crusapr
09-13-2015, 05:39 AM
SWEETWATER, TN - It was a race with a “Hollywood” ending. Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN drove the Rebel Diesel Rocket #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car to the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win Saturday night at I-75 Raceway. Duayne “Hollywood” Hommel was there himself to share in the win, and was the first one in an emotional victory lane to greet the winner.
Not only was Hommel there to witness the win, but according to Henderson, he contributed to the victory.
“Duayne was telling me before qualifying how many turns on the suspension here, and how many turns there, and that’s what we did,” Henderson said. “So, what did we do, go out and set fast time. Then he tells us what tire we need on each corner, so that’s what we did. We led all 50 laps, and I was so happy that Duayne was here tonight when I took the checkered flag, I was just crying my eyes out and fist pumping out the window. Nights like this are ones you seem to only dream about, but tonight it came true. It was just awesome to see him when I got to victory lane!”
In 2003, Hommel was quickly becoming a rising star on the National stage of dirt late model racing, but a highway accident late that season left him with a serious head injury that ended his career. Hommel may now have to get around in a wheelchair, and he may have trouble speaking, but Henderson’s winning testimony shows that Hommel is still as sharp as a tack when it comes to race cars.
The evening at I-75 Raceway not only ended special, but it started off pretty special as well. During intermission, the NeSmith Late Model drivers came to the grandstands with their helmets in an effort to help another injured driver, Jeff Smith of Dalton, GA, who broke his neck in an accident during the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race at I-75 Raceway on August 14.
After having surgery, Smith is on the mend, but he will be in a halo device for three months, and can’t work. The great race fans at I-75 Raceway reached into their pockets and purses to collect $1,612.37 for Jeff Smith and his family.
Then, the performance by Henderson for Hommel in the H2 car just put the icing on the cake. The win also gave Henderson the Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Race Award. With purse money and special contingency awards, Henderson’s second win of the season was worth $2,725.00.
Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Lenoir City, TN finished second in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket, and Anthony White of Clinton, TN drove the Stone Plus Special to a third-place showing. Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL took his third straight fourth-place finish in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN drove the Auto Depot Special to his fifth straight top five finish.
The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN increased his point lead in his quest of an unprecedented third straight title finished sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Trak-Star. Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN was seventh in the Williams and Sons Farms CVR.
Jason Welshan of Maryville, TN drove the Hidden Hollow Motorsports Special to an eighth-place finish and Ryan King of Seymour, TN took the ninth spot in the Brian King Roofing Stinger. Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN rounded out the top ten in the A-Plus Collision Center GRT. Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL started 17th and finished 11th in the Panama City Cycles Rocket to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.
During qualifications, Henderson toured the 3/8-mile clay oval in 13.552 seconds to earn his series-leading fourth Fast Time Award of the 2015 season and the pole position for the 50-lap main event. He also picked up a $100 bonus from Seiler Brothers Lumber Company of Sweetwater, TN.
The first ten laps of the race was afflicted with yellowflagitis. The caution light beamed eight times in the first ten tours including twice at the start of the race. Henderson took the lead at the start of the race followed by third starting Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), who dove under outside front row starter White for the second spot.
Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN in the Wade’s Body Shop Special and Justin Summers of Greenback, TN brought about a complete restart after they got together in turn one. The next start saw Brad Coffey of Maryville, TN spin the Coffey Racing Warrior down the backstretch on the opening lap. That made for complete restart number two.
The third time was the charm to get the first lap of the race in, but asking for two might have been a little too much, as a multi-car tangle in turn four sent Summers on his roof, but he was O.K. after crawling out of his bent racer under his own power. The field did get one lap in the books before the red flag came out, bringing about a “Dixie Style” Double File Restart.
Doubled up behind race leader Henderson were Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, King, Williams, Johnson, Morrow, and Coffey in second through tenth respectively. Johnson got busy after the restart, coming from eighth to sixth. Crane spun in turn four on lap seven to unfurl the fourth yellow flag of the race.
The restart saw William Overbey of Norris, TN spin the Overbey Racing Special in turn four, so they doubled them up and tried it again. On this restart, everyone was bumping and gouging for the bottom groove of the track with the exception of King, who tried to dust off the top shelf of the track looking for traction that he never found. King fell from seventh to ninth.
The sixth caution flag was displayed on lap nine when Teague stalled in turn two, The top ten for the restart was Henderson on the point with Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, Johnson, Williams, Welshan, King and Coffey doubled up behind him.
On the restart, Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN spun to the high side of the track in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes Special, hooked the dirt berm at the top of the racing surface, putting his race car on its side, but it landed upright on the top of the berm. Ballenger was O.K., but it necessitated the second red flag of the race to retrieve Ballenger’s machine.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series official called for a single-file restart and the field settled in without incident until lap 11 when Ballenger slowed on the track with damage suffered in his losing bout with the berm. After the next restart, the flagman could have put the yellow flag in its case because it wasn’t needed the rest of the way.
Henderson began lapping cars on the 19th tour of the race with a 1.2 second lead on Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word). The second-place driver did close to within six tenths of a second of Henderson on lap 35, but the leader opened his margin back up and took a ,833 second margin of victory under the checkered flag.
