Stokes Celebrates Birthday As NeSmith Street Stock World Champion

NORMAN PARK, GA – Veteran Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS celebrated his 64th birthday Sunday at Needmore Speedway by winning the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock World Championship Race in the Franks Chevy/NeSmith Chevrolet Claxton, GA Special. “Dr. Dirt” led all 50 laps of the race to pick up the $5,000 winner’s check.

“I just want to thank the Good Lord for keep letting me drive these race cars at age 64,” Stokes said. “The track was great and the car was great because I could drive it anywhere I wanted to on the race track. I want to thank Stacy Robinson for letting me drive this fast race car. I’ve been racing for over 40 years, and the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division has kept racing fun for me.”

In addition to the $5,000 check, Stokes received a beautiful NeSmith Performance Parts World Championship Trophy. Between him and Robinson, Stokes wasn’t sure who was going to receive which after the race.

“Stacy and I made an agreement before the race that if we won one of us would get the money, and the other one would get the trophy,” Stokes said. “I really don’t care which one I get because they’re both great and to get either one on my birthday is extra special. I want to thank Needmore Speedway for putting on this race and paying out $5,000 for first-place, and NeSmith Racing for the trophy and for sanctioning the race.”

Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL drove the Hebner Motorsports Special to a second-place finish. McRee built the first and second place finishing cars in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock World Championship Race at his High Roller Race Cars shop just outside of Tuscaloosa, AL.

Bryan Fortner of Millport, AL took the third spot in the Race McMahon/Forward Race Cars Special. The top three finishing race cars were powered by the economical Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine straight out of the crate with the original factory sealing bolts. The steel head, steel block racing engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications.

All three engines were purchased from NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Claxton, GA for $3,595 with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. All Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engines purchased through December will have a $250 Rebate Visa Gift Card.

David Showers of St. Augustine, FL finished fourth in the Mills Concrete Special and pole sitter Kyle Livingood of Bristol, GA was fifth in the Real Tree Construction Special. Tyler Turvin of Cairo, GA drove the T&J Steel Special to a sixth-place finish while Bud Chancey of Albany, GA took the seventh spot in the Chancey Racing Special, and Brian Wooten of Albany, GA was eighth in the Wooten Racing Special.

Brian Grantham of Douglas, GA finished ninth in the Grantham Performance Special and Bubba Christian of Altoona, FL rounded out the top ten driving the Affordable Well Drilling Special. In preliminary action, the two 12-lap B-Main races were won by Jason Price of Pelham, GA in the Sumerlan Farms Special and Bradley Frakes of Albany, GA in the Frakes Motorsports Special.

On Saturday night, Livingood picked up the $300 T&J Steel Fast Time Award with a lap around Needmore Speedway in 18.356 seconds. C&L Performance and Auto Repair presented Stokes with $200 for the Second Fast Time Award with a time of 18.386 seconds, and $100 to McRee for the Third Fastest Award with a lap at 18.461 seconds.

The four ten-lap Heat Races on Saturday night were won by Livingood, Stokes, Michael Santangelo of Harahan, LA in the Harahan Body and Paint Special, and Fortner. Clay Caldwell of Arlington, TN traveled 582 miles to earn the $100 KDA Transport Long Haul Award. The Hard Charger of the race was Travis Carter of Albany, GA who started 23rd and finished 12th in the Carter Racing Special.

Stokes took command of the race at the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting spot followed by Livingood, Fortner, Santangelo and Tuck Trentham of Deland, FL in the Trentham Racing Special. The first of eight caution flags came out on lap two when Frakes and Nevin Gainey of Fort White, FL tangled in turn one.

The Dixie-Style Double-File Restart saw Stokes out front in a row all by himself with Livingood, Fortner, Santangelo, Trentham, Showers, McRee, Chancey, Wooten, and Brandon Elwood of Ocala, FL in the Elwood Racing Special doubled up behind him. Fortner got around Livingood for second on the restart, while Trentham and McRee passed Santangelo to move to fourth and fifth respectively.

McRee continued his charge to the front by making an inside move on Trentham down the front straightaway on lap five to move into fourth. The caution flag came out on lap 11 when Ricky McDonald of Doerun, GA spun his Good Life Vapor Special in turn four. The top ten for the restart was Stokes, Fortner, Livingood, McRee, Trentham, Santangelo, Chancey, Showers, Wooten, and Turvin.

