing had pulled out to a full straightaway lead over McRee when he began to encounter the cars on the tail of the lead lap on the 19th tour.
McDuffie pulled to the infield on lap 22 giving up the sixth spot, and on lap 29, Boland got by McRee for second, but McRee was able to retake the spot on lap 31. The fifth caution flag came out on lap 32. It was the King and Wing connection, as King spun the David King Automotive Special in from the Wing in turn four.
Wing was able to sneak through the infield without any damage to up line on the point for the restart followed by McRee, Boland, Breuer, Stokes, Harrod, Cooley, Bridgeman, Randy King and Turner. Boland took over the second spot on lap 37 when McRee slowed and went to the pit area. The final caution flag came out on lap 48 when Ryan King stalled in turn four.
Wing led Boland, Breuer, Cooley, Stokes, Harrod, Lee, Randy King, Turner and Bridgeman down for the restart. Stokes got by Cooley for the fourth spot, and by lap 55, Wing had pulled out to a half straightaway lead on Boland. The race went clean and green the rest of the way. Wing caught lapped traffic with ten laps to go, but Boland was unable to close in to challenge for the lead.
In preliminary action, the two 20-lap Microtel Inn B-Main Races were won by Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS in the Custom Spraying GRT and Lee. Randy King won the 18-lap Buddy’s Home Furnishings Last Chance Dash.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series moves to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS for a $2,000-to-win 40-lap event on Sunday afternoon. Gates open at 12 Noon with racing at 2 p.m.
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.