crusapr
09-03-2014, 11:19 AM
CARTERSVILLE, GA – The 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Championship battle will go on to Week 24, as both point leader Chris Holley of Dayton, TX, and the second-place driver Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS picked up wins in Week 23 competition. Holley took a pair of wins on Saturday night at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX to become “Mr. Perfect.”
Holley drove the RP Racing Special to his 14th NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season at Battleground Speedway in the Week 21 Make-Up feature race to reach the 700 point mark of his 2014 season, and become the second driver in the ten-year history of the season to turn in a Perfect Season. Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS did it last year on his way to the National Championship.
Although Holley has a 700-point perfect season, he has not yet clinched the $10,000 title, as Palasini also has the opportunity to do so. However, Holley made it a tough opportunity by also winning the second feature on Saturday night at Battleground Speedway for a 15th victory to put in his “tie-breaker bank.”
Palasini didn’t race until Sunday night at his home track, Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS, where he had to win to stay alive in the championship battle. Palasini did just that, as he picked up his tenth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the 2014 season in the MP Trucking Special. Palasini has a best 14 total of 691 points.
There was almost a showdown between Holley and Palasini in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 competition. Palasini was a guest on the NeSmith Race Report radio show in Tuesday night, and said he and his race team was loaded up and ready to make the eight hour trip to Highlands, TX to take on Holley, but the weather forecast kept them closer to home.
Going into Week 24 of the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series 27-week season, the championship scenario is simple. If Holley wins, he is the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion. If Holley doesn’t win, Palasini has to win to stay alive for a chance to win the title. If Palasini doesn’t win this week, Holley is the champion.
With Holley reaching the 700 point mark, four drivers – Ryan King of Seymour, TN, Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS, Daspit, and Heath Minor of Ralph, AL - were eliminated from NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series championship contention.
As it turned out, there was a big shuffle in the top ten points fund paying positions of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings behind Holley and Palasini after Week 23 competition with four weeks to go in the 2014 season.
Delbert Smith of Wichita, KS had a point rich weekend with his sixth win of the season in the Week 21 Make-Up Race on Saturday night at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS that followed a second-place finish in the Week 23 race on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS driving the BSB Manufacturing Special.
Smith was able to net a total of 13 points in the two races and jumped from a tie for ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings to the third spot. Smith has a best 14 week total of 689 points.
King dropped to the fourth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with a best 14 week total of 686 points, as he failed to net any points in Week 23 competition. King was leading the feature race on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN with just a couple of laps to go, but tangled with a lapped car and was forced to pit with a cut tire.
King was able to return to action, but a sixth-place finish in the Brian King Roofing Stinger left him two spots short of netting any points. King’s misfortune was a break for Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN, as he took over the lead and ended up taking his fifth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season.
That netted Ballenger three points, and gave him sole possession of fifth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 685 points driving the Rehel Diesel/E. TN Metals Special.
Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS did not race The Strength Center Special in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 competition, and fell from fourth to sixth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 684 points.
411 Motor Speedway was a busy place Saturday night, as not only did they have two of their regular racers as NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Top 10 drivers in King and Ballenger, but they also had Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL in the house. Gauldin was unable to net any points after driving the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT to a fifth-place finish.
Gauldin is now tied for the seventh spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS, as both drivers have a best 14-week total of 682 points. Bridgmon left the Robinson Electric Supply Special in the trailer and did not compete in Week 23 action.
Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 679 points. Lee also did not compete in Week 23 action in the Billy Riels Racing GRT.
Chris Kratzer of Hayesville, KS drove the O’Hara & O’Hara Special to his fourth win of the season on Friday night at Salina Speedway and was able to net five points which moved him up to the tenth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 total of 678 points.
In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 action, Ashley Newman of Ripley, TN drove the Greg’s Sawmill Special to his tenth win of the season on Friday night at Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, TN, and Dana Eiland of Salem, AL took the $1,000 top prize on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL driving the Andy’s Auto Parts Special.
There were four rainouts in Week 23 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition. Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS was rained out on Friday night, and Saturday night rainouts occurred at Clayhill Motorsports, St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA and at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.