The yellow caution bulb was lit for the third time on lap 13 when Santangelo spun in turn one while running in the sixth position, and collected several cars. They all were able to restart after some repairs, but several of them called it a night after a couple of more laps of competition. Robbie McDonald of Albany, GA in the Willie’s Speed Shop Special spun in turn two on lap 14 to bring out the caution flag.

McRee got busy as he was able to get by Livingood for third on the lap 11 restart and Fortner to take over the second spot on the lap 14 restart. Christian was able to also race his way into the top ten, and moved up to eighth on lap 15.

The race seemed to take on cautionitis as the fifth yellow flag of the race came out on lap 16 when Gainey and Jason Price of Pelham, GA in the Sumerlan Farms Special got together in turn four. The sixth and seventh caution flags came out on the restarts. The third lap 16 restart was a charm, as Stokes led McRee, Fortner, Livingood, Trentham, Showers, Chancey, Wooten, Christian, Turvin and Cameron Metts of Albany, GA in the R&C Motorsports Special.

After this restart, the competitors settled into a race pace and Stokes caught the cars on the tail end of the lead lap on the 28th tour of the race. While Stokes carefully negotiated the lapped traffic, McRee closed in on the leaders back bumper, with Fortner just a few car-lengths behind him. By lap 35, the lead trio had opened up a full straightaway advantage over Livingood in fourth.

With less than ten laps to go, Stokes had opened up a six car-length advantage over McRee and Fortner. That was erased on lap 44 when Trentham cut down a tire in turn four while running fifth to bring out the eighth and final caution flag of the race. Stokes had McRee, Fortner, Livingood, Showers, Chancey, Turvin, Christian, Wooten and Santangelo double up behind him in the top ten for the seven lap dash to the finish.

Showers was able to get by Livingood for fourth, Turvin passed Chancey for sixth, Wooten climbed up into the eighth spot, and Grantham charged up to the ninth position. Stokes took the checkered flag with a .948 second advantage over McRee.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division. 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 NeSMITH PERFORMANCE PARTS STREET STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AT NEEDMORE SPEEDWAY IN NORMAN PARK, GA ON 11/19/17:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 2 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS 50 $5,200
2. 7 22 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 50 $2,500
3. 4 99 Bryan Fortner Millport, AL 50 $1,100
4. 5 14 David Showers St. Augustine, FL 50 $850
5. 1 133 Kyle Livingood Bristol, GA 50 $1,000
6. 13 02 Tyler Turvin Cairo, GA 50 $600
7. 10 181 Bud Chancey Albany, GA 50 $575
8. 9 81 Brian Wooten Albany, GA 50 $550
9. 12 8g Brian Grantham Douglas, GA 50 $525
10. 11 04 Bubba Christian Altoona, FL 50 $500
11. 3 77 Michael Santangelo Harahan, LA 50 $350
12. 23 33 Travis Carter Albany, GA 50 $325
13. 6 25 Tuck Trentham Deland, FL 50 $300
14. 21 37c Cameron Metts Albany, GA 49 $300
15. 14 40 Marty Reid Clover, SC 49 $300
16. 19 68 Nevin Gainey Fort White, FL 49 $300
17. 22 18 V.J. McDonald Leesburg, GA 49 $300
18. 20 97 Robbie McDonald Albany, GA 49 $300
19. 8 28 Brandon Elwood Ocala, FL 33 $300
20. 24 83 Shawn Taylor Newberry, FL 19 $300
21. 15 36 Grady Christian Altoona, FL 15 $300
22. 25 06 Ricky McDonald Doerun, GA 15 $300
23. 26 66 Clay Caldwell Arlington, TN 15 $400
24. 17 24 Jason Price Pelham, GA 15 $300
25. 16 2 Brian Hansford Altha, FL 15 $300
26. 18 51 Bradley Frakes Albany, GA 10 $300

ENTRIES: 38
FAST QUALIFIER: Livingood, 18.356 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Ri. McDonald and Caldwell
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAP LEADER: Stokes, 1-50
HARD CHARGER: Carter (started 23rd and finished 12th)
CAUTIONS: 8
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .948 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 55 Minutes and 21.946 Seconds