The next race for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be on October 16-17 at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA for the 60-lap $5,000-to-win Showdown On The Coast, Round 21 of the 2015 season.
For more information and rules 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.
Not only was Hommel there to witness the win, but according to Henderson, he contributed to the victory.
“Duayne was telling me before qualifying how many turns on the suspension here, and how many turns there, and that’s what we did,” Henderson said. “So, what did we do, go out and set fast time. Then he tells us what tire we need on each corner, so that’s what we did. We led all 50 laps, and I was so happy that Duayne was here tonight when I took the checkered flag, I was just crying my eyes out and fist pumping out the window. Nights like this are ones you seem to only dream about, but tonight it came true. It was just awesome to see him when I got to victory lane!”
In 2003, Hommel was quickly becoming a rising star on the National stage of dirt late model racing, but a highway accident late that season left him with a serious head injury that ended his career. Hommel may now have to get around in a wheelchair, and he may have trouble speaking, but Henderson’s winning testimony shows that Hommel is still as sharp as a tack when it comes to race cars.
The evening at I-75 Raceway not only ended special, but it started off pretty special as well. During intermission, the NeSmith Late Model drivers came to the grandstands with their helmets in an effort to help another injured driver, Jeff Smith of Dalton, GA, who broke his neck in an accident during the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race at I-75 Raceway on August 14.
After having surgery, Smith is on the mend, but he will be in a halo device for three months, and can’t work. The great race fans at I-75 Raceway reached into their pockets and purses to collect $1,612.37 for Jeff Smith and his family.
Then, the performance by Henderson for Hommel in the H2 car just put the icing on the cake. The win also gave Henderson the Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Race Award. With purse money and special contingency awards, Henderson’s second win of the season was worth $2,725.00.
Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Lenoir City, TN finished second in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket, and Anthony White of Clinton, TN drove the Stone Plus Special to a third-place showing. Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL took his third straight fourth-place finish in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN drove the Auto Depot Special to his fifth straight top five finish.
The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN increased his point lead in his quest of an unprecedented third straight title finished sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Trak-Star. Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN was seventh in the Williams and Sons Farms CVR.
Jason Welshan of Maryville, TN drove the Hidden Hollow Motorsports Special to an eighth-place finish and Ryan King of Seymour, TN took the ninth spot in the Brian King Roofing Stinger. Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN rounded out the top ten in the A-Plus Collision Center GRT. Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL started 17th and finished 11th in the Panama City Cycles Rocket to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.
During qualifications, Henderson toured the 3/8-mile clay oval in 13.552 seconds to earn his series-leading fourth Fast Time Award of the 2015 season and the pole position for the 50-lap main event. He also picked up a $100 bonus from Seiler Brothers Lumber Company of Sweetwater, TN.
The first ten laps of the race was afflicted with yellowflagitis. The caution light beamed eight times in the first ten tours including twice at the start of the race. Henderson took the lead at the start of the race followed by third starting Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), who dove under outside front row starter White for the second spot.
Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN in the Wade’s Body Shop Special and Justin Summers of Greenback, TN brought about a complete restart after they got together in turn one. The next start saw Brad Coffey of Maryville, TN spin the Coffey Racing Warrior down the backstretch on the opening lap. That made for complete restart number two.
The third time was the charm to get the first lap of the race in, but asking for two might have been a little too much, as a multi-car tangle in turn four sent Summers on his roof, but he was O.K. after crawling out of his bent racer under his own power. The field did get one lap in the books before the red flag came out, bringing about a “Dixie Style” Double File Restart.
Doubled up behind race leader Henderson were Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, King, Williams, Johnson, Morrow, and Coffey in second through tenth respectively. Johnson got busy after the restart, coming from eighth to sixth. Crane spun in turn four on lap seven to unfurl the fourth yellow flag of the race.
The restart saw William Overbey of Norris, TN spin the Overbey Racing Special in turn four, so they doubled them up and tried it again. On this restart, everyone was bumping and gouging for the bottom groove of the track with the exception of King, who tried to dust off the top shelf of the track looking for traction that he never found. King fell from seventh to ninth.
The sixth caution flag was displayed on lap nine when Teague stalled in turn two, The top ten for the restart was Henderson on the point with Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), White, Edge, Ownbey, Johnson, Williams, Welshan, King and Coffey doubled up behind him.
On the restart, Rusty Ballenger of Sevierville, TN spun to the high side of the track in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes Special, hooked the dirt berm at the top of the racing surface, putting his race car on its side, but it landed upright on the top of the berm. Ballenger was O.K., but it necessitated the second red flag of the race to retrieve Ballenger’s machine.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series official called for a single-file restart and the field settled in without incident until lap 11 when Ballenger slowed on the track with damage suffered in his losing bout with the berm. After the next restart, the flagman could have put the yellow flag in its case because it wasn’t needed the rest of the way.
Henderson began lapping cars on the 19th tour of the race with a 1.2 second lead on Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word). The second-place driver did close to within six tenths of a second of Henderson on lap 35, but the leader opened his margin back up and took a ,833 second margin of victory under the checkered flag.
The next race for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be on October 16-17 at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA for the 60-lap $5,000-to-win Showdown On The Coast, Round 21 of the 2015 season.
For more information and rules 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.