After 23 weeks of the 27-week 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season, a total of 460 different drivers have earned points, which is now over the 2013 total of 445 drivers. The complete NeSmith Chevrolet WRS point standings are posted on the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS web site at www.nesmithracing.com.
For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new 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.
Holley drove the RP Racing Special to his 14th NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season at Battleground Speedway in the Week 21 Make-Up feature race to reach the 700 point mark of his 2014 season, and become the second driver in the ten-year history of the season to turn in a Perfect Season. Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS did it last year on his way to the National Championship.
Although Holley has a 700-point perfect season, he has not yet clinched the $10,000 title, as Palasini also has the opportunity to do so. However, Holley made it a tough opportunity by also winning the second feature on Saturday night at Battleground Speedway for a 15th victory to put in his “tie-breaker bank.”
Palasini didn’t race until Sunday night at his home track, Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS, where he had to win to stay alive in the championship battle. Palasini did just that, as he picked up his tenth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the 2014 season in the MP Trucking Special. Palasini has a best 14 total of 691 points.
There was almost a showdown between Holley and Palasini in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 competition. Palasini was a guest on the NeSmith Race Report radio show in Tuesday night, and said he and his race team was loaded up and ready to make the eight hour trip to Highlands, TX to take on Holley, but the weather forecast kept them closer to home.
Going into Week 24 of the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series 27-week season, the championship scenario is simple. If Holley wins, he is the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion. If Holley doesn’t win, Palasini has to win to stay alive for a chance to win the title. If Palasini doesn’t win this week, Holley is the champion.
With Holley reaching the 700 point mark, four drivers – Ryan King of Seymour, TN, Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS, Daspit, and Heath Minor of Ralph, AL - were eliminated from NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series championship contention.
As it turned out, there was a big shuffle in the top ten points fund paying positions of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings behind Holley and Palasini after Week 23 competition with four weeks to go in the 2014 season.
Delbert Smith of Wichita, KS had a point rich weekend with his sixth win of the season in the Week 21 Make-Up Race on Saturday night at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS that followed a second-place finish in the Week 23 race on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS driving the BSB Manufacturing Special.
Smith was able to net a total of 13 points in the two races and jumped from a tie for ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings to the third spot. Smith has a best 14 week total of 689 points.
King dropped to the fourth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with a best 14 week total of 686 points, as he failed to net any points in Week 23 competition. King was leading the feature race on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN with just a couple of laps to go, but tangled with a lapped car and was forced to pit with a cut tire.
King was able to return to action, but a sixth-place finish in the Brian King Roofing Stinger left him two spots short of netting any points. King’s misfortune was a break for Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN, as he took over the lead and ended up taking his fifth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season.
That netted Ballenger three points, and gave him sole possession of fifth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 685 points driving the Rehel Diesel/E. TN Metals Special.
Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS did not race The Strength Center Special in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 competition, and fell from fourth to sixth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 684 points.
411 Motor Speedway was a busy place Saturday night, as not only did they have two of their regular racers as NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Top 10 drivers in King and Ballenger, but they also had Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL in the house. Gauldin was unable to net any points after driving the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT to a fifth-place finish.
Gauldin is now tied for the seventh spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS, as both drivers have a best 14-week total of 682 points. Bridgmon left the Robinson Electric Supply Special in the trailer and did not compete in Week 23 action.
Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 679 points. Lee also did not compete in Week 23 action in the Billy Riels Racing GRT.
Chris Kratzer of Hayesville, KS drove the O’Hara & O’Hara Special to his fourth win of the season on Friday night at Salina Speedway and was able to net five points which moved him up to the tenth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 total of 678 points.
In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 23 action, Ashley Newman of Ripley, TN drove the Greg’s Sawmill Special to his tenth win of the season on Friday night at Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, TN, and Dana Eiland of Salem, AL took the $1,000 top prize on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL driving the Andy’s Auto Parts Special.
There were four rainouts in Week 23 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition. Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS was rained out on Friday night, and Saturday night rainouts occurred at Clayhill Motorsports, St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA and at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.
After 23 weeks of the 27-week 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season, a total of 460 different drivers have earned points, which is now over the 2013 total of 445 drivers. The complete NeSmith Chevrolet WRS point standings are posted on the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS web site at www.nesmithracing.com.
For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new 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.