crusapr
12-01-2012, 02:46 AM
OCALA, FL – Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL earned the pole position for Saturday night’s $10,000-to-win 100-lap 8th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at Bubba Raceway Park.
In Friday night preliminary action, three Florida drivers and four Florida cars won the four 15-lap heat races to take the top four starting spots for Saturday night’s big show. The four preliminary races were highlighted by three and four-wide racing.
Whitener, the 2012 Bubba Raceway Park Late Model Champion, drove the B&B Produce/Dave’s Towing Special to fast time honors and then won the first 15-lap heat race in dominating fashion to earn the inside front row starting spot.
Kyle Bronson of Tampa, FL was the second quick qualifier and won the second 15-lap heat race on Friday night in the Brandon Ford Warrior to earn the outside front row starting spot for the 8th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race.
Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL drove the Snow Brothers Special to third quick time and won the third heat race on Friday night, and will start on the inside of row two for Saturday night’s big show.
The 2010 Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race winner, Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, WV, drove the Tampa, FL-based and Ken Nosbisch-owned Mainland Transport Warrior to a win in the fourth 15-lap heat race to start the Saturday night main event from the outside of row two.
In Friday night’s Group Qualifying, Whitener out-timed the 45-car field with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 15.477 seconds. That gave him the pole position for the first heat race, which he went on to win. The top four finishers in each of the four heat races on Friday night transferred into Saturday night’s World Championship Race.
Joining Whitener as transfer drivers out of the first heat race were Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN in the Biff Motorsports Special, Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL in the Transportation Specialist Warrior, and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN in the Eads Farms/Hardy & Associates Warrior.
Following Bronson in second heat race transfer spots were Jason Fitzgerald of Middleburg, FL in the M&M Transport Refrigeration GRT, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN in the Jim Beeman Lumber Special, and the 2012 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC in the CANCO Rocket.
Second through fourth in the third heat race behind Lloyd were Dennis “Rambo” Franklin of Gaffney, SC in the AES Racing Special, Justin McRee of Cottondale, AL in the High Roller Race Cars Special, and Chris Wilson of Crossville, TN in the Dale’s Auto Sales GRT.
Taking the transfer spots in the fourth heat race behind Horton were Mack McCarter of Sevierville, TN in the CVR Race Cars Special, Ryan Montgomery of Fairmont, WV in the T.J. Contracting Warrior, and David Smith of Inman, SC in the McCarter Towing TNT.
Drivers that finished fifth on back in their respective heat races on Friday night will have one more opportunity on Saturday night to make the $10,000-to-win 100 lap main event through one of two 20-lap B-Main races where the top three finishers will transfer to the big show.
Among the 29 drivers still on the outside looking in is the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA.
Turner arrived at the last race of the season this weekend with a 16-point lead over David Earl Gentry. Turner’s night started off well in the Hedman Husler Special, as he was the fourth fastest qualifier, and started on the pole position for the fourth heat race. An ill-handling race car dropped him to a sixth-place finish. Turner will start fourth in the first 20-lap B-Main.
At best, a B-Main win would see Turner starting 17th, and Gentry starting 13th. That would give Turner an eight-point lead going into the main event. Turner is the first driver eligible for the 23rd provisional starting spot. That’s where Turner would start if he fails to transfer out of the B-Main race. This scenario would give Gentry a four point lead starting the big show.
Other top ten NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series drivers still on the outside looking in are third-place Larry Harrod of Plains, GA, fourth-place Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL, fifth-place Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, seventh-place Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS, and eighth-place Cody Kierre of Beebe, AR.
Others that will trying to race their way into the World Championship Race through a B-Main race on Saturday night include National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN, Rodney Wing of Meridian, MS, and Jeff Mathews of Tampa, FL.
The action gets underway on Saturday night with Hot Laps at 7 p.m. Bubba Raceway Park is located north of Ocala, FL at 9050 N.W. Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34482. For more information call 352-622-9400, or visit the track web site at www.bubbaracewaypark.com and on Facebook at Bubba Raceway Park.
