Hedgec0ck Sweeps TST Night One For NeSmith Late Models

EASTABOGA, AL – The defending and two-time NeSmith/Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Loudon, TN served notice that he is the early season front runner to claim his third straight title after winning the 40-lap Main Event Friday night at Talladega Short Track in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket.

The only challenge Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) had to stave off was a late-race restart challenge from Michael Page of Douglasville, GA, and led all 40 laps to earn the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Roll With Cole Award to go with the $2,000 top prize. Page was able to stick the nose of his Baird Transport Stinger inside of Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)’s left-rear quarter panel, but that’s as close as he got.

Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) started out the evening in Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Qualifying by setting a new track record of 13.925 seconds to set fast time among the 50 entrants and earn the pole position for the main event. Fast time honors and leading all 40 laps gave Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) a clean sweep of the event and his second straight NeSmith/Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model win of the season.

Douglas had to settle for second and third went to three-time NeSmith/Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN in the Josh Roberts Trucking Special. Andy Picklesimer of Ooltewah, TN was fourth in the Hyma Motorsports Special.

Dingus Griffin of Eastaboga, AL took the fifth spot in the Griffin Motorsports Special and 2015 VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants Young Gun Challenge Series Champion Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL finished sixth in the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR. T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL drove the Brittain Hauling Warrior to a seventh-place finish and Tyler Clem of St, Petersburg, FL was eighth in the Big Frog Motorsports Rocket.

Sam Seawright of Fort Payne, AL finished ninth in the J&R Lumber Special and Chase Walls of Decherd, TN rounded out the top ten in the Walls Racing Special. Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, TN started 22nd and finished 11th to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award, and Ashton Winger of Senoia, GA finished 12th in the Keyser Manufacturing Rocket to earn the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race honors.

In other preliminary action, the four ten-lap B-Main Races were won by John Ownby of Cleveland, TN in the Frazier Rentals Special, Cody Smith of Holt, FL in the Smith Performance Engineering Rocket, Clem, and Winger.

Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) chose the outside front row spot to start the race, and took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Picklesimer, Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN in the B&M Salvage Rocket, Page, and Jamey Boland of Cuba, AL in the Boland Performance Trak-Star. Brittain had moved into the top five on lap five, and Johnson moved up from his ninth starting spot to challenge for fifth on lap six.

Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) had pulled out to an eight car-length advantage while Picklesimer, Henderson and Page battled for the second spot. Johnson took over sole possession of fifth by lap ten, and Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) caught the cars on the tail of the lead lap by lap 11. The lapped traffic went away on lap 12 when Boland spun on the high side of turn three to bring out the caution flag.

Behind the leader Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), Picklesimer, Henderson, Page, Johnson, Brittain, Ownby, Walls. Clem, and Skinner doubled up for the Dixie-Style Double-File restart. When the green bulb was refired, Henderson got by Picklesimer for second, and Johnson passed Page for fourth. Johnson was on the move, as he got by Picklesimer for third on lap 13.

Page reloaded and took a shot at Johnson in a battle for the third spot, and Page reclaimed the position on lap 18. The second yellow flag of the race was unfurled on lap 19 when Austin Burns of Georgetown, IN spun the Sub Surface of Indiana Special in turn four. During the caution period, Henderson stopped on the backstretch and had to be towed to the infield, giving up the second position.

Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) had Page, Johnson, Picklesimer, Ownby, Walls, Brittain, Griffin, Skinner and Clem doubled up behind him for the restart. Ownby raced around Picklesimer for fourth on the restart, but the field was slowed for a third time on lap 20 when Victor Turner Jr. of Pell City, AL stalled the Advantage Plus Mobile Home Service Rocket in turn four.

Smith stalled on the restart, but once the field got rolling, Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) once again opened up a lead, but behind the point man, a four-car-under-a-blanket battle for the second spot was being waged among Page, Johnson, Ownby and Picklesimer on a track with two distinct racing grooves just as fast as each other up high and down low.

The four drivers swapped grooves at will racing just inches apart. The battle got a little too intense for Ownby, who jumped the cushion in turn three on lap 28, slid off the race track, and came to rest outside turn four to light up the yellow caution bulb for the fifth time. The top ten for the restart was Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), Page, Johnson, Picklesimer, Brittain, Griffin, Skinner, Wallis, Winger, and Clem.

Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) once again said audios to the field on the restart, but Johnson dove to the inside of Page to challenge for the second spot. Page and Johnson raced side-by-side for three laps until Page cleared the “The Chattanooga Flash” on lap 30. Griffin was on the move and raced his way up into the fourth spot by lap 33.

With five laps to go, Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) held an eight car-length lead over Page, but that went away on lap 37 when Burns spun for the second time on the race in turn four to bring out the sixth and final caution flag. On the restart, Page got to the inside of Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)’s left-rear quarter panel, but that’s as close as anyone got to the leader all night long.

With his second straight win, Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) now has 288 points after the first three races of the 2018 NeSmith/Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season and holds a 24-point lead over Winger. Jake Knowles of Rome, GA is third in the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Rocket with 244 points.

The NeSmith/Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to Talladega Short Track on Saturday night for Night 2 of the NASCAR Weekend festivities with a $2,500-to-win 50-lap event, Round 4 of the 2018 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.