Kid Rocket Blasts To NeSmith Late Model Win At Bubba Raceway Park

OCALA, FL – Josh Richards of Shinnston, WV drove the Sallack Well Service Rocket to his first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win on Friday night at Bubba Raceway Park in Round 2 of the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout. Richards picked up the $2,500 win in the 40-lap main event after a hard fought battle with Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL.

In the last half of the race, Bronson tried both high and low in the Brandon Ford Special to get around Richards for the lead. On two occasions, Bronson looked like he was going to take the lead after getting alongside Richards, only to have caution flags spoil the effort.

“This is only the second time I’ve run a race with a Chevrolet Performance 604 Racing Engine, and it takes a different style of driving that I’m still trying to learn,” Richards said. “Kyle Bronson and I are both aggressive drivers, and he made me earn this one. If it wasn’t for Bubba Clem and his track crew, we wouldn’t have had a track to race on tonight. After all of the rain they’ve had here over the last few days, the track was still pretty wet.”

After leading the first four laps of the race, Bronson finished second, .755 seconds behind Richards. Walker Arthur of Forest, VA took the checkered flag in third, but he was disqualified in the post-race technical inspection with unapproved suspension components on his Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special.

That moved Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, SC up to the third spot in the M&W Transport Special. Tyler Bare of Rockridge Baths, VA was fourth in the Blue Grass Farm Special, and Justin Williams of Concord, VA drove the Ditch Witch Special to a fifth-place finish. Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL came from the 18th starting spot to finish sixth in the Image Skin Care Rocket.

Logan Robertson of Waynesboro, VA took the seventh spot in the Mike’s Tire and Auto Special, and Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL took over the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout point lead with an eighth-place finish in the Edge’s Gas Company Special. Edge holds a 48-point lead over William Thomas of Phenix City, AL.

The ninth spot went to Jimmy Mac of Mooresville, NC in the Lake Norman Motors Special. Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series driver, 15-year-old Bryan Marsh of Corinth, MS, rounded out the top ten in the Modern Woodmen Trak-Star after starting 22nd.

In preliminary action, Trent Ivey of Union, SC was the fast qualifier among the 53 entrants with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 15.060 seconds driving the Ivey Construction Special. The four 12-lap B-Main Races were won by Shan Smith of Dade City, FL in the Smith Racing Rocket, Ralph Morgan Jr. of Mount Union, PA in the Morgan’s Excavating Special, Mike Pegher Jr. of Cranberry Township, PA in the Royal Flush, Inc. Rocket, and Ryan Carter of Blackshear, GA in the Mark’s Auto and Collision Special.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to Bubba Raceway Park for a Saturday Double-Header. There will be a Saturday afternoon show featuring Round 3 of the RockAuto.con Winter Shootout with a $3,000-to-win 50-lap main event. The Saturday night show will be the non-points $10,000-to-win 100-lap 11th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race.

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 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.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 2 FOR THE ROCKAUTO.COM WINTER SHOOTOUT AT BUBBA RACEWAY PARK IN OCALA, FL ON 1/29/16:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 2 17b Josh Richards Shinnston, WV 40 $2,500
2. 3 40 Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL 40 $1,250
3. 8 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC 40 $850
4. 6 30b Tyler Bare Rockridge Baths, VA 40 $700
5. 5 1w Justin Williams Concord, VA 40 $650
6. 18 02 Keith Nosbisch Valrico, FL 40 $550
7. 7 17r Logan Robertson Waynesboro, VA 40 $500
8. 15 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 40 $450
9. 13 23 Jimmy Mac Mooresville, NC 40 $400
10. 22 1m Bryant Marsh (Y) Corinth, MS 40 $375
11. 17 71 Hudson O’Neal Martinsville, IN 40 $350
12. 21 10 Ryan Crane Panama City, FL 38 $300
13. 1 88 Trent Ivey Union, SC 35 $280
14. 11 RJ1 Mike Pegher Jr. Cranberry, PA 34 $260
15. 9 45 Shan Smith Dade City, FL 24 $250
16. 10 44 Ralph Morgan Jr. Mount Union, PA 23 $240
17. 16 94 Bryan Davis Hornell, NY 18 $220
18. 14 5 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL 10 $200
19. 12 52 Ryan Carter Blackshear, GA 9 $200
20. 23 7a Cory Almond Appomattox, VA 9 $200
21. 24 J17 Joe Kump Lake Helen, FL 7 $200
22. 19 21b Billy Beacher Franklin, NY 3 $200
23. 20 72 Frank Wilson Milton, FL 1 $200
24. 4 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA 40 $0/DQ-Sspntn

ENTRIES: 53
FAST QUALIFIER: Ivey, 15.060 Seconds
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Bronson, 1-4; Richards, 5-40
CAUTIONS: 4
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .755 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 28 Minutes and 37.836 Seconds