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. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.
In Friday night preliminary action, three Florida drivers and four Florida cars won the four 15-lap heat races to take the top four starting spots for Saturday night’s big show. The four preliminary races were highlighted by three and four-wide racing.
Whitener, the 2012 Bubba Raceway Park Late Model Champion, drove the B&B Produce/Dave’s Towing Special to fast time honors and then won the first 15-lap heat race in dominating fashion to earn the inside front row starting spot.
Kyle Bronson of Tampa, FL was the second quick qualifier and won the second 15-lap heat race on Friday night in the Brandon Ford Warrior to earn the outside front row starting spot for the 8th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race.
Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL drove the Snow Brothers Special to third quick time and won the third heat race on Friday night, and will start on the inside of row two for Saturday night’s big show.
The 2010 Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race winner, Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, WV, drove the Tampa, FL-based and Ken Nosbisch-owned Mainland Transport Warrior to a win in the fourth 15-lap heat race to start the Saturday night main event from the outside of row two.
In Friday night’s Group Qualifying, Whitener out-timed the 45-car field with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 15.477 seconds. That gave him the pole position for the first heat race, which he went on to win. The top four finishers in each of the four heat races on Friday night transferred into Saturday night’s World Championship Race.
Joining Whitener as transfer drivers out of the first heat race were Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN in the Biff Motorsports Special, Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL in the Transportation Specialist Warrior, and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN in the Eads Farms/Hardy & Associates Warrior.
Following Bronson in second heat race transfer spots were Jason Fitzgerald of Middleburg, FL in the M&M Transport Refrigeration GRT, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN in the Jim Beeman Lumber Special, and the 2012 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC in the CANCO Rocket.
Second through fourth in the third heat race behind Lloyd were Dennis “Rambo” Franklin of Gaffney, SC in the AES Racing Special, Justin McRee of Cottondale, AL in the High Roller Race Cars Special, and Chris Wilson of Crossville, TN in the Dale’s Auto Sales GRT.
Taking the transfer spots in the fourth heat race behind Horton were Mack McCarter of Sevierville, TN in the CVR Race Cars Special, Ryan Montgomery of Fairmont, WV in the T.J. Contracting Warrior, and David Smith of Inman, SC in the McCarter Towing TNT.
Drivers that finished fifth on back in their respective heat races on Friday night will have one more opportunity on Saturday night to make the $10,000-to-win 100 lap main event through one of two 20-lap B-Main races where the top three finishers will transfer to the big show.
Among the 29 drivers still on the outside looking in is the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point leader Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA.
Turner arrived at the last race of the season this weekend with a 16-point lead over David Earl Gentry. Turner’s night started off well in the Hedman Husler Special, as he was the fourth fastest qualifier, and started on the pole position for the fourth heat race. An ill-handling race car dropped him to a sixth-place finish. Turner will start fourth in the first 20-lap B-Main.
At best, a B-Main win would see Turner starting 17th, and Gentry starting 13th. That would give Turner an eight-point lead going into the main event. Turner is the first driver eligible for the 23rd provisional starting spot. That’s where Turner would start if he fails to transfer out of the B-Main race. This scenario would give Gentry a four point lead starting the big show.
Other top ten NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series drivers still on the outside looking in are third-place Larry Harrod of Plains, GA, fourth-place Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL, fifth-place Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, seventh-place Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS, and eighth-place Cody Kierre of Beebe, AR.
Others that will trying to race their way into the World Championship Race through a B-Main race on Saturday night include National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN, Rodney Wing of Meridian, MS, and Jeff Mathews of Tampa, FL.
The action gets underway on Saturday night with Hot Laps at 7 p.m. Bubba Raceway Park is located north of Ocala, FL at 9050 N.W. Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34482. For more information call 352-622-9400, or visit the track web site at www.bubbaracewaypark.com and on Facebook at Bubba Raceway Park.
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. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.