QUALIFYING (Top 8 Advance To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS 1ST LAP 2ND LAP TIME
1 88 Trent Ivey Union, SC Barry Wright 15.060 15.105 15.060
2 17b Josh Richards Shinnston, WV Rocket 15.142 15.129 15.129
3 40b Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL Longhorn 15.395 15.250 15.250
4 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA Mastersbilt 15.351 15.287 15.287
5 1w Justin Williams Concord, VA Longhorn 15.500 15.371 15.371
6 30b Tyler Bare Rockridge Baths, VA MBH 15.521 15.373 15.373
7 17 Logan Roberson - Y Waynesboro, VA Mastersbilt 15.588 15.390 15.390
8 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC Longhorn 15.401 15.634 15.401
9 71 Hudson O'Neal Martinsville, IN Barry Wright 15.426 15.440 15.426
10 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA Rocket 15.462 15.953 15.462
11 RJ1 Mike Pegher Jr. Cranberry Twnshp, PA Rocket 15.644 15.474 15.474
12 52 Ryan Carter Blackshear, GA Mastersbilt 15.515 15.560 15.515
13 2x Anthony White Clinton, TN Longhorn 15.528 15.803 15.528
14 44m Ralph Morgan Jr. Mount Union, PA Mastersbilt 15.533 15.587 15.533
15 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr. Ocala, FL Snow Bros. 15.721 15.571 15.571
16 94 Bryan Davis Hornell, NY GRT 15.861 15.575 15.575
17 58 Austin Kirkpatrick Red(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), FL Rocket 15.640 16.058 15.640
18 1 Bryant Marsh - Y Corinth, MS Trak-Star 15.839 15.666 15.666
19 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 15.708 15.680 15.680
20 19 William Thomas Phenix City, AL Longhorn 15.889 15.693 15.693
21 45 Shan Smith Dade City, FL Rocket 15.695 15.954 15.695
22 5 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 15.697 15.820 15.697
23 85 Tom Maddox Centre, AL Warrior 15.717 16.607 15.717
24 72 Frank Wilson Milton, FL HRRC 16.155 15.718 15.718
25 14 Tyler Clem - Y St. Petersburg, FL Rocket 15.979 15.751 15.751
26 77 Adam Bowman Seymour, IN Mastersbilt 15.786 15.881 15.786
27 7a Corey Almond Appomattox, VA Longhorn 15.791 15.795 15.791
28 J17 Joe Kump Lake Helen, FL GRT 15.824 15.863 15.824
29 00 Bronson Berry Huntingdon, TN Pierce 15.873 15.859 15.859
30 00m Monte Skinner Saraland, AL Capital 15.873 16.138 15.873
31 21 Billy Beacher Franklin, NY Mastersbilt 16.206 15.897 15.897
32 9k Mike Knight Ripley, NY Longhorn 15.903 16.196 15.903
33 10 Ryan Crane Panama City, FL Rocket 15.906 16.293 15.906
34 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Black Diamond 15.915 16.588 15.915
35 21c Cale Conley Davidson, NC Pierce 16.274 15.935 15.935
36 22 Will Roland - Y Jasper, GA Warrior 15.938 16.238 15.938
37 23 Jimmy Mac Mooresville, NC Barry Wright 16.339 15.949 15.949
38 02 Keith Nosbisch Valrico, FL Rocket 16.257 15.955 15.955
39 1 Kevin Maher McDonald, FL GRT 16.021 16.329 16.021
40 0 Ryan Scott Garland, PA Rocket 16.177 16.023 16.023
41 36 Cody Dawson Westover, MD Rocket 16.164 16.024 16.024
42 6 Jimmy Halford Atwood, TN CVR 16.031 16.632 16.031
43 30 Ryan King Seymour, TN Stinger 16.364 16.069 16.069
44 112 Chris Bayhi Pensacola, FL Rocket 16.197 16.070 16.070
45 110 Brent Barrett Cleveland, MS GRT 16.165 16.119 16.119
46 44s Matt Shipley Weston, OH Rayburn 16.312 16.336 16.312
47 6 Blake Spencer St. Augustine, FL GRT 16.418 16.323 16.323
48 15 Jason Britton Alexander City, AL Pierce 17.739 16.470 16.470
49 44 Dylan Lewis Oakland, MD Mastersbilt 16.505 16.897 16.505
50 12s Michael Lake Uniontown, PA Rocket 17.418 16.574 16.574
51 4 Joe Mike Mayfield, KY Pierce 17.599 16.980 16.980
52 34 Mike Basham Sellersburg, IN Warrior 17.289 16.987 16.987
53 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS HRRC NT NT NT
54 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN Mastersbilt NT NT NT-DQ TIRE

B-MAINS (Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Smith; 2. Mac; 3. O’Neal; 4. Crane; 5. Lewis; 6. Kirkpatrick; 7. Berry; 8. Clem (Y); 9. White; 10. Dawson; 11. Stokes DNS; 12. Barrett DNS.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Morgan; 2. Whitener; 3. Nosbisch; 4. Marsh (Y); 5. Bowman; 6. Shipley; 7. Halford; 8. Cooper; 9. Blair; 10. Skinner; 11. Lake (Y).

3RD B-MAIN: 1. Pegher; 2. Edge; 3. Beachler; 4. Almond; 5. Conley; 6. Maher; 7. King; 8. Spencer; 9. Mike; 10. Maddox; 11. Lloyd.

4TH B-MAIN: 1. Carter; 2. Davis; 3. Wilson; 4. Kump; 5. Thomas; 6. Knight; 7. Bayhi; 8. Scott; 9. Roland (Y); 10. Britton; 11. Basham.